The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors yesterday said the party is different from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because it is people-centred.
The party also described President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to churches ahead of the 2015 elections as “church tourism,”.
The governors spoke at the first Progressive Governance Lecture in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The lecture has “Unemployment and the Crisis of Governance in Nigeria: the Way Forward” as the theme.
It was organised by the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said of the difference between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): “Some people now say that both PDP and APC are the same. They say there is no difference. Governor Kwankwanso was in PDP, he is now in APC. Governor Rotimi Amaechi was in PDP, he now is in APC. I urge you to also check what those governors were doing when they were in the PDP.
“We have never said that all the people in PDP are bad leaders. That has never been our argument. Our argument has been that the influence of the-end-justifies-the-means politicians in the PDP is overwhelming. And that is why they are not making any progress beyond this jobless growth that we are witnessing. When you go there, you can see it. Governor Kwankwanso runs a free education programme now in Kano. Governor Amaechi runs free education in Rivers. Governor Nyako does the same in Adamawa. So, there are many ties that bind us together and we believe that ideologically, we are Siamese twins. And that is why they are here. We also want to enrich what we are doing with the examples they have shown in their states and other states. Of course, you can see the difference in Ibadan. I am not saying this just to humour my brother, the governor of Oyo State. I was born, grew up here and know this city like the back of my hand and I know the progress that it has witnessed in the short period of time that Governor Ajmobi has taken on the reins of power. You know what is going on in Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Osun and Ekiti states.”
Fayemi and other party leaders, who spoke at the lecture, said the 2015 election would be a contest of ideas, not of physical strength, sentiment or violence.
On the determination of the party to revitalise Nigerian economy through job creation and other initiatives, Fayemi said: “The reason why we are progressive is that we believe that we owe a duty to our people, that it is not a favour to our people to empower them to become people who have self worth in their own right. And job is not about earning a wage. It is about the dignity that it gives our people. That is why we are making this the first in the series if the PGF lectures. And there is a direct nexus between governance and employment. The disconnections that the lecturer have pointed out, the issues that have been raised are also borne by the evidence before us. The strategic committee of this group headed by Governor Fashola has been receiving results from the polls that we commissioned in the 36 states of the federation. The polls we have been doing make it clear to us that the number one issue for Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country is joblessness. Next is insecurity. But as Governor Kwankwanso has highlighted, there is a connection between joblessness and insecurity. When you look at what we are witnessing in the Northeastern part of the country today, there are those who say it is religious, there also those who want to make us believe it is ethnic. But as a student of security, the most critical factor responsible for crisis in the North is economy. That is what has made it possible for some Nigerians to believe that they have no future than to throw themselves in arms way in the name of creating an alternative republic. That, for us, is what we need to tackle. When we cut off the oxygen that is fueling the crisis in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and other parts, we clearly must understand the connection between insecurity and poverty.”
Earlier, welcoming the guests to the state, Oyo State Go ernor, Abiola Ajimobi, reeled out his achievements in the last 1000 days, stressing that his administration has redefined governance. He pointed out that it has also brought back an enabling environment for businesses to thrive
“The revolution is unprecedented. From the ashes of the second dirtiest city, we have raised the level of cleanliness to make Ibadan one of the neatest. We are attracting investors due to conducive atmosphere.
Your presence here today adds to our huge intellectual account.”
Highlighting the danger of unemployment, Ajimobi said it has become urgent for any responsible government to act fast.
“By taking on this challenge, we are telling the world that when we eventually take over federal governance, we will tackle this and other challenges confronting the country.” He said.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said irrespective of the position various Nigerians hold about the country or the party, the APC governors and its leaders came together for the progress of Nigerians.
He said they embraced progressive politics in order to lift citizens out of their frustration, adding that party leaders and members laid down their differences and political idiosyncrasies in the larger interest of the country.
The guest lecturer, Dr Ayo Teriba, dissected the current state of the economy, particularly unemployment. He disclosed that though Nigeria is among the five fastest growing economies in the world, the country has double digit unemployment rate, which he put at 23 per cent.
As a way out of the current parlous state, Teriba recommended that government must take data reading more seriously, revamp rail transportation, support economic intelligence and reform policy processes, among others.
He said: “To make democratic governance a tool for delivering economic tangible and enduring economic benefits in the future, Nigeria needs to make monthly employment data available before the end of each month, fix rail transportation, rethink fiscal policy, refocus monetary policy, and ensure that elected officials accept responsibility for policy formulation and coordination. Appointees can implement but elected officials must adopt modalities for ensuring transparency and accountability in policy mplementation. Examples of successes in using democracies as a tool for economic advancement abound.”
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, said agreements at the lecture would be implemented in APC-controlled states .
The governors and party leaders visited the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasngba where they addressed crowd of party supporters who came to welcome them to Oyo State.
They were led by the National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and National Leader Gen. Mohammadu Buhari. The governors include Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano), Borno State Deputy Governor Alhaji Umaru Mustapha, his Osun State counterpart, Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and the Edo State Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere.
Former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba and former governor of Ekiti State, Chief Niyi Adebayo were also there.