Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said Nigerians are tired of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), declaring the newly formed opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) as a child of necessity.
“This is a big party and Nigeria has never had it so good. APC is a child of necessity because Nigerians are tired of PDP government,” Fashola declared. He also said the new party would not be dragged into the ongoing fray in the PDP, saying Nigerians knew what APC stood for and those involved in the process of the emerging new party. His words: “Our vision is clear and Nigerians know what we stand for. We have been standing for the unity and progress of this country, for social justice, for our people to have good life.
We have been standing up in the period of tribulation including the period of doctrine of necessity, fuel crisis, teachers’ crisis and true federalism. We have always been advocating for this and this is another moment of crisis in our country when we have to come out to speak together.” Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola who read the communiqué said the APC governors’ forum reiterated their irrevocable commitment to the emergence of the new party.
He disclosed that the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and that of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari had sent apologies for their inability to attend the Maiduguri meeting. He also commended the Central Merger Committee on the progress made concerning the registration of the new party. “We wish to commend the Central Merger Committee of the APC on the progress so far made in the establishment of the new party, particularly the recent inauguration of three major committees on constitutions, manifesto and legal/INEC compliance.
We wish to inform Nigerians that we shall soon embark on national outreach and sensitisation activities and we call on all Nigerians to support our efforts to rescue our country from visionless leadership,” the communiqué read.
Aregbesola said the APC governors’ meeting was brought to Borno to identify with the people and to see the impact of the insecurity in the area, adding that they had thought nothing was going on in the troubled state until they came.
“Contrary to the image of rampant violence that has been painted to the whole world, we have discovered the people going about their businesses without let or hindrance.
We wish to commend the efforts of our brothers-governors in the two states (Borno and Yobe) and the security agencies. We also sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives and properties and wish to donate a sum of N200 million to the two states.” Both governors Okorocha, Oshiomhole and Amosun also spoke on the meeting.
While justifying the rationale behind the donation, Oshiomhole said they sourced the monies from the treasuries of their various states, adding that there was nothing wrong in using taxpayers’ monies in caring for Nigerians in other places who were in trouble or need. “We do that to show unity, togetherness and identify with other Nigerians in their period of pains,” he maintained.
