Adejoke Adeleye/ Abeokuta
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday endorsed Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI), the Ogun gubernatorial candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC as the next governor of Ogun State.
He gave the endorsement when the gubernatorial candidate and his running mate, Mrs Bolade Okeowo were presented to him by the leadership of the party in Abeokuta.
While describing GNI and his running mate as ‘good products,’ he however urged them to work hard to win the election.
Obasanjo said, “I believe you are a good product and your running mate, but don’t sleep, you have to work hard. We have a peculiar situation in Ogun State since creation and the situation is that the East has democratically produced governors twice, also the central, but the West has not produced any. One of the things I usually hear is that ‘they have no people’, how dare you say that.
“No section of this country has monopoly of good people. I have maintained that it is time for the people of the West to be given opportunity to provide the governor,” Obasanjo submitted.
Speaking earlier, the former President had maintained that God has not created Nigeria to be rudderless or poor.
“Where you are today both at the state and national level is by the grace of God . I believe that God has decided that things will change for good in Nigeria. Some people are in despair due to the situation of things in the country, it is understandable.
“God did not create Nigeria to be rudderless. He did not create Nigeria to be a failed country. God created Nigeria to be one of the leading countries among the committee of nations.
“That we are not there is not a problem, that we are not there is a conscious and unconscious choice of the people of Nigeria.
“I believed then, when we were confronted with bad situations in this nation, we should sit back and think and look at the situation and ask ourselves, what is wrong? And when we have ascertained what is wrong, what can we do to correct what is wrong?,” Obasanjo said.
While recalling his statement when he formally registered as a member of Coalition For Nigeria Movement, Obasanjo said, “And that was the statement I made on the 23rd of January which led to the establishment of Coalition for Nigeria Movement to start doing something about the wrongs and stop complaining.
“One thing is to think of what to do. Another is to do something about it, which is very important. We have gone from that statement making to the adoption of a political party because movement is an activism.
“But in the context of moving Nigeria forward, our Constitution only allow a political parties to be the instrument and when we did the assessment we decided to come up with a political party for the yearning Nigerians and for the betterment of Nigeria.
“We have made so many mistakes in this country that should have stopped Nigeria from existing, but that has not been our lot. Some are going from PDP to APC and back to PDP, in the short run we have no choice. But in the long run, we have choice because we cannot be running here and there and expect transformation. We have to get out of where we are and the only way to get out is through what you have in your hand, your party.
“If your party does things the way other parties have done things in this country, it will not create a new channel for Nigeria so you have to be different and that is why the movement adopted ADC.”
“You cannot do things the way other parties have done it in the past and expect different, in fact you must not.
Going by so what happened in Osun election, you must not give money to voters, don’t buy voters, your party must be different and voters should know that those who buy them will steal their money. Let me warn those of you, who are going for legislative assembly, don’t go there to steal. You are going as law makers so make laws for good governance. It is necessary for you to let people know that you are different.”
“I will continue to do what is good for the country till I die. I am not a man of ADC I am just a guide and adviser also to PDP and APC and SDP. Whoever comes around, my doors are open.”
The State’s party Chairman, Kolade Osinowo had earlier in his address said a significant step was taken to form party ADC after CNM was formed, therefore, the party has come to pay homage to the former President.
“After we formed CNM you took a significant step forward and formed ADC which was number 75 or 85 in the list of political parties when it was formed. It later became number 20. But now ADC is rated number three in Ogun State, that means after APC and PDP ADC is next. Without doubt, ADC is number one in Ogun .
“PDP has been in war for three to four years and there is no place for our people there, same in APC. But today, there is light after the tunnel. We celebrate the confidence you have in us. We have come for you to encourage us before campaign commences because we know why you form the coalition.”
The governorship candidate promised to do the necessary things to make Obasanjo and the people of Ogun State happy when he becomes the governor of the state.
“We will do what it is to be done, so that we will not disappoint you(Baba),the party and the people of Ogun State.
“We will go back to restrategise, so you will be proud of us.” Isiaka said.