BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has lamented that Nigerians are presently at a point where different mind bugging questions are agitating their minds as to the existence of the country.
Okowa, who is also the Governor of Delta state also stressed the need for unity of purpose, peaceful coexistence and tranquility, if the country must exist beyond the 2023 general elections.
Okowa, who stated these on Friday in Bauchi at a one-day interfaith conference with the theme: ‘Atiku /Okowa 2023 Unifying Nigeria: The Role of Youths, Religious leaders in the task of repositioning Nigeria’, said Nigerians are at a point in time in the history of the nation where so many questions agitate their minds.
In the words of Okowa; “An interfaith gathering where youths in the North are here to talk to themselves and to also listen to others and to plan ways to work together as youths to recreate hope in our nation, Nigeria is the most ideal in the present situation.
“I believe that even as leaders in this country begin to get confused and where many are wondering where truly are we going as a country, the youths themselves who ordinarily are most troubled about the future of our country have decided to gather themselves together to think of the best way to unite themselves for our nation and I believe that singular act alone is the best step in the right direction because the leadership of this nation is not only about elected President and the Vice President, it is actually going to be a collective responsibility in which all Nigerians, opinion leaders at various levels among the traditional rulers, various faiths and women and youths to have to stay together, think together agree together that we need to rebuild a nation of our dreams,” he stressed.
Okowa further said; “I do not believe that what we see today is that desired nation of our dreams. But this summit of our youths has started to chart a path toward creating that nation of our dreams.
“Many times, we just go through our national anthem without really digesting its wordings, but I think there is time for us to begin to look at every word and to also realize that we all have roles to play.
“Even as we go into elections and we are going out there to elect people, what really is the call, what is that thing that actually troubled our minds, that really motivate us to vote for the right person.
“Unfortunately, because of the poverty rate in the country, unfortunately also because of the fact that there are so many people who are not well informed by the reason that they have not had opportunity to good education will begin to find situations where votes are easily bought and decisions are made based on the very little they get on the field.
“At that point in time, they are not thinking about Nigeria, they are thinking about what to make us survive for today. Any country in which the large proportion of the population think in that manner obviously is a country that is dying gradually, may God prevent that from happening here in Nigeria,” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said that the importance of peace and unity in the country cannot be overemphasized because it is only in such a situation that democracy can thrive.
Mohammed, who was represented by his deputy, Sen Baba Tela, said he was highly impressed by the content of the conference considering that it has opened a new vistas in the anal of political scene of the country.
According to him; “This is the first time that I am witnessing a gathering where politics and religion are being discussed simultaneously in order to create a path of political stability and cohesion.
“Political processes when combined with the religious process produces a good system of government because like some people say initially that religion is a way of life, so when you put the two together, then you are going to have a good system of government,” he said.
The Chief Convener of the interfaith summit, who is also the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Abok Nuhu Ayuba, said that the summit became necessary in order to foster peace and unity among adherents of the two major religions in the country.
Ayuba said that without peace and unity, things will not work out the way it is expected, stressing that it is only under a peaceful atmosphere that democracy will thrive thereby bringing development to the people.
The Plateau State Speaker, noted that if the youths from the two sides unite, there will be peace and unity in the country considering the fact that over the years, youths made themselves ready tools for violence, stressing that things must change positively.
