Former President,Olusegun
Obasanjo, has revealed that he will join hands with a movement he called
Coalition of Nigeria (CN), to fight against the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s elections.
Obasanjo stated this in a 13-page
statement released on Tuesday.
In the special press statement
entitled, “The Way Out: A Clarion Call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement”, the
former president explained how CN will wrestle power from the present ruling
class.
“We can collectively save
ourselves from the position we find ourselves. It will not come through
self-pity, fruitless complaint or protest but through constructive and positive
engagement and collective action for the good of our nation and ourselves and
our children and their children. We need moral re-armament and engaging
togetherness of people of like-mind and goodwill to come solidly together to
lift Nigeria up. This is no time for trading blames or embarking on futile
argument and neither should we accept untenable excuses for non-performance.
“Let us accept that the present
administration has done what it can do to the limit of its ability, aptitude
and understanding. Let the administration and its political party platform
agree with the rest of us that what they have done and what they are capable of
doing is not good enough for us. They have given as best as they have and as
best as they can give. Nigeria deserves and urgently needs better than what
they have given or what we know they are capable of giving. To ask them to give
more will be unrealistic and will only sentence Nigeria to a prison term of
four years if not destroy it beyond the possibility of an early recovery and
substantial growth.
“The development and
modernization of our country and society must be anchored and sustained on
dynamic Nigerian culture, enduring values and an enchanting Nigerian dream. We
must have abiding faith in our country and its role and place within the comity
of nations. Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck. All hands of men and women
of goodwill must be on deck. We need all hands to move our country forward.
“We need a Coalition for Nigeria,
CN. Such a Movement at this juncture needs not be a political party but one to
which all well-meaning Nigerians can belong. That Movement must be a coalition
for democracy, good governance, social and economic well-being and progress.
Coalition to salvage and redeem our country. You can count me with such a
Movement. Last time, we asked, prayed and worked for change and God granted our
request. This time, we must ask, pray and work for change with unity, security
and progress. And God will again grant us. Of course, nothing should stop such
a Movement from satisfying conditions for fielding candidates for elections.
But if at any stage the Movement wishes to metamorphose into
candidate-sponsoring Movement for elections, I will bow out of the Movement
because I will continue to maintain my non-partisan position. Coalition for
Nigeria must have its headquarters in Abuja.
“This Coalition for Nigeria will
be a Movement that will drive Nigeria up and forward. It must have a pride of
place for all Nigerians, particularly for our youth and our women. It is a
coalition of hope for all Nigerians for speedy, quality and equal development,
security, unity, prosperity and progress. It is a coalition to banish poverty,
insecurity and despair. Our country must not be oblivious to concomitant danger
around, outside and ahead. Coalition for Nigeria must be a Movement to break
new ground in building a united country, a socially-cohesive and moderately
prosperous society with equity, equality of opportunity, justice and a dynamic
and progressive economy that is self-reliant and takes active part in global
division of labour and international decision-making.
“The Movement must work out the
path of development and the trajectory of development in speed, quality and
equality in the short- medium- and long-term for Nigeria on the basis of sustainability,
stability, predictability, credibility, security, cooperation and prosperity
with diminishing inequality. What is called for is love, commitment and
interest in our country, not in self, friends and kinship alone but
particularly love, compassion and interest in the poor, underprivileged and
downtrodden. It is our human duty and responsibility so to do. Failure to do
this will amount to a sin against God and a crime against humanity,” Obasanjo
wrote.
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