"Thank God this nation brought President Buhari at the point it was
about to collapse and all we are doing today is putting the pieces back
together again," Oyegun said.
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| Buhari and Oyegun (Premium Times) The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegn says President Muhammadu Buhari came to power 'when Nigeria was about to collapse.'
Oyegun
said this at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, August
3, 2017, when he received political leaders from Delta Central
Senatorial district who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
He
said the present administration is building a new economic model which
will be sustainable, production-based and will diversify from oil to
agriculture, solid minerals and other viable sectors.
“Economically,
things are difficult, there is no question about it. But in spite of
that people of your quality sat down and still want to join the boat,
because you have seen the future and you know the future belong to a
changed country. A country that produces, not only consumes.” Oyegun said.
He continued:
“In the last sixteen years of previous administrations, we just
consumed. Thank God this nation brought President Buhari at the point
it was about to collapse and all we are doing today is putting the
pieces back together again. It is a difficult experience and as a result
of that our people are going through some hardship. But there is no
question at all, that you can see the silver lining that is on the way.
“By
the end of this year, we will be net exporters of rice, today we have
started to export formally yam. Today we are about certain that all the
grains in this country can be produce locally. These are all part of the
building blocks towards the Nigeria that we foresee in another year or
two.
"So, tremendous is
progress is being made to reverse the road at which we were travelling,
to build a new economy, an economy based on what we can produce. An
economy based on agriculture, based on our solid minerals,” he added.
The
APC National Chairman stated that with the global decrease in the
demand for oil, Nigeria’s economic mainstay, the need to diversify the
Nigerian economy has become increasingly imperative.
“It
is clear today that oil is gone. Britain has declared that in 40 years,
vehicles that consume fossil fuel will be phased out. The United States
of America and other countries of Europe have made similar
declarations.
"So it is
fortunate that President Buhari is today in office taking us painfully
through the process of change such that this nation will be counted in
another few years as one of the industrial power houses of the African
continent.” Oyegun said.
While welcoming the new entrants to the APC,
Oyegun said one of the resolutions of the Party’s National Leadership
was to bring the South-South back into the mainstream of Nigerian
politics.
The APC national chairman described the zone as one of the “strongest pillar for unity” in the country.
“I
cannot resist but speak like somebody from the South-South on this very
special occasion even though I belong to the nation as APC National
Chairman. The point about us is that we are not tribal. The South-South
is perhaps the strongest pillar for unity in this nation.
"The
reality about the South-South is because we believe in the unity and
oneness of this nation so strongly, we are ready to work with anybody
who stands for one nation and one Nigeria.
“Today,
two years now we have a new regime of change. Unfortunately to a large
extent, we missed the boat. We have only one state in the entire
South-South, Edo State. It is our resolve here at national headquarters
to bring the South-South back into the mainstream of Nigerian politics.
"Because
at the greatest point of danger for this country, it was the
South-Southerners that stood firm at risk to themselves, at risk to
their lives that this nation must remain one," he said.
He
said with the new entrants from Delta Central another solid block has
been added to the APC’s aspiration to bring Delta State and indeed the
South-South into the Progressives fold.
“I
know how crucial central is in Delta state and with your entry into the
Party, we have firmed up the central and can project from there to take
Delta State and eventually take the entire South-South. Today we are
adding one more solid block towards the unity, development and great of
this country.
“I am aware there
are scores of you, but because the ceremony is taking place at the
National Secretariat, we had to limit the number of persons who could
come, I know that at the appropriate time we will have a great big unity
rally in Delta state where all those who have joined us in the recent
past will be formally received and where we will also formally launch
the movement for the recovery of Delta state,” he said.
The decampees were led by Chief Johnson Boro, former Commissioner in the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
Other decampees are: Immediate-past PDP Chairman, Ughelli South LGA, Chief Francis Aguonigho; Chief Sleek Oshare; Chief (Engr.) Isaiah Kekeje; Chief Mathew Kwode; Chief Robert Ojo; Comrade Sunny Ogbududu; Mr David Edonor; Comrade Saturday Nukueye and Chief Charles Otaiye.
Speaking earlier, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Prince Hilliard Eta
said the defection of the PDP leaders from Delta Central to the APC was
testimony of the paradigm shift being witnessed in the South-South.
Other APC National Working Committee (NWC) members at the meeting included: National Secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni; Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawal Shuaibu; Deputy National Chairman (South), Engr, Segun Oni and Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Tombari Giadom.
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