ANN to Get Technocrats Involved in Political Process

A new political group, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has promised to rally professional, technocrats and corporate players together in order to get them more involved in the political process with the aim of “retiring and replacing the old order.”

A statement issued by the group quoted the National Coordinator of the group and Harvard University scholar, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, saying it was high time young and upwardly mobile Nigerians who have made their marks in their different private endeavours became more interested in the political process and play a role in determining who governs the country.

The group said for long, professionals and technocrats hardly participate in the political process of the country.

“Rather, what they do is to complain and lament about the state of affairs of the country. We have complained enough,” Samuels said.

“We cannot continue to go on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp groups and be lamenting about how the country is drifting. Enough of that. It is time to get involved and try to change things in the country by being part of the political process. And there is no better platform to do this than through the Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN. We are out to serve as the rallying point for technocrats and professionals to come out of the shells and become part of the political process.”

The Edo State-born medical doctor added that the group is made up of those he called ‘Technoticians’; a hybrid of technocrats and politicians. He explained, however, that in their own case, the 80-20 rule applies as they are more of technocrats than politicians.

“For us to be involved in politics, we have to be known as politicians. But we are first and foremost technocrats only getting involved in the political process.

Samuels lamented that for long, the nation has left its political destiny in the hands of few career politicians who only think of the next election and nothing more. The medical practitioner said these professional politicians are the ones that decide what goes on in the country and who and who gets what. He said it was time Nigerians take their destiny into their own hands by legitimately interrogating these forces.

“If you notice, only thirty percent of the populace gets involved in the political process in the country; either through active participation or via voting. Those who hold public offices are less than 20,000, including those at the state level. What we are doing is to talk to the remaining seventy percent and get them to be part of the process. This is what ANN is all about.”

The group said in the statement that the process of INEC registration is at an advanced stage and very soon, this, hopefully would be concluded.