Nweke, who is also worried about the growing insecurity and uncertainty in Nigeria, said, “It is time for us to identify with the problem solvers and avoid the pretenders who promise change and leave everybody in chains.”
By Emma Ogbuehi
The political landscape of Enugu State changed dramatically on Thursday when former Minister of Information and Communications, Frank Nweke II, threw his hat into the state’s governorship ring.
But Nweke, a foundation member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has now joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The former minister said his intention is to help reimagine and rebuild Enugu State.
In his speech on Thursday, in Enugu, Nweke said his reasons for joining APGA are anchored on some core principles of the existence and purposes of government and political power, which the party holds sacrosanct.
He said, “The founding philosophy of APGA is anchored on the egalitarian principles of fairness, equity, justice, being our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, and giving everyone a sense of belonging, all of which are important components of the Igbo worldview.”
According to him, the reason why governments exist is for the purpose of establishing order in society, based on laws to guide human, social-cultural, political and economic interactions.
He, however, said a society degenerates into chaos when there is an absence of law and order, or where there are laws but they are observed more in the breach.
“Lack of accountability and selective enforcement of rules and laws are recipes for the implosion of any society,” Nweke stressed.
Noting that in most democracies, political parties are the platforms for political organisation and mobilisation, he said political parties and the government they form must therefore take full responsibility for their performance while in office.
His words, “It is obvious that these parties have failed in their primary responsibility – to protect all lives and properties. They have chosen to prioritise self-interests and politics over the rights, supremacy, respect, dignity and value of human life. They have also failed to improve access to basic human needs – water, sanitation, healthcare, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and jobs, especially for our teeming youth.
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“There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness all over the place. Only a new approach that values all lives and treats every citizen with dignity can radically transform the status quo. This is part of what I believe APGA offers.”
Nweke, who is also worried about the growing insecurity and uncertainty in Nigeria, said, “It is time for us to identify with the problem solvers and avoid the pretenders who promise change and leave everybody in chains.
“It is time to avoid those who promised power to the people, but use the same power to enslave the people. In the last seven years, the Coal City state is now competing with one of its neighbours as the poorest state in the South East.
“Without security, all other attempts at development are an exercise in futility.”
He lamented that states like Anambra “is enjoying prosperity through the operation of Igbo ideology, while Enugu has continued to grow in poverty and squalor such that its people have turned to begging as a means of survival.”
He said, “We can no longer afford to be quiet. I can no longer afford to be quiet. I have therefore stepped forward to be counted among the progressive and prosperous Igbo.”
Nweke also stressed that the totality of the awful and traumatising experiences citizens are subjected to, convey that the government has failed in its most fundamental responsibility – the security, welfare and wellbeing of citizens.
“This is why I have decided with all boldness to declare for APGA to help move Enugu State forward as the capital of prosperous Eastern Nigeria rather than the propagators of poverty for the people,” he declared.
“The Personal Voters Card is our weapon to chase away the oppressors and self-serving leaders. This is not a time to sit on the sidelines. It is not a time to agonise, but time to organise both online and offline,” he added.