We’re In ADC To Help Nigeria’s Democracy Grow, Better – Oyegun, Osunbor

By Raphael Okhiria

Two former civilian governors of Edo State, Chief John E.K. Odigie-Oyegun and Senator Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, have restated their avowed determination to wrestle political power from the Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu led-government, come 2027.

The two political leaders who spoke to newsmen shortly after a well attended stakeholder’s meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), held at the palatial residence of Chief Odigie-Oyegun in Benin City, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has gone beyond redemption hence their decision to dump the party.

The ADC stakeholders’ meeting was attended by a cream of political leaders including Senator Roland Owie, Senator Ehigie Uzamere, Hon. Dr. Isaiah Osifo, Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon, Pastor Azemhe Azena, ADC South-South chairman, Hon. Festus Igbinoba, ADC state chairman, Hon. Kennedy Odion, Hon. Osazee Jesuorobo, amongst others.

Chief Odigie-Oyegun was a national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun while Prof. Osunbor was a chieftain of the party. They have both left the party which they described as a rudderless ship heading towards destruction to the detriment of the nation.

For these reasons, they have decided to join forces with like minded political leaders to chart a new course for the country through the ADC.

Speaking to media men after an enlarged meeting of the coalition, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, disclosed that the meeting focused on the ADC’s strategies for membership registration and state-level outreach, adding that “we discussed how to form committees to improve communication and registration and how to collaborate with existing state executives of the ADC.

“We want the main one at the state level to work with the state working committee. That is as prescribed by the national headquarters.

“We are bringing fresh blood, but we don’t want to disturb those who have served the party honourably all this time.

“So, they are to work with the state working committee in propagating the message, carrying out efficient membership registration all over the state in a way that is affecting and convenient to the ordinary citizens of the state”.

On his part, a former governor of the state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor blamed the current administration for trying to muscle other political parties in the country.

According to him, “this is the first meeting of the coalition under the platform of the ADC, African Democratic Congress. Nigerians, I’m sure yourselves (Journalists) here inclusive are not happy with the way government whether the federal level, state or local government level are being run in Nigeria today.

“Nigerians clamour for return from the military to democracy. We were tired of military dictatorship and we clamoured for the return of governance to democratically elected government.

“But sadly, you will all agree with me that all the good things that we had in mind that we thought democracy will usher in for us have been lost.

“Instead of military dictatorship, we now have very unfortunate, the forms of democracy for instance, checks and balances that the legislature should serve as a check on the executive and perhaps even the judiciary and likewise for the others. Each of the arms of government should be a check on the order and that concept of separation of power as you know, was introduced to check dictatorship, authoritarianism.

“But you know that checks and balances no more exist in the governance of Nigeria today. The legislature has been emasculated. They don’t interrogate whatever the executive is doing; they rubber-stamp anything the executive gives to them. They don’t ask questions. The judiciary has also failed to a large extent in holding accountable elected public officers.

“One of the other key norms or features of democracy is multi-party system. Not unitary system. You know, when Western nations pressurized countries to adopt to move into democracy from military, some countries started operating a one-party system. And when you go to elections they will score 99.9%. But that was a mockery of democracy.

“So, the Western nations in particular, insisted that you don’t just have to be a democracy, it must be a multi-party democracy. But you can see by yourselves that what is happening today, the powers that be want to cripple all manners of opposition.

“This coalition has been formed by all concerned Nigerians across political parties to ensure that multi-party democracy thrives again in Nigeria because a one-party system will not be good for us. It will miss the essence of the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Governance to a large extent has been captured by a few elites. You know this!

“And they do this without reference. In fact, you are told as common men, if you are protesting, if you are not happy with what they are doing, you can go and protest while they will be in their houses, they will be eating. That is an insult. That is the height of impunity for people to say the people you claim to governing don’t matter. You can be protesting, you can be crying, we will be in our houses, we’ll be eating and enjoying ourselves. That’s what they are telling us.

“So, this is a clarion call. You ask what does it represent this meeting that we had today? It’s a clarion call to all and sundry to rally around this coalition under the platform of ADC to ensure that come 2027 that ADC takes over the reigns of governance from APC.

“APC, you have seen by yourselves that since 2015, all the promises that they have made they have failed to fulfill. This current administration, they tell you that the biggest success is in the area of economy. They said that by all indices, there’s economic improvement. And yet, these same people are borrowing.

“Virtually all the time, they are asking the National Assembly to approve borrowing of billions of dollars. If the economy had truly improved, if the savings from the withdrawal of subsidy on fuel really exists, why are we borrowing so much? Something is missing. Somebody is not telling the truth. People are deceiving Nigerians. People are lying to Nigerians.

“So, the ADC has come. There are people of integrity in ADC who will ensure a change in the system of governance in Nigeria. We may not be perfect. Nobody is perfect, but some are better. Some people are better than others. Some are more crooked than others. So, we may not be perfect. I am not perfect, but I can stand head and shoulder and beat my chest that we have people of integrity that will ensure that governance in Nigeria and across Nigeria delivers the dividends of democracy to the people, not just to themselves alone”, Prof. Osunbor added.

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