By Daniel Kanu
Assistant Politics Editor
A socio-political organisation, Take Back Nigeria (TBN) Movement, has urged Nigerians to be wary of some unprincipled individuals and groups dropping its name in public to attract political patronage and public acceptance.
The group expressed worry that some Nigerians may fall victim of their deception, thinking that they were dealing with the genuine organisation.
In a statement sent to The Niche, signed by the group’s media coordinator, Philip Jakpor, TBN urged Nigerians to support its vision and message which it noted is to “reclaim back Nigeria from its present decay and ensure it is great again.”
The group stated: “The Take Back Nigeria Movement [TBN] has noted in recent times the increasing use of our name, Take Back Nigeria; our acronym, TBN; and our #TakeBackNigeria, as well as the lifting and paraphrasing of some of our core messages, among others by many of our citizens and other increasingly emerging groups and groupings.
“To make matters worse, they have been doing this in a manner that appears to be deliberate in the intention to cause confusion and distraction within the ranks of not only Nigerians in general, but our own membership and supporters in particular.”
TBN, however, advised Nigerians not to be docile but to join its rank and file and be active political participants.
It noted, “For the avoidance of doubts, our mission was launched in 2013 on the first anniversary of the January Uprising of 2012 where we issued a call to all activists and active citizens to make the transition From Protest To Power; that is to pick up the challenge of actually contesting political power with the discredited establishment to realise the Nigeria of our Vision.
“We followed this call with a manifesto and programme of action, and proceeded to begin the arduous task of building a Mass Political Pan Nigeria Movement. We also issued an open invitation to all Nigerians who believe in our vision and endorse our programme, to come and join us to undertake this mission.
“When again in October 2017, when we decided that we would proactively engage with the 2019 general elections, as an arena to directly challenge the establishment politically, and contest political power with the discredited elite; we reiterated our call to Nigerians to Join Us on the mission to Take Back Nigeria and Rebuild Our Country; while also renewing our Manifesto and Programme of action as our election manifesto for the 2019 general elections”.
TBN also submitted, “For the avoidance of doubt any official statement, invitation etc. from Take Back Nigeria Movement that is not signed by the following is not from our platform and movement; Babatunde Oluajo Sankara [Secretariat], Yushau Sani Yankuzo [Northwest], Comrade Mamman [Northeast], Ralph Gabin [North Central], Godwin Frank [South South], Wale Salami Don [Southwest], Kenny Oleru [Southeast], Philip Jakpor [Media], Vivian Bellonwu [Strategy] and Jaye Gaskia [Convener]”.