Hope is No Longer Enough: Action is what is needed

 

Text by ADC National Chairman, Chief. Ralphs Okey Nwosu at the World Press Conference at the ADC global campus, Abuja.

 

I welcome us to this ADC stakeholders meeting of members of NWC and BOT and strategic others. Due to the timing of the meeting, some of our members have opted to participate virtually. Notwithstanding the fact that this is the last day before the Salah eve, as committed patriots we have continued to make the sacrifices of nation building under a harsh and tyrannical political environment. The nation’s roads remain unsafe, transportation costs are unbearable, food unaffordable, security of life and property and general standard of living have taken a nosedive even though our country is not at war. Our children can no longer go to school, as the kidnapping spree have continued unchallenged. It is like there is a grand conspiracy to strangulate and dehumanize all of us. We must remain optimistic. It is heartwarming, dear colleagues, to note, that in spite of the reckless abuse of systems and cluelessness or wickedness of those in power, we have continued in the struggle and remain ever committed to the vision of building a Super Power, economically viable Nigeria that will be a pride of the African continent. We must not allow them to stop us.

As passionate and transformation oriented political party workers we must remain forthright, focused and determined; we must not allow the developments of the last decade and the recklessness of those in power to diminish our optimism and resolve. As we had warned at the inception of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu presidency, the palliative system of governance is not an option as it is unhealthy and demeaning. A government attempting to correct a clear policy summersault with a refugee camp food sharing system is evil, sacrilegious, dehumanizing and will create ill-wind that can only result to a circus of corruption and frustration. We sounded this alarm, and today, the reality has dawned on the nation with almost all elected persons both at the executive and legislative levels involved in the bizarre extravagance of looting. In the midst of general poverty our legislators collect billions of naira and trailer loads of rice as palliatives for their constituents, while the governors and presidency and their appointees now have huge monthly allocations from FACC for the elusive palliatives. And yet hunger persists. A youthful and energetic population as ours have no business being treated as refuges, they need empowering rejuvenating system and connections with their leader and they need their government to create the enabling environment and a clear strategic roadmap for a collaborative and dynamic all-round development.

As though the revenues from the 450% increase in the price of PMS is not enough to maintain their lavish lifestyle, reckless policy regime and mindlessness, they have put the entire country into another hiking of Tax and Electricity tariffs, and jackpots on every revenue platform to the detriment of Nigerians. Not the statistics nor the economics shows reasoned judgment of the conundrum we have found ourselves in. Manufacturing companies are fleeing, investors are repelled by the policies and Nigeria and the people die gradually.

The state of the nation is nothing to talk about. It is saddening and arouses morbid fear. Therefore, instead of wasting our time engaging in futile debates with those in government, we should continue to strategize on ways to develop a new political system and come together to create a collaborative, value-driven ecosystem that prioritizes our people and country. We can construct one of the biggest economies in the world, one of the most progressive, integrated and stable nations under the sun, and the most creative, productive and innovative population. But an effective leadership must be in place. We may be confronted by the deluge of economists, econometrics and statistical strong managers and policy workers. This will certainly come to nothing. Leadership is about people, not machines and economic and monetary theories. It takes a good understanding and application of emotional intelligence and situational awareness to lead and inspire a people to a new way of being and effectively keying into a vision of the future.

Our party, the African Democratic Congress ADC has been on the forefront of transitioning from our old ways and envisioning clear pathway for our people and nation. Despite the vagaries in our polity, ADC remains the learning organization and political party that has continued to champion collaboration, coalition building and alliances to birth a new Nigeria. There have been attempts many times to divert us, malign us, scandalize, bully, intimidate and derail us but like the old expedition’s leader, Sir Ernest Shackleton, discipline, sense of purpose, endurance, mindfulness and positive adaptation mindset have helped us navigate all challenges. Today we have notable leaders and former heads of state and President who associate with us on the sound conviction that ADC remains the party for future because of their values, consistency and staying power.

Building a nation is like curating an orchestra. It becomes more difficult when one is dealing in a large spectrum ecosystem like Nigeria. The systems, institutions and processes are corrupted. And we are all responsible. It is easy to blame the military for our development miasma. Is it really true; some of us were hopeful in our struggle to get the military to focus on their constitutional responsibility of defending our national enterprise. Today with 25years of democratic government with the incumbent president as one of leaders of NADECO, how do we explain the valley season that we have found ourselves.

The political class will continue to blame everybody but themselves. We blame the judiciary for biases and democratic systems failures; but when different arms of the executives continually go after the leaders of the judiciary, the political players and citizens stay mute and continue to hope that the systems and institutions will get better. I will have preferred not to mention INEC, but I am sure we can recall the death of INEC officials for standing firm to protect democratic mandates, and those who had guns pointed at them and none of the political parties and the citizen stood with INEC in court. And the Legislative chambers have never sanctioned the culprits. We blame everybody but ourselves. We continue to hope that all will be well. We hope; but hope alone is insufficient. Action not hopes is what we need to restructure and resolve our polity, democracy and nation building enterprise.

Concluding, we certainly need a new beginning. Pointing fingers of recrimination is not what transformational leaders do. Twenty-two of the thoughtful and proactive leaders of political parties in blazing the trail have joined hand with our party ADC and like us are committed to building a larger party that will give accommodation to all well-meaning patriots. We have resolved to work with all political leaders across that appreciate the need for coming together for a new Nigeria. We discriminate against none; our commitment is a new Nigeria that will lead our dear Continent out of its present abyss. We have therefore set up committees to consult far and wide to ensure the dawn of a new era. To all our colleagues in nation building it is no longer time to home; we take action by agreeing to build together for our people and country.

Finally, we appeal to Mr President, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately stop the corruption of the palliative regime and make support available to our youths and women entrepreneurs, farmers, industrialists to power the economy and provide jobs. Our security operatives need much needed support to wipe away banditry and restore security. This will give confidence to investors, foreign and local. Finally, for the umpteenth time we call on our governors to stop their stranglehold of the local councils to enable development at the grassroots and community levels. For real development and transformation, the Local councils must be alive and well.