Two former National Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Adams Oshiomhole attended a stakeholders meeting of the Edo APC in Benin City on Saturday.

Also in attendance at the meeting were former Governor Oserhiemhen Osunbor and his erstwhile deputy, Chief Lucky Imasuen, as well as former Deputy Governor Dr Pius Odubu,‎ a member of the APC Board of Trustees, Prince Malik Afegbua, former and serving members of the National Assembly, including Hon Razak Bello-Osagie, Hon Gabriel Oiboh, Senator Francis Alimikhena, Hon Dennis Idahosa, Patrick Aisowieren, among others.

At the event, Chief Oyegun commended the State Caretaker Committee of the party, led by Col David Imuse (retd), for the success of the just-concluded membership registration exercise of the party in the state.

He predicted that the future is very bright for the APC and said, ‘let us put the past behind and let us look at the future.’ He then reiterated his membership of the party, saying: ‘I am APC… I belong to APC body and soul’

Chief Oyegun, an ex-governor of Edo State, and current chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan appealed to party leaders to recognise the role of party members in the growth of the party.

‘Every member of the party including party leaders have a contribution to make for the improvement and success of the party,’ he said, adding that ‘no individual can be greater than the party.’

Former Governor Oshiomhole, speaking, urged party members in the state to close ranks and work with the leadership of the party at the State and all other levels, harmoniously in the overall interest of the party.

In his speech, Col Imuse praised all members of the party for the huge success of the concluded membership registration exercise, adding that the turnout of eager voters to join the party was quite impressive despite the APC being in opposition in Edo State.

‘Right now, the APC has a very credible and reliable database of its members, in every unit across the entire country. Our party is now a stronger and more united party as a result of the exceptional membership registration exercise.

‘The implication of this healthy development is that in subsequent, free and fair elections, our party is confident of undisputable victory. But this does not mean we should rest on our oars.

We must stay focused, awake, and be alert to the whiles of our opponents. We must keep working as one, united and indivisible members of the APC, so that, we can stop them, very early, on their nefarious tracks,’ Col Imuse said.

The immediate past spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chuks Ibegbu, on Saturday, vowed to ensure the emergence of an Igbo presidency in 2023.

Ibegbu, who was recently appointed as the Special Envoy on Nigeria Presidency on Ndigbo Extraction by a coalition of Igbo organisations, vowed to put an “executive Zik in Aso Rock in 2023.”

In a terse statement he signed and forwarded to DAILY POST, the Ohanaeze chieftain promised to build bridges with all stakeholders, groups and power points in the country to realise his ambition.

Ibegbu noted that the “Nigeria Presidency is not gotten by sentiments, threats or emotions but through diplomatic persuasion and he will reach out to all Nigerian stakeholders and party leaders to achieve that.”

He called on “presidential aspirants of Igbo extraction to start showing interest now so that the Igbos will be taken serious on the issue.”

The former Ohanaeze’s spokesman also appealed to “Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and others showing interest in 2023 Presidency to sheathe such interest in the overall interest of the nation.”

He called on Nigerians to do everything to ensure peace, unity and progress of the country, stressing that “If Nigeria breaks, Africa and the black race is doomed.”

Ibegbu noted that there has to be political, economic and structural justice in the nation.

He urged people of the Southeast to put their acts together in the pursuit of their legitimate rights in Nigeria and condemned the killings all over the country.

Who Are The Enemies Of The State? Why  Are Nigerians Clamouring For A Tinubu’s Presidency? A Short Compilation

If not us, then who? And if not now, then when? This is one of the most famous quotes used in inspiring people to take actions and take responsibility into their hands without relying on anybody or institution to step up.

It simply means that the change which you desire is in your hands and you must use it to change the world.

Who is then an enemy of the State? An enemy of the state is a person accused of certain crimes against the state, such as treason.

Nigeria as we speak is in turbulence due to so many factors ranging from the insincerity of its leaders to the docility and hypocritical nature of its citizens. Some Nigerians want the best for themselves but wish the Nation the worse for HER. How contradictory and feeble-minded such Nigerians can be, it’s like a young “lad” who wishes freedom for himself and at the same time wishes poverty upon his dad in other for him to get his wishes so he can be free.

Only if the young man knew that whatever evil that befalls his dad would ultimately alter his destiny. Nigerians are busy doing what they are not supposed to be doing if truly they say the country is burning.

If truly Nigeria is at the brink of collapse then patriotic citizens should be serious and be seen acting on changing the impending doom. In every forum, some Nigerians are heaping blame on Buhari saying or sorts of things. Even the ones that are young enough to be Buhari’s grandchild are still shouting upadan. Now ask yourself would Buhari be there forever? After Buhari what next? Ok, the president has less than two years left and what are these wailers doing about it?

I ask again, who are the real enemies of the State? Those that acknowledge that a disaster is about to befall the Nation and fail to act or those that are taking up arms against the State or succinctly for me to say the present leaders? The last time I checked it is also a crime to hide or conceal a criminal act if brought to your knowledge.

If we all agree that the Nation is on the brink of collapse then we should be thinking of constitutional ways to halt the impending doom.

Instead of sitting down and thrilling themselves with petty drama and gossips, what role are they playing to make sure Nigeria gets it right?

Some of these people fuelling this crisis on WhatsApp and other social media platforms are grooving their lives and yet spreading hate with the tips of their fingers.

let me give you an illustration, today is Saturday go round the hotels in town, from Abuja to Lagos to Rivers there are probably fully booked with people having fun, live bands everywhere, big parties are going on and it is these same people in those functions that are taking up their phones and fanning the embers of disunity from the confines of their comfort and pleasure.

So when I say who are the real enemies of the State I know why I ask. For me, if you say Nigeria is ruined then what should preoccupy your mind in less than two years to a general election is who should represent you as a councillor, as a local government chairman, members of the house of Assemblies, federal lawmakers and finally the presidency.

If you say Nigeria is bad and by now you do not have a presidential candidate then with all due respect you are an enemy of the State. You say Nigeria is broken and you are not ready to vote out the leadership of who you claim is in charge then you are an enemy of the State.

You cant be enjoying your life, be involved in mundane things and yet you do nothing in having a say on who governs you and then come out and scream Nigeria Jaga Jaga.

Anyway, so many Nigerians are not that complacent and have decided to change the narratives.

The Tinubu phenomenon is what is in vogue now. Patriotic Nigerians funny enough have started identifying Tinubu as a panacea to the myriads of problems facing the Nation, and according to them if not now then when? If not Tinubu then who?

In a chat with Hon Olalekan Oyadiran the facilitator of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Support Group, Germany the APC chieftain described Tinubu as the right choice for the top job hence the heavy mobilization in support of the Jagaban in every nook and cranny across the Federation.

“If we miss it this time around it may be too late, what Nigeria needs at this point in time is a leader who has the capacity to empower the right hands in executing the task, we need a leader who has the political will power to implement proactive measures and finally a leader who is committed to the unity and cohesiveness of our country, a financial wizard who can handle the economic hardship and turn it around for our good.

It would amount to injustice to humanity if we sit down and allow this golden opportunity to slip us by. At this juncture, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has all it takes to lead Nigeria to greatness. It is only imperative will leave our comfort zone to drum support for his candidacy.”

The clamour for Tinubu’s presidency is deafening.

They base their support for Tinubu because of his consistency in keeping to the tenets of democracy, they say at this time they need a firm leader with the required intelligence to steer the ship of the nation to shore.

For me, Nigerians should start bringing up their alternatives to what we have and in turn question their commitment to serving Nigeria, sitting idly away without positively contributing your quota to the building of our nation is very unpatriotic and for those that take pleasure in escalating the plights of the country without genuinely seeking to be participants are indeed the real enemies of the State.

Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah writes in from Lagos.

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