Now That We Have Crossed The First Hurdle -By Rev. Tunde Afe

The outcome of yesterday’s primary election is indeed quite humbling for me. It has re-affirmed my conviction that democracy is still the best political system ever evolved by mankind. Of course, it has some shortcomings but it has imbibed within it a self-improving mechanism which if taken advantage of can help mitigate any untoward act.

Imagine the tide of scepticism we grappled with to get to this point. Imagine the sneering looks and remarks that greeted our interest to participate in a democratic process and how the people still re-affirmed their choice for me. It is not for nothing that the phrase, “We the people” continue to inspire people all around the world, especially people who are conscious of the enormous power that they wield to choose their representatives.

This day is a testament to the exceptional right of the people to choose. I salute their uncanny skill for perception and will-power. I thank our party leaders at the ward, local government, state and national levels. I see a team of leaders hungry for change, a people completely sold out to the transformation of our land and determined desire to reclaim our heritage of greatness which has been assaulted by selfishness, visionless and unethical leadership. This abnormal scenario is choking and a calculated attempt to leave us eternally impoverished by this gang of leaders that neither fear God nor respect our common humanity.

I cannot thank enough the industry, selflessness, leadership and brilliance of our party leadership led by Mr Tope Fasua [ANRP National Chairman] and Engr Sanmi Olatunde [ ANRP Ekiti State Chairman]. They have continued to earn my respect and those of all right thinking men and women of ANRP for various reasons amongst which is their commitment and devotion to the highest standards. Their leadership is anchored on a desire to ensure that the Ekiti, we all can be proud to identify with is re-built from the foundation. They are a bulwark of support in our tide for political renaissance.

I must mention the immense contributions of every executive member of our great party. Thank you sirs and mas for creating a unique platform for National emancipation. Mr Kunle Alaba [ Coordinator, ANRP Diaspora] has been particularly passionately committed to the growth of our great party and the emergence of a nation we can all be proud of. I am deeply grateful to you all.

Right now , democracy is in full gear and has spoken loud and clear, reaffirming the right and sovereignty of the people as the final arbiter. I say so against certain but unpleasant insinuations about my candidature.

I cannot in all good judgement disregard the feelings of my co-contester. I thank you Mr. Kazeem Sanusi for enriching the process. By your participation, you have demonstrated that credible men and women of conscience should participate in the political process. I am particularly excited that you agreed for us to run together. This is exceptionally heart warming.

I equally want to mention the indomitable will of one of our former members, Mrs. Toyin Aladejana. I wish her well and do hope that she meets with success in her pursuit.

My triumph is dedicated to the grace and benevolence of God, the support of our indefatigable members and teeming supporters whose canvassing and networking is second to none. I am truly grateful and mindful that this is just the first hurdle and the days ahead are critical to our overall successes.

When I decided to run for the governorship seat, I did so; mindful of the right of as many that may decide to take that path. I didn’t think it was going to be an easy ride, run or even a coronation as some have mischievously intoned. I knew that because we were running under the banner of a new party, the likelihood of an easy acceptance was remote. I knew based on factual analysis that the traditional politicians would fabricate, insinuate, deploy innuendo, propaganda and brazen lies would be hurdled at us. It is a price to be paid in our quest to reclaim our state from the hands of the plunderers.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have nothing to fear.

I cannot dare think for a moment of sitting idly by and watching the continued recklessness evolving in our state under the guise of “leadership” of continuity. This is simply unacceptable. Though our land is rich and fertile but visionless leadership has bastardized it.

Our resources have been cornered by a few, while we the majority wallow in abject poverty. Our great heritage has been eroded and replaced by a strange culture which is the very antithesis of our being as Ekiti sons and daughters. I sympathise with our people who work in the civil service. The thought of their not receiving their 8 months of pay is the height of wickedness.

Our task is to pursue with vigour the immediate re-tooling of our heritage which our progenitors lived by and handed to us to live by dint of hard work, diligence, truthfulness, nobility, character and love. We must build afresh an economic oasis in the wilderness of hopelessness which the current political leadership has plunged us into. The sheer wickedness which has been foisted on us must be removed. The entrenched beggarly system where citizens are treated like animals must be removed. We owe ourselves that much. Every oppressed people have a right to resist. We owe it to ourselves, to our children and our future. We must not fail, nor falter. The time is now. The holy Bible says, ‘there is time for everything under the sun’…

The time to retire our plunderers is now.

The time to elect a new generation of visionary, dedicated, committed and industrious leadership is now.

We rejoice because we have done the feasibility study of the quantum of work needed to be done in transforming and rebuilding of our state into a modern and benefitting state which we all can be proud of. We know that there is no birth without some form of initial pains. By the time the initial pain wear off; we can now start to congratulate ourselves-that would not be long in coming.

The time to heal the land is now; we have grappled with pains longer than necessary. We need to collaborate on a massive scale.

The people’s revolt anchored on constitutionality by way of voting is the dread of the thieving political class. We must continue to mobilise and enlighten the people on the imperative of change. When we speak it has to be holistic and absolute.

Our delegates have entrusted me with a weighty and awesome responsibility and the people of the state are resolved to make us serve our state with the best of our abilities. We are eternally grateful for this trust. We pledge never to fail.

ANRP under our amiable National Chairman has set a standard which I can never lower. I can only take the notch higher. I would be unrelenting in discharging my duties with the fear of God and the welfare of the people as my guide. The good thing is that I have the fear of God resident in my heart. I think with incredible and demonstrable skills we can push the frontiers of greatness in our state to another realm. I intend to hit the ground running because of the abundance of talents within our state and our great party. I have learnt under the feet of a great master-Jesus Christ, that, I must with fecundity execute my tasks.

Ekiti people are counting on our great party ANRP to snatch Ekiti from the devouring jaws of wickedness especially with the disgraceful manner the APC conducted their primary election a couple of days ago. We have heard during their time on the saddle of ‘inconclusive election’, now they have ‘inconclusive primary’-what a confused bunch of people.

Both the APC and the PDP cannot be trusted again. They share the responsibility for bringing us this low-they both must be snubbed by the people.

We have the confidence of the people. ANRP is different; we have demonstrated our uniqueness for governance. We have experience and skills; we have the goodwill and support of the people. We also have competence, genuineness and selflessness as our creed. I therefore call on every member of our great party to rally under the banner of our movement in our determined zeal to serve our people-we have to collaborate and move as a team henceforth.

The framers of the American declaration of independence affixed their signature to a doctrine that speaks to our condition: ‘We hold this truth to be self-evident that all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’. We can re-enact it here in Ekiti, here and now and for all seasons. We can ensure that dignity of living is restored back to us as the ultimate essence of our living. Now that we have crossed the first hurdle, our March and grand objectives for getting elected has to be re-invigorated.

I will work for Ekiti. I shall secure, provide economic opportunities, stable and progressive growth that will usher us to the next level. I will articulate and moderate the affairs of government with the greater interest of our people at heart. Once again, I thank all those who have stood by me with their support, as well as those who have opposed me for one reason or the other but the time to close our ranks is now-come, you are welcomed. I thank and congratulate our leaders heartily. I thank the delegates, my team of supporters, the Church that I lead and finally my wife and relatives. God bless you all.

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