• Honours forgotten committed party faithfuls
'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - As the jury rages, on the performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government, a group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has charged the president to appoint the best among its ranks rather than prioritizing opposition members.
This was the position of Renewed Hope Unity Movement at its award ceremony yesterday in honour of some neglected members inspite of their far reaching contributions to the emergence of the party since 2014.
Speaking at the event, the initiator and co-convener of Renewed Hope Unity Movement, Iretidola Ojekhoa rued the abysmal reward system that tend to accord more privileges to members of the opposition parties than its members.
She queried the rationale for sheltering complicit opposition members while loyal party men are hounded from pillar to post by anti corruption agencies under the slightest suspicion.
She surmised: "Happily, we knew we had very experienced and professional patriots in our midst. Of course we knew that the scope of the problems facing the nation demanded a cross-political approach as no single party had exclusive patents on solution, but we were hopeful that the best of the our party would be conscripted to do battle as it is in other nations worldwide, with a very little inclusion of others (not the other way round). The nation of course needs people who not only want to be appointed but who are passionate about the Apc government succeeding against all odds, considering the many ulcers plaguing the nation.
"The last ten years have proven one thing: the All Peoples Congress seem not interested in moulding and maintaining an organic membership. In fact, it has spawned a mercenary mentality among members as the party has been abysmal in recognizing and rewarding loyalty. The APC of today is so unconcerned or unaware about the neglect of its core supporters that commitment ebbs so fast among members. Even the worst of the PDP days, recognized its loyal members.
"Let me state that I as a person have been recognized by the party in some way or the other since 2014 especially as a media personnel that I am. From being a member of Buhari Support Organization to being a member of Buhari Media Organization for 8 years. Apart from this I had an appointment in Kogi State for 2 years. I definitely don’t think I was utilized the way I would have loved to be at all but I can not say that the party has not recognized me as a person of value. So this is not about me or people like me. But about others who we worked side by side with and who still work daily all over the nation but are never recognized but watch others who they fought against at one point or another over party matter; take prominent places. We see that their resilience is being tested and hope deferred has began to make the heart weary. And so we are standing in the gap and doing a little of what the party should have long done, as a start in the journey of desired unity (of purpose).
"As stated above, we have never promoted the idea of exclusivity in governance; however, everything is wrong with the Open Sesame mentality whereby all shades of characters are given pride of place over and above those who sacrificed all to get the party to the position it is today. Even the war against corruption has been infected so much so that opposition members who strolled into the party recently are accorded some sort of immunity despite humongous evidence of their complicity in corruption-related cases, while members who carry the DNA of the party are hounded from pillar to post on the prompting of those who have agenda different from the noble ideals behind the founding of the APC."
The party stalwart stressed that the honour on the neglected members was to celebrate their indispensable contribution to the party and to remind those who have conveniently forgotten their labour of love that they are still around though neglected.
"We are here to celebrate those who have labored for the party for these 10 years, but never got a pat on the back. And to remind those who have conveniently forgotten their labour of love that our loyal members are still around though neglected.
We salute the resilience of these patriots gathered here. We celebrate your equanimity even in the face of debilitating political considerations. We honor the solidarity that binds us, and we say with every conviction that tomorrow will be better" she concluded.
The co-convener of the Renewed Hope Unity Movement, Aja .N. Aja equally bemoaned the neglect and stressed that it is not too late to bring onboard capable party stalwarts to ease out of the current problems.
The Igbo people say: "A person who is rejected does not reject himself." Though we don't consider ourselves as rejected people, the more appropriate word is we are the forgotten people. We invested time, resources, friendship and relationship into a party which was coming from the cold, the APC to emerge victorious in 2014 and 2023. However, it is sad to note that the establishment and power structure has not been able to recognize loyalty. I wouldn't like to use the term reward. We've had no atom of recognition from the people we sent there to govern us, of course in terms of governance we have all the personnels required to take Nigeria many steps forward. Among us are professionals, experienced people who are ready to partner with government one way or the other to make the now renewed hope agenda is realized.
"But then they don't seem to know that we exist. This ceremony is to say we are still around and we are available to be used for the well being of Nigeria and Nigerians.
"This is ceremony is to celebrate the past decade of the struggle and to see what value we can bring onboard wether it be policy or implementation problems" he stressed.
Atele Emmanuel, an awardee at the occasion believed the president is capable of changing the dire economic situation in the country and perceived neglect by some patriotic party members.
"People may be lamenting today but Nigeria is a very difficult place to govern. We thank God that we have a man who has a vision and who knows how to solve the problem.
"APC became a party where the opposition came in to get things but when they couldn't get what they wanted they left the party. I'm aware some members of the opposition party worked for the party and should be compensated first but nevertheless those of us since the era of Buhari from 2014 we know the sacrifice we have made for APC and we have not been compensated but I know that from tonight something good is going to come out of this renewed hope.
"Economically, all over the world we are facing the same challenge globally since 2020 coronavirus. Nigeria is not left out. Since the president has constituted his economic council let us give them some time, something good will happy.
The President of Amalgamated Nigerians advised Mr President to harness untapped potentials of the youth in his administration going forward.
"My candid advice is for the president to carry the youth along. The appointment so far shows that the youth are not carried along. Maybe he wants to compensate those who worked for him but going forward he must bring the youths onboard" he added.
The award ceremony brought together scores of APC stakeholders from across the country.
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