Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, pleaded with striking lecturers on Tuesday night to consider the plight of Nigerian students and return to the classroom despite the Buhari administration’s failure to meet their demands.
Kachikwu made the request during an emergency National Executive Council meeting of the party in Abuja.
The politician, who addressed the various challenges being imposed on Nigerians by the current administration, stated that there was hope for a new Nigeria under the ADC government next year.
Kachikwu described the current administration as a disaster, citing the frequency of jailbreaks and mass killings of innocent Nigerians in churches and other places with no response from the government.
“Under the Buhari administration, Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented calamity, second only to the Nigeria civil war,” Kachikwu said.
Tales of woe from Taraba, Kogi, Niger, Abuja, Katsina, Zamfara, Borno, Sokoto, Kaduna, Ondo, Imo, and Anambra. Many mothers are sobbing. Many a bereaved wife Many families were left to mourn quietly and helplessly. Nobody has lost their job as a result of all of this. No minister, national security adviser, or President has resigned. A nation’s shame. Who did this to us? We categorise the dead as scores, dozens, or hundreds. Didn’t we know they had names?
“The terrorists we feed today will kill us tomorrow.” The religion we introduce into politics today will divide us tomorrow. Politics and politicians that we avoid today will govern us tomorrow. Today’s hatred will destroy us tomorrow. We can’t avoid these facts. Let us act now to save Nigeria.
“Let us speak with one voice. Don’t let them divide us. Don’t let them switch parties and deceive you. Don’t let them deceive you by changing their logos. They’ve done it if they’ve been there. Get rid of them.
When I announced my intention to run for the highest office in the land a few months ago, I knew it was a suicide mission. I knew what was at stake. I had no doubts about the capabilities of those in the more well-known parties. I expected the hound dogs to come after me.
Nigerians are hungry, suffering, and fearful. This is the hill in front of us. We must recognise that before we can talk about elections, we must first have a country. Who will save Nigeria? Who will save Nigeria from her government? Who will save Nigerians from Nigerians? You.
Today we must restart. Today, we must chart a new course. Today, we must choose to fight for Nigeria. Today, we must fight for ourselves. Let us look within to find the courage to begin again. We must reclaim our country from these tyrants. We must repel all invaders.
We must defend our lands, cities, and country block by block. This is our patriotic duty. Religion, tribe, and tongue will no longer divide us. Those who have destroyed our country come from all tribes, tongues, and religions, so we must not be duped. They are in the minority. We are the majority. We have suffered and endured for far too long, and we must endure just a little longer.
They will seduce you. They will make promises. They will claim to have evolved. They will threaten you. They will defeat you. You will be imprisoned. Whatever they do to you, just bear it because, in a short time, our small voices, actions, protests, plans, and groups will combine to form a powerful rescue mission to save our nation.
You must endure. We must endure. Architects and town planners form groups in your communities. Make a master plan for the community you want to see in your city. Engineers from your various cities collaborate to design the infrastructure we require. Create the power grids we require. Start with the design. Begin with the strategy.
Lawyers, civil society organisations, and good-willed men and women, please contribute your quota to a new and better constitution that divides us rather than the corrupt one that currently divides us.
“Lecturers return to classes.” You’ve made sacrifices before. Make another sacrifice for the sake of our children. This government cannot afford to meet your demands. They’re bankrupt. They can’t give what they don’t have.
“Please return to classes and save our children’s future.” Nobody cares that our medical personnel are fleeing the country in large numbers. Who will staff our hospitals? Who will care for the sick?
“Are we going to entrust our healthcare to quacks?” No.
Today is the day to take a stand for Nigeria. “It is the right thing to do,” Kachikwu stated.
He promised to rebuild Nigeria and make it work for everyone, regardless of tribe, tongue, religion, or political affiliation, if his party wins the election next year.
Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, National Chairman of the ADC, boasted that the party was on a mission to rescue Nigeria from its current state of somnolence, make it work better for all, and give Nigerians a sense of pride and hope.
