The African Democratic Congress has called on the coalition of many Diaspora organizations and prominent Nigerians to unite as a strategy to address challenges currently threatening the nation.
The political party cited ‘political corruption, criminal insurgency, kidnapping, terrorism, poverty, unemployment, and dearth of infrastructure as problems that have become features of the country.
The Deputy National Chairman (Diaspora Engagement), ADC, Hon. Kenneth Gbandi who made the call in Abuja, on Monday, at the ADC-Diaspora Network (ADC-DN) Global Press Conference on the State of the Nation said ‘this is the time for Nigerian Youths and Diaspora to take charge.’
Discussing the performance of the APC-led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hon. Gbandi, who doubles as Leader of ADC Diaspora Network, said: ‘Majority of Nigerians in Diaspora today is of the opinion that APC Government under the leadership of President Buhari has failed Nigeria woefully.’
He recalled that ‘Nigerian youths who could not bear to fold their hands as their future is being stolen before their very eyes, fired one of the many final salvoes with the ENDSARS Movement.’
‘We will be betraying the Youths and the Nigerian dream if we fail to heed to this clarion call now and join hands with them to salvage the sinking ship of our great Nation. The entire fabric of the Nigerian nation is in great turmoil and collapsing before our very own eyes.
‘The hashtag poverty capital of the world is demeaning to all hard-working Nigerians, especially Nigerians in Diaspora. Irrespective of our personal comfort, professional accomplishment, and development we are enjoying all over the globe today, we are still associated with these negative hashtags, failed leadership and mismanagement.
While saying that restoration of the glory of Nigeria is a patriotic and sacred duty that all youth must undertake, he noted that the journey will be ‘hard and stormy,’ and urged Nigerians to remain resilient in the determination to excel various fields of endeavor.
Gbandi quoted Frantza Fanon as saying that ‘Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it or betray it,’ adding that ‘the youth of Nigeria must not betray this call of the century.’
When asked to list the failed promises, he said: ‘This administration has failed Nigerians on many fronts: too many unkept promises; naira is not one dollar as promised; and electricity, we were told will be fixed in two years by any serious Government; the issue of security we were promised will be history; kidnapping has become a regular business in Nigeria today; increase in price of fuel; freedom of expression has been under assault while corruption is almost near legalization today; and youth unemployment is at catastrophic level with the 2nd highest unemployment rate anywhere in the world today.’
While lamenting that ‘Nigeria has indeed become the poverty capital of the world in all ramification,’ he noted that ‘Nigerian legislators are enjoying jumbo salaries and opposition have been intimated into total submission or threatened with state apparatus, unless decamped to clueless partiesty.’
‘Our glorious standing in the days of Balewas, the Ziks and Awos has turned into a nightmare and the once Green Passport, the pride of Africa is hunted like the most wanted fugitive world over today.’
‘Today, it is difficult to distinguish between the opposition party and the ruling party as majority of the executive and members of national assembly are too consumed with budget padding and contract chasing, than legislative duties and oversights for the development of our country; rather than falling in line with positive trending global dynamics.’
‘When it was becoming unbearable like the brutality by the Nigerian police, the Nigerian youths stood up to voice out their frustration to SARS and other law enforcement abuses.’
Discussing what he described as the unpatriotic response of government to the ENDSARS Movement, Gbandi said: ‘The politicians elected to protect us turned the state security machinery to suppress the peaceful demonstration which culminated in the killings of the innocent youths across the country,’ adding that ‘the youth are not alone in the national assault and disgrace.’
‘The Diaspora were recently informed by the Deputy Speaker, that the Diaspora have no right to mess in the issues of Nigeria that is affecting them. The Diaspora have been told that they have no business with voting in Nigerian election. The Diaspora have been informed they have no business requesting the constitution of Nigerian Diaspora commission (NIDCOM).’
