The former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi has declined his appointment as the Director, Research, of the PDP Presidential Campaign Committee.
Amadi, who is the current Director, Abuja School of Political and Social Thoughts (The Abuja School), while expressing gratitude to the party for the opportunity given to him to serve in the Committee, however, regretted that his commitments to several non-partisan platforms has constrained him from accepting the offer.
“I regret that I will not be able to accept the appointment because of the responsibility of political non-partisanship arising from my leadership and roles in several non-partisan platforms,” he stated
The Abuja School is a collection of scholars, public intellectuals, policy experts and enthusiast and generally, ideas men and women committed to the rediscovery of the reflective life in the classical Socratic sense.
Amadi, while proving further reasons for the decline, however, stated that he considers it a great honour to be considered fit for such a high office of a great presidential committee and added that “I am also delighted that the committee is headed by a man of your character and pedigree, someone I have had the honour and privilege of working with in the past.
Amadi expressed confidence that Governor Aminu Tambuwal “will, as always, make a huge success” of the PDP Presidential Campaigns, following his pedigree.
“Notwithstanding that I am honoured to be appointed as one of the directors to work with you, I humbly want to decline the appointment, and hereby abstain from participating in such a role.
“The decision to decline the offer has stemmed from the conflicts of interest emanating from various responsibilities in which I act as a leader of different platforms where political neutrality and objectivity are required of me,” he said.
He listed the platforms to include the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts (ASSPT), where he currently serves as “Director of the school”, adding that “I bear the responsibility to lead a group of intellectuals and scholars of diverse political and ideological stripes with a commitment to rethink the nature of the social, political, and economic crises of statehood in Africa, and to develop new ideas and policies to transform Nigeria and other African societies.
“The school is working on a detailed review of the economic plans of the leading candidates and their manifestos on how to enhance Nigeria’s electoral democracy. This clearly requires me to maintain a high degree of non-partisanship.”
He also cited his responsibilities at the Political and Strategy Committee of the Christian Association of Nigeria, where he also currently serves as “Secretary of the Committee.”
Amadi explained that he “bears responsibility to support other distinguished Christian leaders to guide the leadership of the Christian community to work together with leaders of other faiths to fashion a common agenda for justice, freedom, unity, and prosperity of the Nigerian state.
“As part of this responsibility, I helped to put together The Charter for A New Nigeria, a non-partisan, not denominational Christian vision of justice, fairness, freedom, and prosperity for all Nigerian peoples and citizens.
“Members of the committee have different political views and interests, and my leadership needs to be non-partisan in order to be effective.”
According to Amadi, “An acceptance of this appointment will undermine the neutrality expected of my standing and membership of the committee.”
Amadi, while also citing his commitments in other spheres, noted that “for several years, I have been an analyst on Arise News, which I consider one of the most strategic institutions for national development and sane deliberative democracy through analytical news reporting.
“My role in that reputable media platform also requires non-partisanship, even as I am free to express my opinions.
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“I greatly cherish these institutional roles and believe that they require me to maintain the non-partisanship posture that has allowed me to provide insights that have helped both institutions and critical stakeholders deliver on their mandates.
“Whereas as a policy expert, I am free to offer ideas and insights to a presidential campaign, I believe that the level of objectivity I am identified with in these strategic roles will be compromised if I am to become a director of a political party’s presidential campaign.
“I know that in developed democracies, non-partisans are often co-opted into presidential campaigns to offer professional services without compromising their objectivity and intellectual neutrality. But Nigeria is not yet at this stage in our politics. In all these premises, again, I humbly plead that I will not be able to accept the offer and appointment.”
He declared that his rejection of the offer was in no way a vote of no confidence in the PDP presidential campaign, or a rejection of the virtues of the members of that great party and its presidential candidate.
“You may recall that when you were an aspirant for the presidential candidacy of the PDP during the period of the primaries, I provided you with professional advice, believing that Mr. Peter Obi and you were the best candidates in that race, who could solve the crises of the Nigerian state.
“I also believed that the PDP presented the best pan-Nigerian platform for national salvation, considering its nationalistic outlook and liberal orientation.
“As a nationalist, I am interested in political platforms that can mobilise the diverse Nigerian peoples towards a common vision of democratic citizenship.
“As a liberal in politics, I believe that Nigeria needs a party that respects its religious and ethnic diversities and guarantees each citizen fairness and equality.
“As an institutionalist, I believe that Nigeria needs a political organisation with a good bureaucracy to drive development and stability.
“The PDP checks these boxes and fulfills, in more than one measure, these values,” he stated.
