Background - Steering Committee

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group, a company limited by guarantee was born in 1996 as a result of the success of the first Nigeria Economic Summit (NES #1) convened in 1993 by Chief Ernest Sonekan, Chairman of the Transitional Council.

Initially, there were 14 Workgroups known as Policy Commissions under the platform of NES. At NES #12, the board of the NESG decided to compress the 14 policy commissions into 8 so that they can be properly managed. These are:

1. Infrastructure
2. Human Development
3. Governance & Institutions
4. Oil & Gas
5. Agriculture
6. Non-oil / Non-Agriculture
7. Investment Climate
8. Governance & Institution

The objective of the Commissions is essentially to facilitate the adoption of various NES recommendations with a view of fast-tracking growth and development of the economy. Basically, the Policy Commissions will focus on the policy process framework of specific sectors in terms of articulation/formulation, planning, implementation, evaluation/monitoring.

The Policy Commissions are structured as follows:

Leadership - This include the Co-chair, Facilitator, Consultant, Rapporteurs and Core Team members. They will be responsible for driving the process.

Membership - This comprises stakeholders from public and private sectors, civil society groups, and international and multilateral institutions

Programme Content - It is expected that the programme contents will be designed by the members of the policy commissions through consensus after thorough deliberations. It is also expected that the Policy Analysis Unit of the National Planning Commission will work with the policy commissions to facilitate the 'transformation' of NES recommendations in policies.

The Coalition for Issues-Based Politics and Good Governance (CIPOGG) - a brain child of the Governance and Institution Policy Commission - evolved out of the NES deliberations. CIPOGG is a coalition of stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral process insisting on a more rigorous, issues-driven political culture. The Coalition is made up of representatives of the civil society and non-governmental organisations, the media, academia, opinion leaders, technocrats and the organised private sector.

CIPOGG's approach will contribute in a significant way to influencing the emerging political class and technocrats towards ideology-based discourse, engaging them on key policy and reform issues and providing a further platform to holding them accountable while in office.

At the end, CIPOGG's goal is to engender a healthy, truly competitive political arena, where political parties and their candidates are brought into the public domain to engage in serious discourse around their eligibility, policies and programs, thereby creating a foundation for ongoing critique on their overall performance and delivery.

As the name suggests, the steering committee will direct and govern CIPOGG programs, commencing with activities that are related to election and the electioneering process. The Steering Committee members were carefully selected from the ACADEMIA, WOMEN GROUP, INEC and NOA, MEDIA, LABOUR, CSOs, NGOs, FBOs, and the PRIVATE SECTORS and DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS.

CIPOGG's program includes political debates, rallies, and town hall meeting that will be carried out at national and state levels, starting with key states at the pilot stage.

1. Chief Philip C. Asiodu CON - Medife Ltd

2. Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu - Thisday Newspaper

3. Mrs Funmi Roberts - Funmi Roberts & Co

4. Mrs Ndidi Nwuneli - LEAP Africa

5. Alhaji Aliko Dangote - Dangote Group

6. Mr. John Momoh - Channels Television

7. Ms Yemisi Ransome-Kuti - Nigerian Network of NGOs

8. Mr. Anwal Inbrahim Musa - Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre

9. Prof. Adigun Agbaje - University of Ibadan

10 Dr. Olumide Ajayi - Africa Leadership Forum (ALF)

11. Ms. Funke Aboyade - Thisady Newspaper

12. Mrs Aisha Oyebode - Muritala Mohammed Foundation

13. Alhaji Ahmed Joda - Nigerian Communication Commission

14. Mr. Kunle Dina - Accenture

15. Prof Jadesola Akande OFR - Women, Law & Development Centre Nigeria

16. Prof Attahiru Jega - Bayero University , Kano

17. Prof Grace A. Alele -Williams OFR - Frm Vice Chancellor of Uni. of Benin

18. Dr. Ndi Onuekwusi - League of Anambra Professional

19. Dr. Dom Okoro - Socio-Economic Rights Initiative

20. Prof. Ibidapo Obe - University of Lagos

21. Mr. Lamre Osaze Nosaze - Civil Liberties Organization

22. Dr. Lateed Adegbite - Lateed Adegbite & Company (Solicitos & Advocates)

23. Dr. Arch. Akinola - Anglican Church of Nigeria

24. Miss Temitayo Etomi - Positive Impact Network (Project Vote)

25. Mr. Henry Balogun - Centre for Leadership & Public Integrity (CLPI)

26. Engr. Emeka M. Ezeh FNSE - The Nigerian Society of Engineers

27. Olisa Agbakoba, OON, SAN - Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)

28. Ven. Titus Adeboye - Church of Nigeria

We encourage you to give your full support to CIPOGG and its program.