BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE SOUTH EAST/SOUTH SOUTH CAUCUS OF TEAM GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI (TEAM GMB) IN PORTHARCOURT ON SATURDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2014.
History cannot be recovered, but history shows us the true path to follow. The departure from military rule on the 29th May 1999 ushered in a new hope for Nigeria, it brought about a ray of light for the common man…Restored the hopes of the forgotten middle class, down trodden and seek to reclaim the future for our children.
15 years after a supposed new beginning was ushered to the Nigerian people, everything we believe in, everything we’ve fought for, is threatened by a treasury witch hunters who does not understand its responsibility to the people. A mean spirited party that trivializes corruption pauperizes the essence of leadership – I know that I am not alone in this concern today. After 15 years; our very confidence has turned its back on us by misconduct of public trust and abuse of public hope.
We shall have no reason to doubt, Nigeria had never been unsafe as it is today. Nigerians have never been more hungry and poor like we are today. Government has been hijacked by privileged parochial and emotive interests. It has forgotten who really pays the bills around here. It has taken more of our money and given us less in return. In spite of the huge resources the country has received since 1999; one that cannot be compared to any period in the past these parochial interests have failed to give us a government we deserve, government that works for us.
Nigeria problem is systemic and no government can be better than the public opinion which sustains it, most of it is caused by leadership miscarriage, visionless leadership, now with obvious divisive mechanism with nose-diving currency value, Nigeria is turned on a delicate path. Public praised for this government in the morning is immaterial as compared to our mid day complaints, we may have made mistakes in the choice of leadership; our present decision to secure our future is the ultimate. What is sacrosanct is our obligation to devote every effort of body, mind and spirit to lead our Nation to greatness.
A good leadership gives its people all the opportunity to work out their hope. Nigerians have hoped for credible leadership these 15 years. Now is time to put in place this credible leadership — Leader that will defend our national interests abroad, put values into our social policy at home, and spend tax payers’ money with discipline. That leader we have seen is General Muhammadu Buhari.
General Muhammadu Buhari, known for his integrity and incorruptibility contested thrice for the presidency since 2003. For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again. But the wicked shall fall by calamity – Proverb 24: 16. God has said to the PDP like He said to Eli in 1Sam 3:13 “for I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them” what God says to one He says to all.
But to Gen. Buhari time as the minister of petroleum to being the Head of State and then Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund), he demonstrated humility, discipline and leadership. His antecedents are not new to Nigerians; little wonder they refer to him as the president Nigeria never had.
Three times, Nigerians had the chance to elect a man committed to the Nigerian dream; three times they were misled by the very promises they failed to deliver upon. Are we going to be fooled again in 2015?
Knowing, “society is either free or not – No apprenticeship for freedom” for a credible change we deserved, what will be too risky for Nigerians to sacrifice to achieve this very change?
Thus; we, youths from south east and south-south, do gather here today in this press conference to declare and sacrifice our all to support General Muhammadu Buhari for our future. Secondly, we declare here that, General Muhammadu Buhari shall contest the 2015 presidential election. Yes, he has not officially declared his intention, but we are not asking him to declare. We are declaring for General Muhammadu Buhari. We refuse to be part of a generation that refers not to history; we refuse to be part of a people that believe not in a better future and will not exhibit personal and moral responsibility to make it so.
Make no mistake – 2015 election is about credible and responsible change in our national leadership and in our country. Change a negligible but powerful individuals had opposed for long. But we cannot get credible change just by giving in to their old battle. We don’t need another President who will not know what he wants for Nigeria. We need a president with ideas, not slogans, jingles or adverts. We need a president that can create the atmosphere for opportunities for Nigerian. We need a president that can take Nigerians to that point where light shines at the end of the tunnel. We know that it will not be easy, for change is never easy, but that is the challenge to confronting the real problems of Nigeria and the way to a better future for us all.
This is not just a campaign for General Buhari; this is rather a campaign for our future. We ask for your prayers, your help, your hands, and your hearts. Together, we can make this happen. We can, we must and we shall.
Long live! General Muhammadu Buhari.
Long Live! All Progressives Congress (APC).
Long live! The Federal Republic of Nigeria.
……………………………
CHAPP J. JONATHAN
COORDINATOR
