Past News
The opposition leaders in Nigeria under the auspices of the Mega Summit Movement (MSM) have concluded arrangement to hold a National Political Reform Summit otherwise known as National Summit on Democracy (NASDEM) on October 1, this year.
This development came up after the leaders of the movement went to the National Assembly last week to canvass support for the much demanded electoral reform. The proposal for the reform of the electoral matters in the country have been submitted some months back but the National Assembly is yet to decide on it.

The summit, according to MSM, would be an avenue to harmonize all the proposals and recommendations gathered in its consultations for popular political reform and the establishment of a formidable Peoples Mega Party.

The MSM represented by its Head of Secretariat, Chief Olu Falae, former head of state, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Chief Rasheed Shitta Bay, Mallam Sule Hamma, Chief Victor Umeh, Senator Sulaimon Salawu and Olawale Okunniyi, had attended the public hearing on constitution review organized by the House of Representatives last week to canvass unlimited electoral reform.

According to a statement yesterday by the Media and Publicity Coordinator of MSM, Alhaji Hamisu San Turaki, the planning committee of the Summit led by Prof Pat Utomi, who also contested for the Presidency in 2007 may have decided to recommend the October 1 date to the leadership of the MSM given the political significance of the date and also to prevent the event from clashing with the Muslim Ramadan fast.

According to Turaki, the group still enjoying its renewed alliance between the Presidential Candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007 General Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice-President and Presidentia Candidate of Action Congress (AC) also in 2007 Atiku Abubakar, had also intensified talks with labour and civil societies for a mass rally on electoral reform.

He said the rally is scheduled for Abuja on a date the group would formally hand its private member’s bill to the National Assembly.

“Mega Summit Movement is leaving no stone unturned in its mobilization for political change in Nigeria and therefore will work with all stakeholders and groups genuinely committed to unlimited political reform in the country,” the statement said.

On the composition of Mega Summit on Democracy, Turaki said it would include eminent Nigerians, leaders of thought, elder statesmen, distinguished sectoral and constituency leaders, foremost scholars and academics.

Others, he said, would include delegates from all political parties in the country, civil society organizations and labour leaders, professional bodies, Nigerians in Diaspora, indigenous groups, political mass movements, artisan platforms, gender constituencies, women, youths and persons living with disabilities among others.