by BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!!!
By Emmanuel Ibeshi
I want to thank all Nigerians at home and diaspora for believing in Nigeria and contributing to the political advancement of the country in participating via different platforms to registering very loudly what leaves none in doubt to the hunger for good governance amongst the presidential choices canvassed, supported and presented on February 25 2023. The energy, candor, emotions and resources plowed in at various levels go to show that sooner than later, the true strength of Nigeria as a nation will emerge and NO ONE, NATION or CONSPIRACIES can stop her.
It is obvious Nigerians were let down by only one man Prof. Mahmood Yakubu born in 1962, who gave them hope in the electoral process and made them believe in the incorruptibility of the process and the sanctity of their votes through the Electoral Act which he actively canvassed for and got with the support of Civil Society Organizations on the infallibility of the BVAS a new technology added to the Nigerian electoral lingo that would give needed credibility, trust (if any at all) and transparency on the system. Prof. Yakubu got the needed tools to make Nigerians lift their heads high after the February 25th presidential and national assembly elections but only ended up dashing those hopes and causing shame to course through the veins of every Nigerian young and old especially the young diasporans who for the first time were rekindling hope of visiting their native country for the first time in 2023.
Suffice to say, most political parties are contesting the “unforced error” thrust on them by the hasty proclamation of a winner by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. I have contested and won two Federal Elections and contested three state elections as Governor and failed in Nigeria in my lifetime. The feeling of winning and losing elections are not new to me. The pain of betrayal and men playing God can only be imagined! There are several factors that lead to winning and losing elections. The worst is the conspiracies of an elite few who horse trade the destinies of great men and women for selfish gains to the detriment of nation building and economic and socio-cultural change for all. Soon, Nigerians will get the verdict, hopefully to the satisfaction of their votes cast for their preferred presidential candidates with the best candidate transparently, credibly and legitimately announced after justice has been seen and done
The thrust of this writeup is actually MARCH 11 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS coming up next week Saturday.
This election is even more crucial to me because I know the enormity of transformation that can occur when the right individual is vested with the power to run the affairs of a state.
One viable state that can ride the tide of unequal economic climate and tap the human and natural resources available to him and transform his state to become a reference point for others to learn how the feat was accomplished.
I will make a particular reference to my home state, Cross River State where all the parties have presented their candidates. We have had the experience of witnessing the capacity of three governors in Cross River State from 1999 to date from the three senatorial districts. We can judge who had understanding within the context of vision, experience, age, temperament, organizational skills and necessary deployment of human and natural resources for the advancement of the state. If Nigeria can be analyzed under the APC administration as a failed state, then Cross River State fits the bill of a failed state in a micro context. The hunger and thirst to make Cross River State work again can be likened to the hunger and thirst that drove Nigerians at home and diaspora to own PVCs to enable them vote a credible leader that could effect the necessary change in their expectations in the recent past presidential election held on February 25 2023.
My choice is unarguably Prof Sandy Ojang Onor of the PDP whom I have come to study from a distance for a while as his political profile kept rising as a young man since his days as a Local Government Council Chairman and subsequently Deputy National Chairman of Association of Local Government Of Nigeria(ALGON) where his contributions and the battle for Local government autonomy from the vice grips of Governors was herculean. His tint as Commissioner variously in the Cross River State government and eventual election into the Senate of the Federal Republic and his boisterous contributions which some TV Stations use as soundbites till date and his ability to harness human resources to enable him deliver his objectives make me adopt him as my choice for March 11 2023.
There is no gainsaying that Cross River needs all hands on deck to rescue, repair and rebuild the foundations so far destroyed by previous maladministration for the state to make progress and take the lead again. It won’t be a macho performance nor a mean task but a diligent, self-sacrificial and painstaking intentional act of the incoming governor to achieve this rebuilding. I have confidence that Prof. Sandy Onor is adequately equipped to effect this desired feat.
I do pray we all make this desired sacrifice and come out enmass to cast our votes for PDP’s Prof. Sandy Ojang Onor on March 11th 2023.
God bless Cross River state. God Bless Nigeria.
Hon. Emmanuel A. Ibeshi
