Posted by By By RAZAQ BAMIDELE on
Presidential aspirant on the platform of the newly registered Fresh Democratic Party (FDP), Reverend Chris Okotie, has asserted that President Olusegun Obasanjo would quit office in 2007, expressing optimism that he (Obasanjo) would hand over power to him (Okotie).
Presidential aspirant on the platform of the newly registered Fresh Democratic Party (FDP), Reverend Chris Okotie, has asserted that President Olusegun Obasanjo would quit office in 2007, expressing optimism that he (Obasanjo) would hand over power to him (Okotie).
Rev. Okotie spoke at the first public outing of the party in Lagos Tuesday, where he declared his intention to contest the 2007 presidential election and also kicked off his campaign.
'We are therefore utilising this forum to formally declare my intention to contest in the 2007 general elections for the post of the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the Fresh Democratic Party (FDP)," Okotie declared, adding that 'this meeting also marks the formal commencement of the campaign agenda of our party towards the coming general elections."
Speaking on the third term agenda of President Obasanjo, the cleric-cum-politician said Obasanjo was too wise to embark on such a venture, predicting that such could plunge the nation into chaos and tarnish the President's image and his unequalled record of achievement.
'We believe that President Obasanjo is wiser than these political jobbers figure that he is. We are persuaded that he will not plunge this nation into chaos and neither will he tarnish his unequalled record of being the first military ruler to voluntarily hand over to an elected civilian administration," Okotie said, adding: "President Obasanjo will hand over in the year 2007 to a new government of the Fresh Democratic Party headed by Rev. Chris Okotie."
According to him, 'the current agitation for tenure elongation by some members of the present administration is just a survival plot by the professional politicians," who he described as 'a group of people who know that they have no place in the next dispensation and therefore so desperate to hang on to political relevance for as long as possible. We are, however, convinced that these agitation will not succeed."
While calling for generational shift, FDP's chieftain explained that 'the cry of the majority of our people is generational shift in the political leadership of our nation," emphasising that 'there exists a dire need for us to move away from this present crop of leaders to a new, younger and fresh crop of leaders who can steer the ship of nationhood to the shore of our collective dreams."
The presidential aspirant therefore called on the 'present geriatric leaders to voluntarily retire and become advisers for the new generation based on their experience."
In calling for generational shift, however, Okotie said 'we are not disparaging the achievements of the incumbent administration."
The FDP presidential aspirant urged journalists to 'define for Nigerians what they should do by pontificating on political solutions for this country."
On the Niger Delta crisis, the cleric said he has solution to the problem as a South-South man, saying he would evolve a collective empathy to address the problem of the people to give them a sense of belonging.
While vowing to remain on the political terrain till his divine message is delivered to the country by becoming the president, Okotie gave an assurance that 'I will remain on the terrain until those people who have held down our people are jettisoned," adding: 'Okotie's presidency is the only political option in the present political predicament in the country."
On INEC, the preacher admitted that the body has limitation because it looks up to the government for its operational fund. He, however, expressed optimism that he would scale through, believing that 'anything in which there is hand of God will succeed."
The party's manifesto, according to him, include instilling the principle of equality of all men in the national psyche, where there would not be any sacred cows or second class citizens among Nigerians as well as ensuring the security of the life and property of all Nigerians in all parts of the nation and beyond.