SPEECH AT THE COMMISSIONING OF PROJECT IN RIVERS STATE BY FORMER DEPUTY NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), CHIEF OLABODE IBIYINKA GEORGE, ON THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
PROTOCOLS
Our presence here today in Port Harcourt (the Garden City), Rivers State, for this epoch-making event and commissioning of projects, is an attestation that good things can still come out of Nigeria. At the outset, let me express how delighted I am at the commissioning of this project. It is an attestation to the fact that Governor Nyesom Wike has distinguished himself as one of the most performing governors, if not the most performing, in Nigeria. This is a characteristic which distinguishes him as an outstanding brilliant achiever and one who continues to chart a way forward for modelling strong commitment to national development.
The impressive weekly commissioning of projects across Rivers State is a testament to the visionary leadership of Governor Wike as witnessed with other PDP Governors across the country. History now testifies to the non-performance and poor governance by the APC that has befallen this
country since 2015 which has negatively affected the fortunes of our country.
We as Nigerians feel the present turbulent and volatile state of the country, where incessant failures exist across all sectors with an almost collapsed economy, security system, education, agriculture and foreign relations. The only sector that is fully alive and working in the APC-led Federal Government; is the monumental corruption in the land. Since 2015, insecurity is not only rising in arithmetical and geometrical proportion but exponentially, threatening the very existence and unity of our nation.
Today, Nigeria, the most populous black nation on earth, is at a crossroad. The more than 200 million inhabitants of this geographical location are troubled. This is a consequence of the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the helm of affairs at the national level in 2015.
The first fundamental right of any Nigerian is the ‘Right to Life’ but this is being observed in the breach by the government.
It is also regrettable that the Federal Government, statutorily mandated to ensure the protection of lives and property as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), seems incapable of fully controlling the vagaries of attacks, kidnappings and even killings in the land.
Decades ago, Nigerians moved freely from North to South, East to West but today, things are no longer normal.
Dangerous and despicable things are happening in the world’s sixth largest producer of oil, a nation that can no longer account for about 500,000 barrels of crude oil stolen daily due to complicity, insecurity and maladministration.
Terrorists run amok in our land on a daily basis, with cases of extra-judicial killings already reaching an alarming crescendo.
Some blood-thirsty maniacs, supported and funded by satanic external forces with a conquest agenda, are on the rampage, kidnapping, raping and killing our people with uncanny wickedness.
Although the Federal Government has promised to check the rampaging lunatics, Nigerians are yet to be convinced of a decisive clampdown on these killers.
Terrorists are being granted amnesty and their victims are completely left in a state of hopelessness.
This is a government that met dollar at less than N200 but today, it is close to N700.
There is no way we can guarantee peace and security if this country is not restructured.
It is my belief that if this country is restructured in a way that every locality controls the instrumentality of security, the wanton killings of Nigerians will stop considerably.
If our country is restructured economically, no Finance Commissioner will be going to Abuja every month to collect pittance in the name of monthly allocation.
There is no region in the world that becomes prosperous without being industrialised. Industrialisation is only achievable in a nation if there is constant power supply.
How do you industrialise without a solid power sector? In the last few months, the national grid has collapsed more than three times, but the national greed of the APC government has not collapsed.
If this country is restructured equitably, the current revenue sharing formula in which the Federal Government collects 52.68% of centrally collected revenues in the Federation Account, leaving States and Local Governments with 26.72% and 20.60% will stop.
Even the so-called fight against corruption is being guided by blind loyalty to APC and their cronies, not in the interest of the nation.
Appointments are being guided by ethnic interests rather than on merit. Nigerians are tired and are waiting for PDP in 2023.
If this country is restructured politically, responsible politicking, through independent candidature, will be introduced into our polity which will automatically knock out godfatherism from our politics.
To have an egalitarian society, restructuring is the answer.
We want Nigeria to survive as a nation. That is why we are agitating that Nigeria must be restructured and our political and economic powers must derive legitimacy from the people.
Nigeria is going through various crises today because some leaders are stubbornly against restructuring. But I want to assure this gathering and the good people of Rivers State that by the Grace of God, whether now or in the future, our country, Nigeria will be restructured.
Another issue I want to raise is the new Electoral Process. While it is well known that President Buhari will be remembered for proposing a new Electoral bill that allows for electronic transmission of results to the central server, thus removing the manipulation of election results by unscrupulous persons, I want to sound it, loud and clear, that we will not allow any manual system in the 2023 general election.
We all say YES to electronic transmission of results, because it worked in the July 16 governorship election in Osun State, in Anambra State and Ekiti State. That is the way it is done all over the civilized world. The world cannot be moving forward and our Nation Nigeria moving backward due to unscrupulous and deceitful characters.
I will also use this opportunity to say something about the crisis in our party the PDP.
As we prepare to begin campaigning for the 2023 general elections at the end of this September, we must be united in our determination to ensure that the PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on May 29, 2023 by the Grace of God and the will of the Nigerian people.
But, we can only go back to Aso Rock if we are united, not divided.
Some people are abusing Governor Wike, that he is a troublemaker. Those abusing him must stop immediately because Governor Wike is only fighting for justice, equity and fairness in the party.
He is not only a strong pillar in this party, but a mobiliser, financier and actualiser.
Since he joined the PDP, he has not left this party. I am also a founding father of this party and since 1998, I have not left this party. What we are saying is that the issue of the National Chairman of PDP must be addressed before the commencement of campaign for the 2023 general elections.
It is an antithesis and against the Norm and culture of our party that our Presidential Candidate, our National Chairman and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees will come from one section of the country.
Party Members from the South are already feeling alienated.
PDP is not a private company so, before we start the presidential campaign at the end of this month, the national chairmanship must go to the South. That is what Governor Wike is saying and as a life member of the Board of Trustees of our great party, I support this position 100 per cent.
Statutorily, it is the National Chairman who hands over the party’s flag to our Presidential candidate. How will party members from the South feel when they see that at all political rallies Southerners have no public political representation.
This constitutes a fundamental flaw and lack of inclusiveness which will be diametrically opposed to the original thinking of the founding fathers of our party.
Governor Wike is not saying anything out of anger. He is only telling truth to power. We don’t want to have a Northern Peoples Democratic Party and Southern Peoples Democratic Party. We don’t want to go into the election divided. That is why the National Chairmanship must come to the South now as a matter of urgency. We are not begging for it. We demand it because it is our right.
Once again, I want to congratulate Governor Wike for your unprecedented achievements in this state. I know Rivers people will still witness more commissioning of projects before May 29, 2023 when you will leave office as one of the most performing governors in the history of Rivers State.
Finally, let me congratulate and thank the good people of Rivers State for your forbearance and cooperation to your Son, HE Gov. Wike during this period of his Governorship. May the Papa, our Good Lord, that we serve, continue to grant you all, peaceful coexistence and bliss as we commence our political journey to 2023. It shall be well with all of us IJN.
Thank you all and God bless.
CHIEF OLABODE IBIYINKA GEORGE
ATONA OODUA OF YORUBALAND
SEPTEMBER 1, 2022