Friday, 29th March 2024
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Hope is rising for Africa in Nigeria!

Sir: The happiest news in town is that opposition political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) are resolving to unite and overthrow...

Olusegun Obasanjo

Sir: The happiest news in town is that opposition political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) are resolving to unite and overthrow the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that promised “change” without defining what it means, only to turn round and make Nigeria worse than it met her. The news is really very good because the alliance involves people from all over Nigeria, and not just Obasanjo, Falae and Oyinlola from the southwest. I am happy that the former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) is more than ready to join his experience and other resources, intellectual and otherwise with respectable people from all over Nigeria to help fashion a workable and sustainable nation, beyond removing the incumbent Buhari who is a warrior, politically incompetent and unaccountable.

Even if fusing together as a political party may be too late, if at all it is too late, the Coalition should collaborate as a body, and not duplicate candidates but rally round where a participating unit already has a strong structure, and to work together in unison where more than one unit are involved. But, above all, it is necessary to put Nigeria first, without forgetting Africa, and humanity at large. I trust the Coalition would respect the constitution that prohibits “state religion” and stop the practice of using public funds to cater for religious causes and running institutions of a particular religion. When the Coalition draws up a manifesto with just policies, all participating units should fall in line. If your state is using public funds to run a particular religious institution, it should become illegal under the umbrella of ADC, since equality is indispensable to peace, unity, security and progress.

Why cannot Nigeria, with her enormous human and material resources be a genuine giant of Africa? But it was; she is currently a shadow of herself, having suffered from carnage, genocide, and economic annihilation, 2009 till date, for no reason than religio-political imperialisms. The Coalition should end political disorder and unregulated survival of the fittest; it is inhuman. Wanton demolition of people’s houses and shops should be discountenance for creative alternatives and positive progress. In the last couple of years, too many Nigerians were made to weep because of avoidable demolition of their landed properties. Infrastructure development did not match the demolitions, and eventually workers were owed several months of unpaid salaries and emoluments. GMB has incurred excessive debts in addition to daily bloodshed and he is still sourcing for warplanes and sophisticated weapons. That makes Nigeria’s present and future to be very bleak. So, please don’t fight over distribution of positions. Think of reasonable minimum and maximum wages. Rotational presidency would put the minds of the diverse zones at rest. Wasteful spending at the expense of workers and infrastructure should be curtailed. God and well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad are with you.
Prof. Oyeniran Abioje wrote from University of Ilorin.

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