₦airaland Forum

Why the Shovel?

I have read a number of comments asking why the newly affirmed political party, the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), adopted a shovel as its official symbol.

The answer is simple: Nigeria will not be rebuilt by rhetoric alone. It will be rebuilt through work.

The official symbol of the Citizens Democratic Alliance consists of a brown circular emblem bearing the inscription "CITIZENS DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE" in white. Within the circle is a black shovel with a white highlight, while the Party's acronym, CDA, appears below the emblem.

The shovel symbolizes productive labour, nation-building, progress, and development. It reflects our belief that the future of Nigeria depends on hard work, innovation, enterprise, and the dignity of labour. It is a reminder that every great nation is built by citizens who are willing to work, create, produce, and contribute to the common good.

The circular design represents unity, inclusion, continuity, and our vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and united Nigeria.

The colours of the logo also carry deep meaning:

Brown symbolizes Nigeria's rich heritage, fertile land, productivity, and economic potential.

White symbolizes peace, unity, justice, transparency, and national harmony.

Black symbolizes the strength, resilience, dignity, and collective power of the Nigerian people.

At CDA, we believe that the path to national renewal lies not in empty promises but in productive effort, responsible leadership, and active citizenship.

That is why our symbol is a tool of work.

Because nations are not built by wishes. They are built by citizens willing to work together for a better future.

Let's Work To Make Nigeria Work.

Citizen Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo
National Chairman
Citizens Democratic Alliance

TonyeBarcanister is the National chairman of the new registered party?

NgeneUkwuenu- Pro tem National Secretary.

Citizen Democratic Alliance.

Philistine:
TonyeBarcanister is the National chairman of the new registered party?

Yes o... I have come of age! Abi, I too small?

NgeneUkwenu:
NgeneUkwuenu- Pro tem National Secretary.

Citizen Democratic Alliance.

LOOOOOOONgest time Boss

If Tonye Barcanista can have his own party, you have to wonder why that agulu fraudster called Peter Obi is too lazy and clueless to have his own?

What’s the ideology of your party?

Are leftist, right, pro capitalist, pro communist, pro socialist?

It’s about time our political parties start standing for something, focus on one path and convince us that their own path is better than others.

Sheuns:
What’s the ideology of your party?

Are leftist, right, pro capitalist, pro communist, pro socialist?

It’s about time our political parties start standing for something, focus on one path and convince us that their own path is better than others.

Our party, CDA is a progressive social democratic political party. Economically, we support a mixed economy where private enterprise drives innovation, investment, and growth, while government ensures fairness, equal opportunity, and protection for vulnerable citizens. We are of the center-left.

Socially, we are conservative and uphold traditional family and marriage values.

TonyeBarcanista:
Our party, CDA is a progressive social democratic political party. Economically, we support a mixed economy where private enterprise drives innovation, investment, and growth, while government ensures fairness, equal opportunity, and protection for vulnerable citizens. We are of the center-left.

Socially, we are conservative and uphold traditional family and marriage values.

Does this mean you support both socialism and capitalism?

Will your party if given the chance at the national level at any point in time introduce subsidies on any product or services that will benefit a larger percentage of the population?

What are your party’s plans on revitalizing our declining economy?

How would you handle government expenditure at Executive, Legislative and Judicial level?

Would your party be willing to introduce hourly wage rates instead of the current wage rate we have?

Most importantly, how will your party lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty?

Your party’s views and policies on taxation?

TonyeBarcanista:
Yes o... I have come of age! Abi, I too small?

No sir

Who is the presidential candidate of your party?

TonyeBarcanista:
Why the Shovel?

I have read a number of comments asking why the newly affirmed political party, the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), adopted a shovel as its official symbol.

The answer is simple: Nigeria will not be rebuilt by rhetoric alone. It will be rebuilt through work.

The official symbol of the Citizens Democratic Alliance consists of a brown circular emblem bearing the inscription "CITIZENS DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE" in white. Within the circle is a black shovel with a white highlight, while the Party's acronym, CDA, appears below the emblem.

The shovel symbolizes productive labour, nation-building, progress, and development. It reflects our belief that the future of Nigeria depends on hard work, innovation, enterprise, and the dignity of labour. It is a reminder that every great nation is built by citizens who are willing to work, create, produce, and contribute to the common good.

The circular design represents unity, inclusion, continuity, and our vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and united Nigeria.

The colours of the logo also carry deep meaning:

Brown symbolizes Nigeria's rich heritage, fertile land, productivity, and economic potential.

White symbolizes peace, unity, justice, transparency, and national harmony.

Black symbolizes the strength, resilience, dignity, and collective power of the Nigerian people.

At CDA, we believe that the path to national renewal lies not in empty promises but in productive effort, responsible leadership, and active citizenship.

That is why our symbol is a tool of work.

Because nations are not built by wishes. They are built by citizens willing to work together for a better future.

Let's Work To Make Nigeria Work.

Citizen Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo
National Chairman
Citizens Democratic Alliance

How to join?

Sheuns:
Does this mean you support both socialism and capitalism?

Far from it. We don't believe that neither socialiam nor capitalism is entirely bad/good. social democrats literally combine the positives of capitalism and socialism. Think of Germany.

Will your party if given the chance at the national level at any point in time introduce subsidies on any product or services that will benefit a larger percentage of the population?

Yes. CDA is not opposed to subsidies where they are necessary, transparent, and beneficial to the majority of Nigerians. We support targeted interventions in critical sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, and public transportation, provided they are fiscally sustainable and deliver real value to citizens.

What are your party’s plans on revitalizing our declining economy?

We will pursue a production-driven economy anchored on agriculture, manufacturing, technology, artificial intelligence, digital innovation, energy, and infrastructure. We believe Nigeria's youthful population can become a global economic asset if properly equipped with skills, technology, and access to opportunity.[/quote]

How would you handle government expenditure at Executive, Legislative and Judicial level?

We will reduce waste, digitize government processes, strengthen transparency, and ensure that expenditure at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial levels is efficient, accountable, and focused on development outcomes rather than bureaucracy.

Would your party be willing to introduce hourly wage rates instead of the current wage rate we have?

We are open to innovative labour policies, but our immediate priority is creating millions of decent-paying jobs, raising productivity, and strengthening labour protections. Any wage reform must reflect Nigeria's economic realities and protect workers.

Most importantly, how will your party lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty?

Your party’s views and policies on taxation?

Our strategy is centred on job creation, quality education, technology adoption, AI and digital skills, agricultural modernization, SME development, infrastructure expansion, and targeted social protection for vulnerable citizens.

On Taxation, we support a fair, simple, and growth-oriented tax system. We will reduce the burden of multiple taxation, encourage enterprise and investment, broaden the tax base through economic growth, and ensure that taxpayers receive value through improved public services.

Let me add that we have developed a detailed Manifesto and Governance Blueprint in which our policies and programmes are comprehensively outlined. It serves as our social contract with the Nigerian people, and it would be our honour to share it with you.

jmoore:
Who is the presidential candidate of your party?

At this stage, we have not nominated a presidential candidate. Our immediate focus is on building a strong, credible, and disciplined political party with structures across the country. The vision of CDA is not to become a briefcase political party for political nomads or merely a vehicle for personal political ambition. We are building a principled and institution-driven platform that can endure beyond individuals and serve as a genuine vehicle for national transformation.

Is the op now in Community Development Association Party ( CDA)

helinues:
Is the op now in Community Development Association Party ( CDA)

That would be an honor

TonyeBarcanista:
Why the Shovel?

I have read a number of comments asking why the newly affirmed political party, the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), adopted a shovel as its official symbol.

The answer is simple: Nigeria will not be rebuilt by rhetoric alone. It will be rebuilt through work.

The official symbol of the Citizens Democratic Alliance consists of a brown circular emblem bearing the inscription "CITIZENS DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE" in white. Within the circle is a black shovel with a white highlight, while the Party's acronym, CDA, appears below the emblem.

The shovel symbolizes productive labour, nation-building, progress, and development. It reflects our belief that the future of Nigeria depends on hard work, innovation, enterprise, and the dignity of labour. It is a reminder that every great nation is built by citizens who are willing to work, create, produce, and contribute to the common good.

The circular design represents unity, inclusion, continuity, and our vision of a peaceful, prosperous, and united Nigeria.

The colours of the logo also carry deep meaning:

Brown symbolizes Nigeria's rich heritage, fertile land, productivity, and economic potential.

White symbolizes peace, unity, justice, transparency, and national harmony.

Black symbolizes the strength, resilience, dignity, and collective power of the Nigerian people.

At CDA, we believe that the path to national renewal lies not in empty promises but in productive effort, responsible leadership, and active citizenship.

That is why our symbol is a tool of work.

Because nations are not built by wishes. They are built by citizens willing to work together for a better future.

Let's Work To Make Nigeria Work.

Citizen Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo
National Chairman
Citizens Democratic Alliance

I am really impressed and wish you the best. But

1. Would you people be filling in candidates in the various political offices in the 2027 General Elections? Remember a Federal High Court had made pronouncements on the INEC time table which by necessary implications would mean that political parties yet to conduct primaries may still do so.

2. I hope your Interest and Nomination Forms are not expensive? I think it should even be free. Set an example that participation in politics does not always have to be about money, but about bold ideas and give ordinary citizens with such ideas a fighting chance in the political space.

Thank you.

juri:
I am really impressed and wish you the best. But

1. Would you people be filling in candidates in the various political offices in the 2027 General Elections? Remember a Federal High Court had made pronouncements on the INEC time table which by necessary implications would mean that political parties yet to conduct primaries may still do so.

Our exclusion from pre-election activities by INEC combined with its timetable has literally put us at disadvantage position. We are being realistic! We don't intend to be a briefcase party for political actors who just want to appear on the ballot.

2. I hope your Interest and Nomination Forms are not expensive? I think it should even be free. Set an example that participation in politics does not always have to be about money, but about bold ideas and give ordinary citizens with such ideas a fighting chance in the political space.

Thank you.

We do not intend to do things the way they are currently done.

Congrats OP. I wish all best in your new party

I read the answers you gave to my previously asked questions and they are impressive.

For all these to work, members of your party need to share same ideology and values.

Will the party create a blueprint outlining what and what must be done to achieve the goals and objectives, and this blueprint must be followed by every elected member of this party at any level of government? I ask this because like I’ve said before the parties that have been dominating since 1999 tend to have zero ideology and all their elected members just do whatever they feel like. Successors abandon agendas of predecessor and start another agenda. E.g Yaradua had a 7 point agenda, after his passing and his successor GEJ took over, he started another agenda Vision 2020. I’ve seen same happen in Lagos as well. From Fashola to Ambode to Sanwo Olu. All came and started their own different agendas.

Will you allow such in your party?

Sheuns:
I read the answers you gave to my previously asked questions and they are impressive.

For all these to work, members of your party need to share same ideology and values.

Will the party create a blueprint outlining what and what must be done to achieve the goals and objectives, and this blueprint must be followed by every elected member of this party at any level of government? I ask this because like I’ve said before the parties that have been dominating since 1999 tend to have zero ideology and all their elected members just do whatever they feel like. Successors abandon agendas of predecessor and start another agenda. E.g Yaradua had a 7 point agenda, after his passing and his successor GEJ took over, he started another agenda Vision 2020. I’ve seen same happen in Lagos as well. From Fashola to Ambode to Sanwo Olu. All came and started their own different agendas.

Will you allow such in your party?

I believe that one of the biggest weaknesses of many political parties in Nigeria during this Fourth Republic has been the absence of a clear ideology and institutional culture. As a result, governments often come into office without a coherent long-term direction, leading to policy inconsistency and reversals. The situation becomes even worse whenever a new leader emerges, as existing programmes are often abandoned in favour of entirely new agendas. That is precisely what we intend to change.

We are deliberately building a system and culture where every CDA leader and member, at every level, understands, believes in, and promotes the party's vision, values, and long-term plans. We have already begun this process at the national level and among our State Chairmen.

We are developing structured leadership training, policy orientation, and capacity-building programmes to ensure that our leaders understand the party's philosophy and their responsibility to advance it. We want to build the kind of institutional culture found in successful professional organisations, where the mission outlives individuals.

Our objective is to produce leaders who represent the CDA in government and the legislative houses, not merely people looking for a platform to contest elections. Those elected on the CDA platform will also be accountable to the party's core programmes and values. While they will have room for innovation, they will not be free to abandon the principles and long-term direction on which they were elected. For that reason, we do not intend to hand out tickets indiscriminately. In fact, we have already turned down several requests in the last 48 hours from political actors seeking our party structures or tickets for 2027. Some requested only tickets, and we still declined because preserving the integrity of the party is more important than short-term political gains.

Regarding your earlier question about the "how" and the specifics, I can confirm that developing a comprehensive, practical, and implementation-ready national development blueprint is already part of our work. We will make it public at the appropriate time. For now, we prefer to focus on building the institution rather than making premature announcements. We would rather allow our work to speak for itself than make promises we have not yet had the opportunity to implement.

If you are interested, I would be happy to discuss our thinking with you privately in a verbal conversation.

This tonye still dey mumu himself

TonyeBarcanista:
Our exclusion from pre-election activities by INEC combined with its timetable has literally put us at disadvantage position. We are being realistic! We don't intend to be a briefcase party for political actors who just want to appear on the ballot.

What I mean is that the party can take advantage of the opportunity now created by the two court judgements not withstanding that it was short out from the concluded primaries time table by INEC

Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, Youth Party v. INEC, delivered on May 20, 2026, the court questioned some timelines contained in the Commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election. Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, Social Democratic Party (SDP) v. INEC, the court affirmed the Commission’s authority to issue an electoral timetable but nullified certain timelines relating to the nomination and substitution.

INEC is appealing both decisions and untill they are set aside, political parties still have time to conduct primaries.

I am not even saying the party MUST produce a Presidential candidate for this election circle, but at least, at state level and even National Assembly positions the party can still fill in candidates. Even if it's going to be in just one state. I would really like to discuss more with you on a strategy to focus on even if it's just one state, fill in candidates for various offices to contest in this very election circle.

Thank you.

Cyberterror:
If Tonye Barcanista can have his own party, you have to wonder why that agulu fraudster called Peter Obi is too lazy and clueless to have his own?

This was my first thought too. What exactly is stopping Peter Obí and his Obidients from starting their own party instead of going to other Party's and complaining about how they are treated there because President Tinubu has infiltrated it.

juri:
What I mean is that the party can take advantage of the opportunity now created by the two court judgements not withstanding that it was short out from the concluded primaries time table by INEC

Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, Youth Party v. INEC, delivered on May 20, 2026, the court questioned some timelines contained in the Commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election. Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, Social Democratic Party (SDP) v. INEC, the court affirmed the Commission’s authority to issue an electoral timetable but nullified certain timelines relating to the nomination and substitution.

INEC is appealing both decisions and untill they are set aside, political parties still have time to conduct primaries.

I am not even saying the party MUST produce a Presidential candidate for this election circle, but at least, at state level and even National Assembly positions the party can still fill in candidates. Even if it's going to be in just one state. I would really like to discuss more with you on a strategy to focus on even if it's just one state, fill in candidates for various offices to contest in this very election circle.

Thank you.

All candidates that would be produced by CDA would be people who aligns with the vision and strategic direction of CDA... That means we need to put up certain things in place before producing candidates. Had it been INEC gave us our due recognition in December 2025, we would have had more than enough time to do this.