It will be 30 years in 2023, that the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election adjudged the freest and most peaceful in the annals of Nigeria’s political history, and which was won by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the late business mogul, philanthropist and uncommon nationally accepted political figure, Bashorun M.K.O Abiola of the Hope’93 fame, was criminally annulled by the military junta, with the unpardonable active connivance of some unpatriotic political elements and enemies of the Nigerian nation.
Almost three decades after that ill-advised annulment of the presidential election that did unquantifiable damage to Nigeria’s true interest and which was generally considered as a criminal action against the Nigerian people, respite is yet to come for the hapless masses of the country, as it is apparent today, that the condition of the average Nigerian has gone worse, particularly in the last six years of the current 4th Republic, under which our national quest for building a good Nigerian society for all citizens has been lamentably undermined.
Mindful of the harrowing socio-economic experiences and the near despondent state of the people of Nigeria in general, which has resulted in a strong quest and growing massive cross-country yearning of the people for a remediation of their present unsavoury condition, the Social Democratic Party, SDP as a political party that has at heart, the true interest of the of the nation, has taken it as a veritable mission and that necessity is laid upon it to work assiduously towards re-enacting the refreshing Hope ‘93 campaign, and ultimately, win the presidential election by nominating a Nigerian presidential Candidate who possess a pan-Nigerian disposition and the enormous popularity and cross-cutting national acceptability analogous to that of the late M.K.O Abiola, who through the instrumentality of the historic and phenomenal June 12date, achieved the unprecedented feat of integrating the nation’s diverse peoples notwithstanding, the pronounced ethnic and religious divides.
It is not debatable that our country, in the post-independence era, has embarrassingly underperformed in harnessing and maximizing its humongous human and natural resource, and had its development and capacity for greatness arrested as a result of bad leadership and poor management of our national affairs. Nigerians are today living in a state of ineffable despair, morbid fear, heightened social tension, with a critical mass of the population wallowing in pervasive poverty, lack and sub-human conditions in the midst of plenty as has never been experienced in the contemporary history of Nigeria!
The declining economy in the face of rising insecurity occasioned by the criminal activities of armed bandits, state terrorism perpetrated by some moral denigrates (with the seeming acquiesce of, and emboldened by the authorities through their insufficient action to root them out), kidnappers and murderous herdsmen who have turned the entire Nigerian landscape into a killing field and poised to overrun the entire landscape unhindered, as well as the spate of violence being sponsored by some separatist groups across the country, are daily exacerbating the people’s woes.
Nigeria, rather than scale-up its development as the true giant of Africa, is today sadly contending with the conundrum of ruinous socio-economic tensions largely attributable to, and induced by pervasive poverty, widening inequality, absence of social justice, lack of social inclusion and tangible social welfare buffers for the citizenry have contributed in raising the temperature of the society. Sadly, there are no significant and corresponding right actions from the authorities towards addressing the mounting national challenges, grave and real as they are, and to build a good Nigerian society generally.
It is quite worrisome that in the face of the mounting national woes, the federal government under the APC appears to be unaccountably at loss as to what to do to salvage the grave situation that the country is presently facing, and consequently, most Nigerians across the country have lost hope in the capacity of the state and the present system to protect them. Apparently, most Nigerians today, largely consider this current administration as not possessing the essential gravitas, sincerity of purpose and the requisite capacity to bring about change in the worsening socio-economic narrative and bring about significant improvements, particularly in the critical areas of security and peace.
Arising from the serial disappointments and dashed hopes that the people have suffered and exacerbated especially under the ruling party in the last six years, Nigerians are now resolved to look out for, and have identified the SDP as the credible alternative political party that has what it takes to redeem the country – pro-people ideology, right capacity and commitment to public good to replace what they presently have administering our national affairs.
In the light of the unpleasant prevailing situation in the country, where the condition of the country is getting precarious by the day, and the legitimate hopes and aspirations of Nigerians, rather than getting better and brighter are getting blighted; where the people are daily contending with suffocating crisis of survival and the nation is grappling with existential battles of insecurity and threat to national stability, a recreating of the greatly inspiring hope which the Social Democratic Party brought to the country in 1993 has become a national quest and building into a massive crusade across the country.
It is mindful of the foregoing, therefore, that the Party is poised to raising the ebbing hope of Nigerians and give them something good to look out for, in the face of the present atmosphere of national despair and rising despondency, by putting machinery in top gear to get primed as the credible alternative political party ahead of the next general election.
The SDP as a national party generally known for the promotion the true interest of Nigeria is committed to national retrieval by working towards the re-enactment of the glorious 1993 presidential success.
This, it hopes to achieve by nominating a presidential candidate that has the requisite capacity to win the next presidential election, form a government with human face at the center, and deliver on its mandate by implementing the pro-people and pan-Nigerian manifesto, policies and programs of the party that are strategically designed to significantly restore the lost glory of the country, unite the country, bring a turn-around in the declining fortunes of the people and make their lives truly better under a system that works for all – one that is just and equitable and an environment that is secure.
The masses of Nigerians have already begun a count-down, and rightly so, for the exit of this regrettable mal-administration where good governance has been replaced with an appalling ‘noisome pestilence’ disguised as leadership, where despotic assaults on civil liberties and contempt for the rule of law, as well as impetuous propaganda have been elevated to official state policy. Notwithstanding the general negative verdict on the inconceivable display of cluelessness and manifest failure in delivering on his mandate vis-à-vis party’s deceptive campaign promises, Mr. President, for the purpose of what history would record for him, is sincerely advised to step up his game and provide the right leadership to rebuild the faith of those who twice voted for him to get to power, and to find a way to creatively reclaim the honour he once had, although it is almost becoming a very tall order.
Mindful that the people have resigned to unpleasant fate, and given up on the possibility that there could yet be positive changes in the reminder of the tenure of this administration, the president nonetheless, needs to act fast so as not to lose everything by coming up with something commendable to change the narrative, and by galvanizing the people through appropriate pronouncements and deliberate right actions which could gladden the hearts of the people and lead to their taking positive actions with regard to civic responsibilities.
Mr. President, needs for the interest of the country, to display more open-mindedness that will enable him seek help and work with, and leverage useful ideas from other Nigerians who can add value, because there is the urgency of getting all hands to be on deck as the SDP aptly called on him to do in our May 6, 2021 world press statement on rising insecurity, in the same vein that many other concerned groups and individuals have done with regard to the need for national retrieval, and to save the nation in the face of the building threat to the survival of the Nigerian Union.
Some incurable optimists believe that the time left for the President is still sufficient for him to reclaim his place in history, and work at pulling the country back from the edge of the precipice., few is the number of that category of Nigerians!
It is a cheering news for Nigerians that the SDP is rising up to the challenge of taking its proper place in the polity as largely desired by Nigerians to offer them hope. In the light of the foregoing, and in pursuit of achieving the foregoing its audacious noble and patriotic strategic objective ahead of the next general election, the Party has commenced a number of wide-ranging activities towards fundamental structural re-engineering and fortification that will strongly reposition it as the go-to-party for Nigerians, particularly the youths and women ahead of 2023. Also, we are opening the space within the Party structure nationwide, for many Nigerians and politicians with needed clout who are daily indicating interest in working with us, and to absolve individuals who would want to be active players in achieving the set-goal.
While Nigerians are encouraged not to get dispirited but to keep hope alive that redemption for the country is nigh, the SDP as a patriotic national party committed to the true interest of the nation, will continue to make strategic interventions towards national retrieval in the face of the unnerving social and economic challenges of the times, particularly by way of making essential advisory available to the government of the day (whether they take it or not), particularly in area of tackling the rising insecurity, restoration of peace and economic recovery which are the biggest of our national challenges of the times.
The times are undeniably tempestuous for our beleaguered country, nonetheless, the SDP strongly believes that it is in our best interest for all Nigerians to rise up to demand a turn-around, join hands and work together, irrespective of political, ethnic and religious differences to save the country from the portentous descent into anarchy and possible collapse because there is no other country to call our own.
Surely, and very soon, we shall overcome this perilous time in our nation. We trust God to help the nation to recover the locust years, and for the present reign of hardship, killings and agony across the country will be swept away in the fullness of time by the people through the power of the ballot, and replaced with the right and positive change that will transform the country, engender peace and a new order of socio-economic prosperity for Nigerians.
The country shall rise and be great again, deo volente. Let’s keep faith.
Signed:
Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba,
National Publicity Secretary,
Social Democratic Party, SDP
