The Rivers State Coordinator of the Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), Pastor Amb. Ekiye C. Ekiye has stated that the army of political aspirants indicating interest in the next year’s general election is a welcome development and shows the level of political awareness the citizens have reached.
According to him, “It equally shows that the electorate and indeed the people are now aware of their environment and are willing to improve their welfare and well-being by being actively involved.
And it is also a sign that our democratic process is growing” he said.
He stated this in a chat with newsmen over the weekend in Port Harcourt at the sideline of the visit of an Accord political party presidential aspirant, Prof. Christopher Imumolem to the group.
On zoning of political offices, the clergyman said it was not constitutional and so should be discarded. However, he said the system should be considered in love and fairness to promote political unity.
“Rather, he noted, competence should be the watchword, wherever the qualified candidate comes from should not matter” he said.
He made it clear that any group or zone advocating for a power shift should first focus mainly on competence and capacity to deliver in their search and not turn by turn basis.
On governor Nyesom Wike’s presidential ambition, Pastor Ekiye said it is a good omen, adding that he is constitutionally qualified to aspire to any office in the land as a Nigerian but that the aspirants should focus on strategies to be use to ameliorate the suffering of the people and improve the economy when given the mandate.
The man of God however used the opportunity to set some agenda for whoever would eventually emerge as the next president of the country.
The agenda he suggested includes concentration on the country’s unity; tackling the insecurity ravaging the country, stability of the epileptic electric power; fixing of the economy and creation of jobs for the teeming youths; infrastructural development; improving of workers welfare; good health facilities; good educational development as well as Ethnic/Religious tolerance.
On the dastardly murder of late Miss Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto by irate muslim colleagues, Pastor Ekiye condemned their action in its entirety, saying it is callous and barbaric.
According to him, “their action which was without provocation depicts the moral decadence and educational misnoma in Nigeria,” he said.
He stated further that in a country where there is love, religious tolerance and what he called intentional positive as well as educational development, such a thing would not have happened in an educational learning environment.
The man of God called for a review of what he called “contestionalized educational system in the country”.
He also advised Christians to advocate and support a governorship or presidential candidate that is civil and have love for the citizens irrespective of tribe and religions because leadership, he noted is key.
“The action of muslim extremist youths shows that Nigeria is still an under-civilized nation.
Ethnicity, religious bigotry and intolerance is still on the high side,” he said.
He called for a method to see that justice is not only serve but to put a stop to the incessant incidence of this sort.
The killing of the Christian lady over flimsy excuse of blasphemy in Sokoto State has generated public outrage across the country.
On the police brutality on Journalists covering the court proceedings of an embattled lawmaker, Farah Dagogo, Ekiye also condemned their action in its entirety, saying that both of them supposed to work hand-in-hand in progress as government agencies.
According to him “anytime a Journalist is insulted or assaulted in course of his/her legitimate duty, it is obvious that truth is about to be suppressed or injustice is being perpetuated.
He called for urgent need to caution the officers involved and normalization of the strained relationship in the interest of the nascent democracy and the nation at large.
