As we move close to making APC an
effective political party in Nigeria, some
Nigerians are asking what the new
party can do to restore the dignity of
Nigeria. As we move close to 2015
Presidential elections, political watchers
are asking to know the difference
between APC and PDP. A lot of
questions are coming to the political
desks of APC throughout the country: is
this party different from PDP? Are the
progenitors not the same Nigerians we
know? What does this party have in
store for 150 million Nigerians? Can
this new party make a difference? Can
it fill in the gap in Nigeria’s political
landscape? Can APC have the courage
and the political will to fight the
dreaded monster in Nigeria called
corruption?
Can APC deal with the rot in the power
sector? Can APC fix Nigeria’s economy?
Can APC deal with the Security
challenges facing Nigeria? Can this new
party rebuild our educational sector?
Can APC create jobs for teeming
Nigerian youths? Can APC rebuild our
institutional frameworks and decayed
infrastructure? Can this APC continue
to leave the big shoes for small men?
Can APC continue to leave great jobs
for little-minded elements? Can APC
continue to neglect the problem of
injustice in Nigeria? Is APC capable of
holding this country together in peace
and harmony, respecting our diverse
cultures, religion, and tribe etc? Can
APC address the structural imbalances
in the polity? Can APC rise above
partisan politics to face squarely the
huge challenges facing Nigeria? What
plans does APC have for agriculture?
The questions are simply too many
and are quite in order, for they capture
the rightful expectations and anxieties
of a people that are at the receiving
end of bad governance and want a
change.
Well, APC may not have all the answers
to these very strong questions posed
above but the truth of the matter
remains that things will never be the
same again. One thing is clear: Nigeria
is not making progress in the midst of
plenty. Nigeria is not making progress
in the age of success. APC believes that
investment funds must be retrieved
from the pockets of few corrupt
Nigerians and the money ploughed
back to the economy to create jobs.
APC believes that nothing great can be
achieved without great leaders. APC
believes that time has come for us to
stop lamenting on our comprehensive
emptiness and do something tangible
to show the world that we are capable
of holding our own any day. APC
believes that the gap between
education and economic growth is a
closed one. APC leaders know that the
only way to fight poverty is through
massive investment in qualitative
education. I can go on and on but APC
cannot do everything in one fell
swoop.
Please take notice that this is not the
manifesto of APC. After the formal
registration, the party will sell its
manifesto to Nigerians, and I know that
it may not be too far from what I have
said above. Nigeria’s problems are well
known for a long time in this country,
dating back to the early 90s. For over
20 years we have been dancing around
our problems without addressing
them frontally and today we have gone
full circle. The problems have
magnified to become an octopus.
Nigerians want change and APC is
ready to provide the long-awaited
change. But the change is not going to
come easy knowing the antics of the
ruling party and their criminal
disposition when it comes to electoral
issues. To them, every presidential
election is a do or die affair, a fight to
finish, and the mother of all battles.
The people get the kind of leaders they
deserve. It is left for Nigerians to fight
to reclaim their God-given country
from pretenders and to all intents and
purposes this is not going to be easy.
This is a struggle for the soul of
Nigeria, a struggle for economic , social
and political freedom, a struggle to
reclaim our rights to life. It is now or
never. Yes, we can!