Amidst the poisonous power play and what promises to be a long-drawn battle ahead of the 2015 general elections, Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday expressed fears that the nation may be thrown into anarchy if meaningful interventions were not quickly made by patriots.
“Nigerian patriots, in the interest of the country’s future, must start a campaign against negative developments which have recently threatened the nation’s unity and progress,” he said.
The governor spoke during a courtesy visit to Independent Newspapers Limited (INL) at its corporate head office in Lagos.
He was received by the Managing Editor, James Akpandem, and other editors and management staff of the company.
Akpandem noted that the relationship between the INL and the governor began before the governor’s political odyssey in Osun State, and expressed delight that the relationship had been sustained.
The governor was full of appreciation to INL for the support he had received from what he referred to as the company’s balanced reporting and neutrality.
He, however, expressed fears over the present challenges in the country’s democratic process.
Among disconcerting developments highlighted by the governor are the conflict in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), which he described as “a great abuse and smear on the image of Nigeria, which Nigerians must reject totally.”
He wondered why the factional leader of the body and Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, was insisting on his earlier position that he won the election, when the nine governors he had thought voted for him, have come out to say they did not.
In his calculation, 19 out of 35 governors voted for Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, thus leaving only 16 in favour of Jang.
He noted that the conflict in the body, which has provoked several actions and reactions since it began, was poisoning the polity.
He said: “Every patriotic Nigerian that values his freedom, that values the clear advantages of democracy, that believes in the rule of law, the sanctity and ethos of democracy, which guarantees your freedom to choose who governs you, should be concerned about the situation.
“How do you explain the seizure of helicopter of the governor after landing? How do you explain stopping Governor Adams Oshiomhole from flying? How do you explain the statement by the Commissioner of Police in River State that Governor Amaechi is despotic? These are issues that Nigerians must demand answers to,” he said.
Aregbesola, who confessed that handling the affairs of Osun State in the last 31 months has been sweet and bitter, stated that his government has resolved to make life meaningful in the state, and so was not shaken by the challenges.
His words: ‘’We are unshakable by the challenges ahead, rather we are inspired and challenged to do more to enable our people to make the best of their lives and living.
“It is funny that sometimes the zealousness with which we run our objectives gets misunderstood.
“The 31 months of our being in the saddle have been that of sweet and bitter in almost equal proportion but our joy is that the people are happy with what we are doing and we will not fail them.’’
He continued: “We find the impression unacceptable that blacks are not capable of governing themselves; it is that fact that is driving, propelling and motivating us to do the little we are doing. And we are worried by the apparent lack of concern by our elite in the ugly trend in our polity.
“Unless we restructure Nigeria, there is no way these weak states or putative structures can survive; until we reach a point where the issue will no longer be negotiable.
Speaking on why the manifestoes and the constitution of APC have not been made public, he said: “All Progressives Congress (APC) is still undergoing a process; it is still undergoing INEC process to fuse into one.
“It is still in the process of becoming a political party so you should not expect its manifestoes and constitution to be out now. Both the manifestoes and the constitution are ready and at the right time, we will make it public.”
On his entourage were Commissioner for Planning, Muyiwa Ige; Chief Press Secretary, Semiu Okanlawon; Senior Special Assistance, Media, Yomi Obamtan; Publicity Secretary CAN, Osun State, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi; SA Environment, Bola Ilori and Pastor Segun Babatope.
Source: Daily Independent
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