2023: Give APC, Tinubu Another 8 Years To ‘Change’ Nigeria – VON DG

– Claims Christians Will Vote Tinubu Instead Of Atiku

The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has appealed to Nigerians to give the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, another eight years to fix the country.

Okechukwu believes that if the APC could get sixteen years uninterrupted rule as given to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party would bring “change” to the country and better the lives of citizens.

“Our first slogan in APC is change. Our mantra is change. We will not remain static, never. We will change whatever is not working. All we ask Nigerians is to give us another 8 years as you gave our sister political party, the PDP,” the APC chieftain said while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

Okechukwu made the appeal against the backdrop of calls on Nigerians to sack the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration on the grounds that it has failed in its basic responsibility of protecting lives and property.

Last week, some opposition members of the National Assembly had issued a six-week ultimatum to President Buhari to immediately halt the worsening insecurity or face removal from office.

But the VON DG thinks that a Tinubu presidency can rewrite the wrongs of the current administration and set the country on the path of progress if given the opportunity.

Speaking further on speculations that the 2023 presidential election may be a walk over for Atiku Abubakar on account of Tinubu’s choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, Okechukwu claimed that northern Christians would not vote for the PDP candidate.

“But I know that in the fullness of time, contrary to the speculations of spin doctors, they would not vote for the former Vice President,” he said, assuring that whatever marginalisation the Northern Christians are suffering today, they would suffer no more if Tinubu becomes president.

“Regarding the Northern Christians outrage over APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket; if any pundit thinks they will vote for Atiku, my answer is ‘Capital No’. No matter what, they know he is bringing nothing new to the table.

“Find out, Northern Christians do not trust Atiku. They know his cherry-picking antics as per rule of law and rotation convention. They also know his ambivalence on religion, as demonstrated in the late Deborah’s imbroglio in Sokoto, which is still fresh in the mind of every Christian.
“Secondly, they know that Tinubu and by extension the Yorubas’ DNA is devoid of religious extremism and bigotry. Yorubas celebrate Eid and Xmas together.

“As a matter of fact, without being personal, one was a witness when my dear friend Babachir Lawal informed the world during his Thanksgiving Church Service at ECWA Wuse, that Tinubu and Pa Akande were instrumental to his appointment as Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF).

“May one ask, is it possible that neither Tinubu nor Pa Akande didn’t know any Northern Muslim then to lobby for? Or has Tinubu changed 360 degrees?”

“Thirdly, they’re fully aware that Atiku has violently breached the rotation convention of president from north to south and painfully by extension of the PDP’s Constitution. For Atiku rotation convention is north-south geopolitically benched, only when he wins the president. If he fails as in 2019, the rotation convention goal post must be shifted.

“It is on record that Atiku enjoyed and celebrated the rotation convention when in 2018, Governor Nyeson Wike and other Southerners in obedience to the letters and spirit of Section 3(c) of PDP’s Constitution allowed only Northern presidential aspirants to contest in Port Harcourt.

“But in the 2022 PDP presidential primary election he fought tooth and nail to jettison the rotation convention, arguing childishly that it is not applicable to PDP? Hence breached Section 3(c) of PDP’s Constitution. Some of us Southerners are as hurt as Northern Christians over this willful breach.

“Yes, faith balance is very important in building bonds of inclusion, so is rotation convention which bonds north and south, and cements inclusion and corporate existence. This is why I continue to salute APC’s Northern Governors, majority of whom unlike PDP’s Governors by this noble patriotism, restored equity, natural justice and national loyalty in our clime.”

He added, “If PDP Governors had obeyed rotation convention from north to south, to be honest there wouldn’t be the imperative of APC’s Muslim-Muslim Ticket. They cannot benefit from their negligence. I stand to be contradicted.”