Taiwo Amodu – Abuja
Despite claim by the federal government that the country has exited recession, national chairman of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Odigie Oyegun, at the weekend confessed
that Nigerians are still experiencing excruciating economic hardship.
Speaking on the occasion of his 75th birthday anniversary organised by the Inner Circle of Friends, University of Ibadan alumni, the former Edo state governor pleaded with Nigerians to continue to be patient with the present administration; he assured that it remained committed to revamp the economy.
Oyegun said: “Yes, it has caused pain, stress and there is a bit of hunger in the land. People are hungry and there is no question about that. But if you need to eat an omelette, it is inevitable that you
have to break the egg.
‘’So, my message is to our people nationwide to bear with us. The pride that you feel when you walk out and say you are a Nigerian, backed up by 170 million people and hopefully backed up by an economy that will bring us back to growth, to stability and development.”
He further noted that certain forces bent on frustrating efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to checks the profligacy of the past were at work, but he restated the resolve of the federal government to the realisation of its change mantra. He attributed the agitation for secession by separatist movements to machination of forces not comfortable with the achievements of the Buhari administration to fight corruption.
“The foundation of our nation is being rocked deliberately. We promised change, but quite frankly, change of the immediacy that we promised has inevitably to run against the kind of fight back that we are having today. Because of the kind of President we are lucky to have, because we have a man who insist on due process, because we have a man as President who insist on fairness, who insist that justice must be given its due place and that everything must take place according to due process, the powers of darkness has taken advantage of this to fight back in such a massive way that they are beginning to threaten the very foundation of our nation.
“But let me say this, with all the emphasis at my command that change there must be. That this nation will stay united. But the current new economic foundation that our President is so laboriously
and painstakingly putting together, a new nation, the foundation for a new economy based on production, not based on the cheap easy resources of oil; a foundation that will sustain this nation, a foundation that will propel this nation to greatness, a foundation that is destined to make us the first, the largest and the most potent black nation on the surface of the earth is being put together.’’
In his remarks, chairman of the occasion, Senator Jim Nwobodo, lauded the capacity of Chief Oyegun to hold the ruling party together but pleaded for cooperation of the chieftains of the party, particularly from the southeast zone for it to win the November governorship election in Anambra state.
“Yours is an important position that comes with enormous challenges; leading a party in government at the most difficult and delicate time in our country.
“As we celebrate you, we pray that God will give you the wisdom to thrive at this time. As you already know, APC is preparing for a test of its might in the South-east, with the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra state in November. We also pray that God will guide decision in all matters concerning this election.”
In apparent reference to the agitation of separatist movements in the south-east, Senator Nwobodo appealed to them to exercise restraint for the nation to realize the dream of its founding fathers.
He called on “all stakeholders, elders, leaders, religious institutions, education institutions to please call our youths to order. My generation is looking up to you our young leaders to give us Nigeria of our dream.”