The Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) in North America said it was committed, and ready to support the party through the suggestion of creative ideas that will make it the darling of the electorate.
The APC group’s Chairman, Hon. Olalekan Sanni made the chapter’s resolve known recently in New Jersey, during its 2022 Inaugural Lecture and Special Dinner.
“We will continue to support our party with creative ideas that will restore the state’s pacesetting glory, good governance, and bring about total relief, improved wellbeing, and prosperity. We will identify with our candidates as well as encourage them.
‘’It is also in our interest to ensure that we mobilise our party members, the electorate, and see to its return to the Agodi Government House in 2023”, Sanni said.
Also, in a communique, jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Hon. Olalekan Sanni and Mr. Niyi Adekola, the group
mourned the passing of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who joined his ancestors recently, commiserating with the Oyomesi, the family, most especially, Prince Akeem Adeyemi (Skimeh), who is a staunch member of the APC and the entire people of Oyo township.
The chapter further lauded the efforts of the leadership of Oyo APC on the ongoing reconciliation, appealing to all aggrieved stakeholders to embrace unity and work as a strong force to ensure a total victory for the Party in the forthcoming elections.
“Honestly, we need everyone to win this battle because prosperity and development abound when the progressive forms the government in Oyo state as witnessed during the tenures of our late leaders – Alhaji Lam Adesina and Sen. Abiola Ajimobi”, it added.
Also speaking at the event, the guest lecturer, Dr. Adebimpe Abraham Onifade, noted that, despite Nigeria’s over two decades of democracy, historical geography, political economy, mismanaged income, petrodollar dependent economy, debt overhang, corruption, poor maintenance culture, abandoned projects, and policy incoherence, among others; have continued to affect democracy dividend.
Onifade, a United Nation diplomat and envoy to Iraq and South Sudan averred that the over-promise of democracy is a reality, adding that, this has hugely affected Nigeria’s poorest people.
The policy administrator, in the lecture, entitled “Factors Affecting Democracy Dividends in Nigeria”, gave an overview of the current state of affairs in Nigeria, explaining that Nigeria’s historical geography is suspect from the beginning just like other African countries, saying ” European powers divided and amalgamated people, culture, economies for the simplicity of political administration of their empire-building”.
Onifade continued, “This was long ago, and it’s beyond us, and it will continue to be problematic. The amalgamation of different ethnic nationalities into a nation of Nigeria will regrettably continue to be a source of tension.
“Nigeria is a nation containing many smaller nations. You see every small town adding “land” as a suffix to their name. Ethnic rivalry, ethnicity, and nepotism are all human factors, and these are operating standards in Nigeria, a nation containing several ethnic nations. The legacy population census of 1963 was the foundation for the 1990 census, and it determines the allocation of national resources. The legacy census data was judged equally suspect, but it was on us by our Colonial Master. The political economy of Nigeria is also a major factor. Military governments which operated command economy ruled Nigeria for so long.
“The 8-year rule of former President Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) tried market economy and democratization. Abacha’s 5-year rule returned to the Command economy. It is evident without saying that not every region of Nigeria is seriously concerned about democratic dividends even in the Southwest. Political intelligentsia around Lagos Axis is doing probably the loudest. Stomach infrastructure was even coined as a form of Democracy Dividend. Yet we are all Nigerians. This is where historical geography and political economy affect and will continue to affect democratic goals, inputs, and outputs (democracy dividends)”, the expert stressed.
While expressing optimism that some of these issues can be addressed by a serious government, the expert, however, condemned cross-carpeting and easy change from one party to the other, which he said does not indicate consistency.
“It’s all part of democratic freedom. We need two good political parties with two different visions for Nigeria’s development and growth”, he suggested.
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