Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has urged Nigerians to embrace federalism, credible elections, and elite consensus as the foundation for the country’s progress over the next 65 years.
El-Rufai made this call while interacting with clergy, professionals, and citizens, in Owerri, Imo State capital.
H stressed the urgent need for a collective vision to address Nigeria’s structural challenges.
The former FCT Minister also explained that while Nigeria has made democratic gains since 1999, including regular elections, participation has drastically declined, from over 60 percent voter turnout in 2003 to barely 27 percent in 2023, reflecting growing public estrangement from the electoral process.
“The evidence compels us to say it plainly. Nigeria is the world’s most populous Black nation, projected to exceed 400 million by 2050, yet remains structurally fragile,” El-Rufai said.
The politician highlighted high poverty rates, unemployment among youth, inflation, and mounting public debt as pressing concerns that threaten national stability.
El-Rufai stressed that a new elite consensus, an agreement among political, business, and civil society leaders on the nation’s direction, is critical.
