Breaking News
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka Says Tinubu And Amaechi Are Agents Of Change
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, extolled the contributions of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to nation-building, describing them as architects of the change that made the All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge victorious at federal level as well as in most states in the recently held general election.
Soyinka made the declaration in Lagos in a keynote address at a book launch in honour of the Rivers State governor held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The book titled “Dynamics of Change, The Amaechi Years,” was compiled and edited by Dr. Chidi Amuta and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi.
He said: “The political atmosphere, whatever you call it, be it change or hope, whatever name, I recognise two individuals in this particular process that led the chart for change.
“These two individuals are Bola Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi; I call them the architects of the process of change”.
Speaking at the launch, former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, identified the use of Card Reader Machine as well as disdain of Nigerians for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as two fundamental things that led to the change in the political landscape of the country.
He said: “It is a known fact that the Card Reader Machine helped a great deal in the openness and transparency of the last election. Aside from that, Nigerians needed change and they went for it. People were tired of the Jonathan administration and requested for change. That change will happen from May 29.”
He said that with the elections over, both the leaders and citizens must brace up to meet the challenges required to build a better, more prosperous nation.
He showered encomium on Amaechi for remaining steadfast in stand against the PDP, adding “despite all the negativities circulated about Amaechi, he stood steadfast and demonstrated the trait of a good democrat in his ruling of the people of Rivers State and other political matters”.
Responding, Amaechi reminded the political class in the country that “government must not be for one section of the country, but for all in the society, adding “it must be for the rich and the poor, while at the same time emphasising the upliftment of the poor from poverty to the state of dignity which provides them with decent living standards.”
He thanked guests at the book launch particularly his wife for support during his period of persecution in the hands of the Federal Government. He said: “I am not stubborn but I don’t easily give up to issues that matters to the country. I cannot keep quite when things go wrong. I have been tagged an extremist but I stand firm today because I have faced so many consequences and at the end, the people of Rivers State are enjoying the fruit of my struggle.”
