The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Imo State Chapter is to organize a public forum for all gubernatorial candidates of all the participating political parties in the 2015 election in Imo State to enable the candidates market themselves and present their manifesto and plans to offer good governance to the people of the state.
Speaking to the Community Watchdog News crew in his office at Owerri the Imo State President of CAN Bishop Stanford Nwogu stated that the expected political forum will not be in the last JPDC sponsored political debate format but an ordinary opportunity for a cross section of the Imo people from all walks of life to listen and access the candidates as to know in details who they may wish to give their precious votes to in 2015.
He announced that a committee for the programme has been set up and is working assiduously to ensure that there will be no hitch, adding that they hope to invite candidates who emerge after the party primaries to showcase themselves to the people and tell us what they intend to do for us and what they expect the masses to do if they renege on these promises.
On the general expectations from the governorship candidates, the clergyman said that the religious leaders in the state expect anyone who will lead this state in 2015 to be a God fearing man who will put good governance into practice and not someone who will on assumption of office will relegate to the rear the flowery promises to the disappointment and embitterment of the electorate.
In answer to a question Bishop Stanford Nwogu said that not only the religious leaders but that every serious citizen in the state should be able to know who is who among these aspirants, after all, “they live with us, we must know them and they must know us” we must have been watching them since their posters started appearing and we have been watching their past activities before the campaigns and since the whistle has blown.
He contended that we should be able to differentiate between realities, pretenders, contenders and actors on stage adding that a man could be a 419ner but repents in truth and faith once elected Governor while others can pretend to be innocent on the soap box but show their true colours at the backstage, saying the Christian Association of Nigeria is not against any individual but would pray that God guides them and the people to make wise decision.
Bishop Nwogu contended that whosoever that is qualified to rule the good people of Imo state and that her citizen or electorate deserve to know what every candidate has to offer, and that CAN is only acting as a Channel for these candidates to tell the masses the truth of what they plan to do adding that all manifestoes are beautiful on paper but the problem lies with the implementation.
He stated that though we cannot prove manifestoes right or wrong but we shall be able to note feasible projects that can be achieved within an individual’s tenure and those that are mere window dressing made to win people’s hearts.
The CAN President prayed that God would give to the people of Imo State the leaders that will give the good governance they are yawning for. On the issue of crime in the state, Bishop Nwogu attributed it to two factors, poor family background or upbringing and lack of job opportunities but quickly added that the absence of these needs do not make crime justifiable as it is sin against God.
He stated that no government anywhere in the world can create enough jobs for the citizenry and called on the youths of the state to turn from white collar job seekers to employers of labour by forming small combine and co-operatives in small and medium scale enterprises or industries, manufacturing and commerce.
He however observed that the government can create serious enabling environment through soft loans but resented the idea of the youths embarking on crime as a protest to government or some individuals who failed them in previous political deals.
Elucidating his points further, Bishop Stanford Nwogu stated that politicians create the atmosphere of impoverishment, insecurity and violent crime because during elections they engage these youths as thugs and other services and because they have nothing else to live on after the elections, they take it up only to be dumped or abandoned when these persons gain power hence they seek revenge through organized crime especially kidnapping, politically motivated assassinations and terrorism.
He stated that no person who is gainfully employed or comfortable would want to take the risk of committing crime and argued that the leaders use poverty to hold our people hostage and strategically apply it to their own advantage while dangling carrots to the poor masses to win their votes hence no effort is deliberately made to alleviate or eradicate poverty in Nigeria comprehensively and totally.
The CAN President said it loud and clear that Nigeria is stinkingly rich and buoyant enough to cater for the welfare of its citizens, and can afford to share out government largesse so that for each citizen there will be more than enough to earn at least #1 million every month without hampering or hurting our economy. Bishop Nwogu finally called on politicians to calculate how much each of our total population of 200 million Nigerians would get from one Trillion Naira if shared and yet this amount is meager in terms of revenue generated from our crude oil alone.
He charged Nigerian Politicians to stop wasting the youths or using them for dirty odd jobs which at times claim their lives without any remuneration or compensation to their families but that they should engage the youths in useful ventures or positive activities.
Going further Bishop Nwogu stated that the government has the capacity to create jobs but the greatest cankerworm which has eaten deep into the marrows and fabrics of Nigerians and the society is Corruption which is prevalent even in the church and among the clergy, In the market place, on the high way, in the schools alongside with issues of perversion of justice.
He observed that corruption has advanced to a very high proportion that if you don’t want to practice it, those in it will plan to eliminate you to the extent that some church leaders find themselves trapped in the hands of politicians that they cannot speak courageously against it. He appealed to politicians and government to make democracy sustainable and to thrive from having human face hence it should be people centered and oriented and not object centered or self driven. Adding that this time around the Christian Association Nigeria has taken it upon itself to create this re-awakening so that things may change for the better in our state.
The Bishop does not subscribe to the idea of generational power shift and questioned what those youths who have had access to power previously did with it adding that the sucker needs old banana to survive”if a man in a place like the Senate is performing, you have no business to try to remove him but if the he is a dummy there, for goodness sake, let him go”
He said that the youth should organize themselves, speak with one voice, pursue their common cause with one vigor and their exploit their population to the fullest advantage without allowing the older politician to divide them, this way they can achieve their goal of generational power change if that is the only way they can make a positive change and contribution in the society.
He then extolled President Goodluck Jonathan for the way he has handled the country so far contending that one of his greatest achievements is the National Confab and the ability to keep Nigeria united as he probably bids time not to make unnecessary mistakes until he secures a second tenure. Finally he took exception to the spate of insecurity in the country but only requested that he should improve on power which has deprived the nation her industrial potentials and progress.
Curled from www.communitywatchdogng [Community Watchdog Newspaper]
