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Senior Special Assistant to the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Public Enlightenment, Chief Oliver Okpala, has said that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will continue to push for a united and cohesive nation that meets the aspirations of citizens and ensure peace and unity.
Okpala said in a statement that Ganduje would not rest until he ensures complete existence of political sanity and decorum in the country, as well as put an end to the politics of rancour and bitterness.
Okpala said that the rejection of Ganduje’s call on the leaders of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), to join the APC is not a minus, insisting that the APC Chairman should be praised for having the courage to woo the opposition.
He said: “This is courageous and exemplary as Dr. Ganduje called on them to toe the path of reconciliation irrespective of political differences. Even though, the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has dismissed the invitation from Ganduje, the move should be appreciated and encouraged, giving our national trajectory of bad politics which has left our country prostate in the past.
“This is the first time the Chairman of a ruling political party in the country has exhibited such maturity, taking such approach and calling for a united front. It is a call to avoid bitterness and rancour, it is a call for politicians to work together as Nigerians and to see each other as brothers and sisters.
“From his comments, it is important that the intention of his call should not be misconstrued. It should be seen as what it is, an invitation from a matured politician without guile, aimed at building the much needed synergy that Nigeria needs to surmount it’s multifaceted challenges.”
Okpala maintained that the APC National Chairman now represents a new kind of politics devoid of bitterness, which he has continued to promote since he took over the leadership of the party.
He said: “This is the first time a national Chairman of a ruling political party would show such humility and dynamic gesture. Others would rather attack, deride and challenge those in other parties, seeing them perpetually as rivals and opposition.
“But Ganduje has waved the olive branch and has made it clear that the move was from his heart.
For Ganduje this is a way of fostering national unity and peaceful coexistence in the country and sanitizing the political system, exorcizing it off the preachers of bitterness and hatred.
“Some see it as a further push toward what they fear as a bludgeoning one party state by the APC administration. But not at all, as this is not a forceful invitation but rather a friendly call to join a national movement of a governing political party that has shown a clear commitment to re-writing the story of the country for the good of all citizens.”
He explained that the APC does not see the opposition as foes, but people whom they can collaborate with to develop the nation.
According to Okpala, “it is a call from a government in power at the centre that has never seen the people in the opposition as conquered but as potential comrades in joining a movement for the task of liberating the nation from the stranglehold of long standing degradation which the current APC administration is tackling.
“The Kano State governor and the NNPP national leader, Senator Kwankwaso should see the invitation as a means of fostering decorum in politics also.
“Ganduje had made similar calls earlier as he traversed the country calling on notable and indeed all Nigerians to see reasons to join the APC as a way of galvanizing a broad based national movement to liberate the nation from the bull strap of backwardness, economic bondage and underdevelopment as witnessed in the past.”
The Senior Special Assistant emphasised that Ganduje’s style has already started yielding fruits as notable politicians across the country are joining the APC.
“Notable politicians across the country are already joining the movement because they have seen genuine commitment to redeem the nation both at the party’s level and at the highest level of the Presidency under the formidable and responsive leadership of President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
He described Ganduje as a leading political light in Nigeria who will continue to preach peace, love and unity as the soothing balm for nations.
“As a de-trabalised leader, he had taken the same crusade to the nooks and crannies of the country, calling on the people to close ranks to build a virile nation.;He is a bridge builder and would never be ashamed of calling all and sundry to unite for the much needed progress of Nigeria,” Okpala said.
