The Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ifeanyichukwu Okowa has lamented that Nigerians are presently at a point where different mind bugging questions agitating the minds as to the existence of the country, Apex News Exclusive.
Okowa who is the Governor of Delta state therefore stressed the need for unity of purpose, peaceful coexistence and tranquillity if the country must exist beyond the 2023 general elections.
The assertion by the Governor is as Nigerians prepare for the 2023 General elections when new leaders will be elected to rule the country for the next four years.
Okowa spoke during a one day interfaith conference with the theme: Atiku /Okowa 2023 Unifying Nigeria: The Role of Youths, Religious leaders in the task of repositioning Nigeria held on Friday in Bauchi.
According to him, “An interfaith gathering where youths in the North are here to talk to themselves and to also listen to others and to plan ways to work together as youths to recreate hope in our nation, Nigeria is the most ideal in the present situation”.
He added that, “We are at a point in time in the history of our nation where so many questions agitate our minds and I believe that even as leaders in this country begin to get confused and where many are wondering where truly are we going as a country”.
“The youths themselves who ordinarily are most troubled about the future of our country have decided to gather themselves together to think of the best way to unite themselves for our nation and I believe that singular act alone is the best step in the right direction because the leadership of this nation is not only about elected President and the Vice President, it is actually going to be a collective responsibility in which all Nigerians, opinion leaders at various levels among the traditional rulers, various faiths and women and youths to have to stay together, think together agree together that we need to rebuild a nation of our dreams”, he stressed.
Okowa added that, “I do not believe that what we see today is that desired nation of our dreams. But this summit of our youths has started to chart a path toward creating that nation of our dreams”.
According to him, “Many times, we just go through our national anthem without really digesting its wordings, but I think there is time for us to begin to look at every word and to also realize that we all have roles to play.
“Even as we go into elections and we are going out there to elect people, what really is the call, what is that thing that actually troubled our minds, that really motivate us to vote for the right person”.
He lamented that, “Unfortunately because of the poverty rate in the country, also because of the fact that there are so many people who are not well informed by the reason that they have not had opportunity to good education will begin to find situations where votes are easily bought and decisions are made based on the very little they get on the field.
“At that point in time, they are not thinking about Nigeria, they are thinking about what to make us survive for today. Any country in which the large proportion of the population think in that manner obviously is a country that is dying gradually, may God prevent that from happening here in Nigeria”, he added.
The Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP said that, “We cannot ignore the lives and future of our children because if such trouble souls sit at home for 8 months with all manner of things coming to their minds, some take to all manner of things and we are talking about people becoming drug addicts, it is put of frustration, people go home and they go to bed very hungry”.
He then stressed that, “Government must become more and more responsible and responsive to the people, my Principal Atiku Abubakar and I are committed to this.
Christians and the Moslems must close ranks to ensure that the right leaders are elected, and we are the right people to do that job of keeping Nigeria united”.
In his remarks, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed said that the importance of peace and unity in the country cannot be overemphasized because it is only in such a situation that democracy can thrive.
Mohammed spoke through his Deputy, Sen Baba Tela stressing that he was highly impressed by the content of the conference considering that it has opened a new vistas in the anal of political scene of the country.
The Governor said that, “this is the first time that I am witnessing a gathering where politics and religion are being discussed simultaneously in order create a path of political stability and cohesion”.
According to him, “Political processes when combined with the religious process produces a good system of government because like some people say initially that religion is a way of life, so when you put the two together, then you are going to have a good system of government”.
He stressed that the collaboration of the two religions in the country is what is needed to move the country forward positively and it must be practicalized not just on paper.
The Governor expressed confidence that if the youths will continue to work together irrespective of ethno-religious sentiments, the country will be better for it and the 2023 General elections will be a peaceful and best experience.
Mohammed then called on Nigerians especially those who have PVCs to guide them carefully and bring them out in 2023 in order to cast their votes for Atiku Abubakar as President and Ifeanyi Okowa as Vice president for a better Nigeria.
He opined that without peace and unity, things will not work out the way it is expected stressing that it is only under a peaceful atmosphere that democracy will thrive thereby bringing development to the people.