By Clifford Ndujihe
A leading pro-democracy activist, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has urged fellow activists and credible Nigerians to proffer answers to nagging socio-economic and political questions in the country by participating actively in the electoral process.

Having been holed up in the trenches of activism since 1991, Lukman said he was diving headlong into the murky waters of politics on the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN because the era of buck-passing was over.

He said: “The political challenge before the nation, however defined, is simply that of loss of hope in political parties, recycled leadership and failed politicians. With national elections just months away, what can we possibly do to turn the political fortunes of the country? Is it possible to invent a decent, functional and democratic political party?

Can we possibly break away from the current vicious leadership cycle that only reinforces bad governance? How can the nation produce a new generation of value-driven and issue-oriented politicians? Our future depends on objective and rational answers to these questions. Our children’s future, happiness and capacity to commit themselves, to serve, to contribute to the development of the nation and therefore bring about a prosperous and stronger country depends on our ability to provide practical answers to these questions.”

Lukman, 47, who has an M.Sc in Economics, said 19 years of activism had given him a clear view of the problems of the citizenry and the solutions therein. He was among 54 Nigerians, who initiated the formation of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG and the organising secretary of the Good Governance Group (3G) led by Sen. Ken Nnamani and Alh. Aminu Bello Masari.

Lukman was also President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS (1988- 89); National Secretary, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR (1991), Lagos; founding Deputy General Secretary, the Campaign for Democracy, CD; Research Officer, the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Lagos (1992); Education Secretary, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and founder, Movement for a Better Future among others.

The activist-turn-politician believes that 2011 would translate into an opportunity to respond to the challenges facing the country by stopping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at the polls and unleash change in the polity because “the consequence is that for more than three decades, the country has been stuck with the same crop of leaders. To that extent therefore, we are continually regressing back to the 1980s governance models. Something just has to be done!”

If elected, Lukman said he would develop structures that would subordinate him to his constituents and compel him to implement the agenda they set.

He also promised to facilitate consultations with local councils on support services in the areas of health, education, water and agricultural development; initiate programmes to cater for women, whom he described as ‘the direct victims of poverty in our society;’ and to establish Employment and Youth Initiative Programme (EYIP) to tackle unemployment among others.