The struggle this time is the struggle for independence. Today I come to you with a heavy heart. You know everything about the opposition in Delta state. We tried our best. People of delta state today want liberation, they want to survive. We want to have our right and state back, what wrong did we do in electing these leaders that have hijacked our dear state?
We had a hope that we would be the envy of states in Nigeria thereby creating a structure which would lead to emancipation of the people economically, politically and culturally.
But today we are sorry to say that the history of the 26 years of its existence has been the history of dying cries of the people of Delta state, the history of poverty, insecurity and poor infrastructure. I ask you to share with me today the majesty of this moment in the orderly transfer of power; we celebrate the unity that keeps us free. Each moment in history is a fleeting time, precious and unique. But some stand out as moment of change. In which courses that shape centuries, this can be such a moment.
Forces now are converging that make possible for the first time the hope that many of Deltans deepest aspirations can at last be realized. In pursuing our goals of full employment, better housing, excellence in education, in rebuilding and improving our rural areas. In protecting our environment in all these and more, we will press urgently forward.
He who chooses the beginning of a road chooses where it leads to. Like Victor Ochie, I believe in living my life with a passion but the big question is how do I know I have found that passion. “By My Happiness” and just as we know from our own happiness that great things can indeed come from state.
It is certain that until the crushing burden of Godfatherism is lifted from the people they cannot enjoy the maximum social being which is possible. We can not build the Delta state of our desire under the constant menace of hand-picking people for elected position as witnessed in the state for the past sixteen (16) years.
Freedom from Godfatherism and freedom from Hand-picking leaders must be sought together. The greatest danger is that we fail to face up to the nature of the treat we are dealing with, what we have been witnessing in past elections to offices of leadership in our dear state has not been an aberrant act, what we are confronting here in delta state is an evil ideology. It is not a clash of political civilization-all civilized political processes and systems feel revulsion at it.
This is a political battle that must be won, a battle not just about their manipulative method but their views and ideas. Ideas they would impose in the forth coming elections in the state.
This electioneering manipulation and the violence inherent in it did not just start during the last election, but all through the elections of the last sixteen (16) years of the state were manipulated, by the same sets of person they are well finance and recruit however and whoever they can and with success.
We don’t have to wonder what type of leadership this ideology would give, (i) pensioners will not be paid (ii) local government workers will not be paid (iii) people leaving in abject poverty and oppression. For me this explain a lot of things it explains why we kept going to election ground to cast our vote inspite of the manipulative process of election results, it explains why we no longer wonder.
One thing I know as sure as I know my name is that when you take those baby steps towards God he takes a thousand steps towards you. You agreed with us that great things can indeed come from our state, you did not despise our continue commitment to effect a change and because of you I believe that all is well that begins well.
Just as we know by our own determination and happiness that we are on the right track this time around. I will not forget the wound to our people and those who inflicted them, I will not forget the lies, the deceit and the promises made that were not kept, they even said that our matter was their matter.
The spirit of our age is one in which the prejudice of the past are put behind us, were our diversity is our strength. Moderate is not moderate through weakness but through strength, now is the time to show it in defense of our common value.
This is not just APC fight and what is at stake is not just APC freedom. Families that are starving today as workers of LGA are not all APC members, pensioners and contractors begging for their rewards are not all APC members, communities that have no roads and electricity today were the same communities that voted the present government to power hoping that their matter was truly PDP matter.
So this is the State fight, this is civilization fight; this is the fight of all who believes in progress, tolerance and freedom. We ask every political party, man and woman, boy and girl in each of the senatorial districts that have felt cheated and deceived to join us.
After all the elections that we have lost as opposition, all the lives taken during elections, possibilities and hope that died with them. It is natural to wonder if Delta state belongs to this cabal, or this group called PDP, Same people all the time. But it’s our defeat final and irremediable? To this question I say NO.
To Be Continued………
By Ejiro Patrick
