By Joe Igbokwe
I plead with Nigerians East, West, North, South and Nigerians in Diaspora not to ignore the emergence of APC as one of those antics of politicians to set up a platform to grab power for themselves, the families, cronies and hangers on. I plead with Nigerians to take APC as a serious political party that has emerged to change the face of Nigerian politics forever. I seek the support of Nigerians to see APC as an idea whose time has come to seize the centre stage in the Nigeria’s political scene for the good of the commonwealth.
I implore my country men and women to give APC a chance to drive Nigeria even for four years so that we can see the difference. I crave the indulgence of great Nigerians to allow real competitiveness between PDP and APC the way we have seen the Democrats and Republicans did it in the United States of America just for the sake of Democracy. I ask the objective Nigerians to look back at our democratic journey that started for the third time in 1999 and take real stock of where we are now and where we are going. I am saying this because I believe that there are objective thinking men and women in this country who can analyze situations and give objective reports.
The emergence of APC is not a one day job. It has been on the political page of the Nigerian progressives when PDP started drifting since 1999. The momentum to form a credible alternative party for Nigerians came on very strong when PDP started abusing Nigerians that, they will continue to rule Nigeria for 60years whether we like it or not. The urge to provide an alternative platform became a task that must be done when PDP started to divide the country in order to continue to ‘win’ elections. The final straw that broke the camel’s back is when PDP compromised in service delivery to all Nigerians because impunity and arrogance, leading to corruption, nepotism, violence and leadership failure.
The formation of APC is a product of good thinking, hardwork, commitment, discipline, patriotism, and desire to make Nigeria to work. Men and women worked hours on end. They put in ideas, money, time and energy; they gave up positions and made unbelievable sacrifices. The formation of APC remains a product of nights and days of excruciating meetings, tempo rising and going down, agreeing to disagree and disagreeing to agree, a painstaking exercise and taking a road less traveled.
The coming of APC is already helping our democracy to grow. Impunity is gradually giving way to objective reasoning. Arrogance is giving way to sound debate and power of ideas. The ruling party has been compelled to sit up. The once arrogant and the biggest party in Africa is now gasping for breathe today. The once biggest party that says it must rule Nigeria for 60years is painfully witnessing a rug being pulled from its feet. For the first time since 1999, PDP is fast realizing that it can no longer call the shots in Nigeria, all things being equal.
A lot of issues are coming up on how PDP led Federal Government has been managing the economy of Nigeria since 1999. Nigerians have since seen how the foundation stones for a balanced success namely; honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty have been eroded and decimated since 1999. Nigerians have since known how the presidency and other agencies of the federal government lie about our income from crude oil sales and remissions to federal purse. Under our own eyes we have seen that we have two parallel governments in place: NNPC and the Federal Government. NNPC sells Nigeria’s crude oil and keep any amount it likes and spend it the way it likes, thereby denying states and local governments the real funds due to them. As I write this NNPC cannot account for 20 billion US Dollars, a proceeds from crude sales.
According to NNPC, the missing money was spent on gasoline and kerosene subsidy, repair of vandalized pipelines and operational costs. But wait a minute! Is this the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Is it beneficial to all or to NNPC staff and their cronies? Who authorized that the huge amount should be kept aside for NNPC to spend anyhow? Do we know how much NNPC has kept for itself and her co travelers since 1999? What is the normal procedure in matters of all revenues due to the government of Nigeria? How much crude oil do we pump everyday? What is the cost of production of a barrel of crude oil in Nigeria? How much of this is sold? How much of this is reserved? What is procedure in keeping the Accounts of the proceeds from crude oil sales?
I have heard the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. I have read Mallam El Rufai, I have also read Segun Adeniyi on the matter and what NNPC does with our money. I have also read other authorities on the burning issue and I have come to the conclusion that NNPC, working in tandern with the presidency has stolen the country dry.
NNPC has been blackmailing CBN instead of sticking to the substance of the matter. The idiots and compound fools have been blaming allegations of missing funds on ignorance of operations. This is a lie from the pit of hell. Who does not know about income and expenditures? Today I read that NNPC is boosting electricity supply by 1505 mega watts. Is this a clever way to divert attention? Is NNPC now doing the job of PHCN? Who funded it? Where did the money come from? If you get an answer without showing how you arrived at the answer, no professor of mathematics will take you serious. Nigerians have been short changed by NNPC and the Presidency.
The stolen 20 billion US dollars have been pocketed by NNPC staff and the presidency. They have used this money to rig elections. They have used this money to buy houses everywhere in Nigeria and abroad. They have used the money to buy cars and houses for their girlfriends and concubines. They have used the money to buy Jets for Nigerian Pastors. They have used the money to settle Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo and theEfulefu (nonentity) called Asari Dokubo. These Ijaws are now using the money to build universities here and abroad.
20 billion US Dollars can be used to rebuild all our universities. This money, almost a year budget of Nigeria can be used to build six world class hospitals in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. It can be used to build the 4th Mainland Bridge in Lagos, Onitsha Asaba second Bridge, and the proposed coastal highways in Nigeria. This money can be used to rebuild all the Federal roads in Nigeria. This money can create 10million jobs etc.
APC is coming to repair the damage done to the project Nigeria. The legacy parties fused under one APC is coming to bring hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless, and job to the jobless. APC is coming to make the difference. The party is coming to heal the deep wounds of the past years. APC is coming to bring ideas and initiatives on the table. APC is coming to unite Nigerians. Please stop complaining of bad leadership. Grab APC now!
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos
