By George Mgbeleke

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vowed to introduce a new political culture anchored on ethics, accountability and responsible governance, declaring that politics without morality amounts to organised criminality.

ADC made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja during a media engagement on its “Orange Book: Governance Principles and Code of Ethics”, which it said was developed to provide a binding framework for its elected and appointed officials.

Giving insights on the details of he document, The ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said the initiative was part of the party’s effort to demonstrate how it intends to govern differently from existing political parties and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s political system.

He said the coalition that birthed the ADC was founded on the realisation that Nigeria’s challenges were largely connected to the nature of politics being practised in the country.

According to him, “If we are to solve the problem that Nigeria is facing, we have to play a different kind of politics.”

He said the party had therefore decided to develop governance principles and a code of ethics that would guide its members and provide Nigerians with the basis for holding elected officials accountable.

On the Code of Ethics, the spokesman said the document was particularly important because Nigerians had increasingly come to believe that morality and politics could not coexist.

“Politics gives people licence to tell lies, to behave badly, to do whatever they like. ADC is saying no,” he declared.

He described politics without ethics as “organised criminality and organised crime,” arguing that political leadership must be governed by the highest standards of morality, transparency and accountability.

The spokesman described the document as a new standard in Nigerian politics, “a reformist progressive ideology” noting that political parties since 1999 had largely failed to establish a comprehensive ethical framework capable of binding their elected officials.

He said an ADC senators, members of the House of Representatives, state legislators, governors or president would be expected to operate within the principles contained in the document.

He stressed that elected officials would not be permitted to hide behind the party or claim that their actions were personal decisions.

“Politics and politicians in Nigeria have become widely discredited. Nigeria has become a country that does not reward good behaviour and does not punish bad behaviour,” he said.

The ADC spokesman said the party’s approach was designed to reverse that culture by making ethical conduct an integral part of political leadership.

He added that the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, had been a major driving force behind the initiative, saying Mark had consistently advocated the emergence of a new generation of Nigerian politicians who would regard politics as a vehicle for public service rather than personal enrichment.

Quoting the party chairman, he said the objective was to establish “a standard to support a process that will produce a successor generation of Nigerian politicians that would believe that politics is for a purpose, not for self-aggrandisement.”

The party also used the occasion to highlight its proposed policy on abandoned government projects.

It added that the principle would also apply to legislative programmes, explaining that an ADC legislator who takes over from another party member would be required to continue viable bills and legislative initiatives already adopted as part of the party’s agenda.

According to him, this would help reverse the situation in which Nigeria has become “a graveyard of abandoned projects.”

He said the ADC recognised the challenges posed by systemic corruption, impunity and declining public trust and had consequently presented the Code of Ethics as “a binding covenant” between the party and Nigerians.

He disclosed that the party’s three presidential aspirants had not only signed the code but also sworn an oath committing themselves to its provisions.

The spokesman said the code would impose personal responsibility on every elected or appointed ADC official, stressing that no official would be allowed to shift responsibility for misconduct to the party.

Among the commitments contained in the code, he said, was a pledge by officials not to use public office to enrich themselves, their families or associates.

He quoted the code as stating: “I shall never use my position to enrich myself, my family, or my associates.”

Officials would also be required to live within their means and ensure that their personal lifestyles reflected legitimate sources of income.

The spokesman said the provisions were intended to empower party members and Nigerians to challenge conduct inconsistent with the party’s promises.

“When you see an ADC official in a 14-vehicle convoy, you have a right, as an ADC member, to say, ‘No. This is not what we promised. We said it will be different,’” he said.

Also in his remarks, National Legal Adviser of he party, Prof. Oserheimen Osumbo said that the party will embark all legislative frame work to ensure the commitments in the “The Orange Book” are enforceable.

He said, “We need serious-minded people to ensure that these provisions of the constitution are respected and not treated with levity or as a joke. The way they can do that is by giving their votes to ADC legislators, ADC executives, and so forth and so on, so that we can have the ability to amend the constitution where necessary, to implement the constitution as both the spirit and the letter of the constitution must be respected.

“You need people with the right ethical credentials, the right kind of conduct to know that these things must not be treated with levity, and they must be respected. That is why we are launching this code of ethics. It is a standard, and we expect that all elected officers of ADC live up to this ethical code.

“Where fresh legislation is demanded, because they cannot be enforced. I consider that point that you cannot go to court to enforce it because it’s an ethical standard. It is not a law. So you need to transform this code of ethics into legislation.”

The event was attended by the leaders of he party including Hon. CID Maduabum and other stakeholders.

By Our Correspondent

Abia’s Foremost Socio – political Group , Reality Organisation has rejected the allegation of anti-party activity levelled against the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, by the Abia State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the accusation as a politically motivated attempt to intimidate a respected party leader.

In a statement signed by its representative, Dimgba Okereke, the organisation on Tuesday said the APC in Abia State could not be allowed to become the preserve of a few individuals who, rather than building the party ahead of the 2027 elections, were allegedly promoting division, intolerance and political exclusion.

The organisation was reacting to the communiqué issued by the Abia APC State Working Committee on Monday, in which the party condemned comments attributed to Senator Kalu and Hon. Chris Nkwonta and demanded public apologies over alleged anti-party conduct.

Reality Organisation described the action against Kalu as unwarranted, arguing that the Senator did not endorse Governor Alex Otti or the Labour Party in the television interview referenced by the APC leadership.

According to the group, Kalu was asked whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election and answered in the affirmative. He was also asked whether Governor Otti would win the Abia governorship election and equally responded in the affirmative.

The organisation stressed that when asked whether the APC had an alliance with Governor Otti, Senator Kalu’s response was an unequivocal no.

“Where, therefore, is the endorsement? Is a prediction now synonymous with an endorsement? Has political analysis suddenly become anti-party activity?” the group queried.

It maintained that there was a fundamental difference between making a political assessment and endorsing a candidate, arguing that Kalu’s comments amounted to his assessment of the prevailing political circumstances and not a declaration of support for the Labour Party candidate.

“A prediction is an assessment of what one believes may happen; an endorsement is an expression of support for a candidate or cause. Conflating the two is either intellectual laziness or a deliberate attempt to mislead members of the party and the public,” the organisation said.

Reality Organisation further argued that rather than threatening Kalu with disciplinary action, the Abia APC leadership should regard his prediction as an opportunity for introspection.

The group asked why the party leadership would not examine the political circumstances that informed Kalu’s assessment and work towards changing the equation ahead of 2027.

“If the leadership of the APC in Abia State were genuinely serious about winning the 2027 governorship election, Senator Kalu’s answers should have provided an opportunity for sober self-reflection.

“Rather than reaching for threats and disciplinary proceedings, they should be asking themselves what shortcomings within the party could produce such a prediction and what must be done to change the political equation before 2027,” it said.

The organisation also accused the Abia APC leadership of applying different standards to political actors, alleging that similar political predictions made against Senator Kalu in the past did not attract the same level of condemnation or disciplinary threats.

It cited an article reportedly published shortly before the National Assembly primaries which predicted political hurdles for Kalu even if he secured the APC senatorial ticket, asking why those who are now demanding sanctions did not react with similar intensity at the time.

“Where were Chijioke Chukwu and his colleagues then? What was their reaction? Where was the communiqué? Where was the righteous indignation?” the organisation queried.

It described the alleged disparity as evidence of “selective outrage” and warned that such an approach could further deepen divisions within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

The group further declared that no individual or faction owns the APC in Abia State, stressing that the party belongs to all members who have contributed to its growth and electoral struggles over the years.

“Benjamin Kalu does not own it. Chijioke Chukwu does not own it. Neither does any collection of political cronies have the authority to convert a national political party into a private estate where disagreement is punished and independent thought is treated as rebellion,” the statement said.

Reality Organisation said genuine party members who had worked to build the APC in Abia would not remain silent if what it described as a culture of intimidation, segregation and impunity continued.

It warned that continued exclusion of legitimate stakeholders could trigger a fresh organisational crisis within the party.

“If this culture of segregation, intimidation, high-handedness and impunity continues, then, by the grace of God, genuine and patriotic members of the Abia APC will have no alternative but to unveil a dedicated State Working Committee to run the affairs of the party and provide the inclusive leadership that members across Abia State deserve,” it said.

The organisation, however, maintained that the ultimate test of political strength should be the ballot box rather than disciplinary threats.

It challenged the Abia APC leadership to organise the party, reconcile aggrieved members, end perceived segregation, produce a credible candidate and mobilise effectively for the 2027 election if it disagreed with Kalu’s assessment.

“Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s prediction should provoke introspection, not persecution. If the Abia APC disagrees with his assessment, the answer is simple: organise the party, reconcile aggrieved members, end segregation, present a credible candidate, mobilise Abians and prove the prediction wrong at the ballot box.

“That is democracy. Threats, selective disciplinary proceedings and political grandstanding will not win an election,” the organisation stated.

Reality Organisation urged APC stakeholders across Abia to prioritise reconciliation, inclusiveness and collective mobilisation, warning that internal persecution of prominent party members could weaken the party’s chances ahead of 2027.

It concluded with a strong warning to those allegedly attempting to monopolise the affairs of the party: “Enough is enough.”

By David Owei

The Provisional Committee for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard – PC-NCG, has called on the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to conclude deliberations and pass the Nigerian Coast Guard Establishment Bill, currently at Third Reading.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by the Director of Communication & Public Affairs, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, on behalf of the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, Captain Noah Ichaba, the Committee maintained that Nigeria can no longer afford further delay in addressing critical gaps in maritime law enforcement and governance.

“Nigeria has gathered sufficient evidence to act. The absence of a dedicated Coast Guard has resulted in institutional gaps, overlapping mandates, fragmented funding, limited operational capacity, and a disjointed response to maritime threats,” Capt. Ichaba stated.
“What is required now is the political will to move from recognition to resolution, and from debate to decision.”

As the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the Senate has a constitutional mandate to make laws for the peace, order, and good governance of Nigeria. In the maritime domain, this includes providing the legal and institutional framework required to secure Nigeria’s waters and unlock the economic potential of the ocean.

The passage of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill is central to that mandate. A statutory Coast Guard will: Provide a dedicated, civilian-led agency for search and rescue, fisheries protection, pollution control, and law enforcement in Nigeria’s territorial waters and EEZ. Create a stable security environment for investment in shipping, ports, aquaculture, offshore energy, tourism, and coastal trade, key pillars of Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda.

By protecting coastal communities and livelihoods the Coast Guard will strengthen response to piracy, illegal fishing, oil theft, and environmental degradation that directly impact over 30 million Nigerians living in coastal states. Clarify roles among maritime agencies, reduce duplication, and ensure efficient use of public resources. Enable sustainable exploitation of ocean resources that can contribute billions to GDP and create millions of direct and indirect jobs.

“The establishment of a Nigerian Coast Guard is not about institutional competition. It is about clarifying roles, improving coordination, protecting lives and property, securing coastal communities, and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s Blue Economy,” Capt. Ichaba said.

The Committee cautioned against further delays based on arguments that “Nigeria is different,” noting that such positions should not prevent Nigeria from adopting institutional structures proven to work in other maritime nations.

“The issue before us is no longer whether the need exists. The issue is whether this Senate will demonstrate the courage to translate established facts and national necessity into law,” the statement added.

PC-NCG emphasized that public office is a public trust. “True authority is measured by service, justice, and accountability, to the people, to history, and to God.”

The Committee urged Distinguished Senators to evaluate the Bill on its constitutional, operational, economic, security, and national-interest merits, and to bring it to a conclusive vote.

“Let the 10th Senate be remembered for choosing Nigeria at the moment Nigeria needed institutional courage,” Capt. Ichaba said.

PC-NCG also appealed to maritime stakeholders, government agencies, regulators, industry operators, coastal communities, labour, academia, and development partners to place Nigeria’s collective maritime interest above institutional rivalry.

The Provisional Committee for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard is tasked with driving advocacy, technical engagements, and stakeholder consultations toward the establishment of a statutory Nigerian Coast Guard to complement existing maritime security agencies and support the sustainable development of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.