SGF Position: Olisa Agbakoba gets strong backing
Leaders of some political movements in the country, from various Ethnic nationalities, Labour and the Civil society have called on the Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and a leading light of Nigeria's Pro democracy movement, Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN not to ignore calls by top stakeholders from the southeast zone to become the next Secretary to Federal Government, SGF.
The political leaders under the umbrella of the Citizens Advocacy Group, CAG at a forum in Lagos on Wednesday said the office of the SGF is very sensitive and technical, so, it requires a very learned, technically sound and credible international figure like the former Civil Liberties Organization boss
Addressing the press through its spokesperson; Mr Olubori Obafemi, the coalition said with his intimidating track record, Agbakoba is eminently qualified for the job and since the presidency has already zoned the office to the south east, where Agbakoba hails from, he is being strongly advised and backed to go for the position to inject his rare technical endowment into moving the Nation forward
“Agbakoba is being strongly supported by the civil society community and ethnic nationalities Leaders against the choice of a traditional politician based on his proven democratic and managerial qualities as well as the unequaled technical skills he has demonstrated in the past
He, to us, is the mould of the current SGF, Ahmed Yayale, a technocrat, who is not too given to partisan politics and so can avoid the distractions of political pressures associated with the Nigerian presidency, as a traditional politician can be easily pressurized to politicize the office as the case with Babagana Kingibe, who was accused of power tussle in the presidency”
CAG said Agbakoba is highly cerebral in vision, as he was able to pioneer the organized civil society in Nigeria by forming the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO in 1987. He was also said to have shown through his activities in CLO that he has a very in-depth understanding of the nationalities and other sectors in the country.
Olubori said the coalition is obliged to fully back the choice of the detribalised civil society icon as the next SGF given his excellent performance and track record in the various capacities in which he previously served
”We also wish to recall that Agbakoba is a man of great courage and vision, who consistently inspired others to intervene on behalf of Nigerians in many ways against military autocracy, pursuing vigorous judicial activism at a great cost to his life and family welfare to usher in the current democracy, which others are today enjoying.
Olisa to us is a man of great ingenuity and fantastic organizational skills though highly diplomatic in getting people to buy into his ideas. He is indeed a great team player, who ran one of the most successful career among very vibrant civil society veterans like, Enahoro, Soyinka, Fawehinmi, Beko, Falana among others whom he worked with in various platforms and capacities, Olubori said.