By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Cross River governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Mr Wilfred Bonse, has urged Nigerians to stand with candidates with credibility and capacity to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria in the 2023 general election.
Bonse in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja while marking his golden jubilee birthday also advised youths not to be deceived into electing wrong people into leadership positions.
He said it was time for youths not to be intimidated but to stand for people with conscience, good character, people who want the real change and a real new Nigeria.
Bonse pledged to harness the potential of youths in Cross River for accelerated development of the state, when elected as governor.
He said that youths of the country had been underrated, undersized and undervalued, adding that any leader who really has the knowledge of the future would know that the same youth would take Nigeria high.
“The young population has not been given a fair chance to showcase their abilities and capabilities. Until very recently it wasn’t even considered that you have had anything to offer.
“But if you see, for instance now the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of Nigeria, the fintech generations or evolution, you will find out it is the youth that are driving this economy.
“So, with a candidature like mine, I’m not just a youth, I am one with capacity, capability, knowhow as well with a very far rich network.
“When I sit on that board, I will sheave through the talents that we have. The skill sets of the youth and create the enable environment, to more or less like tell Nigeria that it is possible to do much more with the youth, achieve much more than what you we think is earlier impossible,” he said.
Bonse said that NNPP has 95 per cent chance of wining the state governorship election in 2023 because the people were much ready to vote for a new party, who they believed would transform the state from its current position that that they were tired of.
“What these parties, PDP and APC think they have as structures are not there. Those structures are loyal to other alternatives because this election especially is not really about the party.
“It’s about the personalities because the parties are the vehicles that the personalities have to ride upon because there is no provisions for independent candidates.
“If there were, many people would use that particular, platform to ride.
“Be that as it may, NNPP is a very, very good vehicle, it is a new Nigeria that we seek that is encapsulated in the mantra of that party and the people can see it. They can connect.
“I think before the end of January it clear on who is who in the political land scape of Nigeria and Cross river.”
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the deployment of technology for electoral advancement, urging it not to be intimidated by recent attacks on its facilities.
He also advised INEC to continue to engage the political class on the need to change the mindsets of the people from electoral violence.
“Already the politics of the old day has permanently being hit and run kind of politics and the old class don’t realise that the politics won’t work anymore.
“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the electronic transmission of results have removed that template for all the violence. But it hasn’t gone down because they haven’t heard the right people saying it.
“INEC has been talking about it, but if the politicians are not telling their followers that listen we can’t do this at this time, then you can still find some of those things.”
Bonse also commended INEC on voter registration and the printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), urging Nigerians yet to collect their PVCs to do so to be able to participate in 2023 general election.
The NNPP Vice-Presidential Candidate, Bishop Isaac Idahosa, congratulating Bonse for attaining the age of 50, described him as a gentleman, epitome of humility and wisdom.
“He is a man that love the good of the people and the nation. So, at 50 he must be celebrated.
“He is governor in waiting. Cross River is about to experience transformation. He is a great man that his greatness has just began,” he said.
Idahosa also described the party’s presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso as the best of all candidates.
“This man is the most experienced. He being in civil service for 17 years. Served as two terms governor in Kano State, transformed the state.
“He was Minister of Defense, deputy Speaker of House of Representatives . Ambassador, Deputy Speaker in the House, and Board of Senators in Nigeria.
“So you can see the wealth of experience. what Nigeria need is a man who us able to kick start from the day one, to the beginning to have the courage to enforce things that we better. the country.
“In my principle Kwankwanso are the qualities of a kind of a leader Nigeria needs today . And we are proud that 2023 we will be there,” he said.
Idahosa said Nigeria should expect the bestif NNPP was given the mandate in 2023, saying “a new Nigeria will be birth.
“We are going to do a whole lot. We are going activate things that have been dominant. One the infrastructure.
“You don’t just get people who are trying to learn on the job. You get people who have done what they said they will do and then find a way of enlarging it by a way of their capacity.
“We are talking about a leader who has done so much in education, infrastructure. In his days in as a governor in Kano, the almajiri were engaged to useful purposes.
“In security, he was for former of defense and this is what we need. The first thing we’re going to do is to secure and unite the country. We are so diverse and diversification must be harnessed.
“Nepotism must stop. There must be observance of federal character, not lopsided appointments. We must be able to close our two eyes and sleep without any fear or feelings of threat.
“We must be able to see that inflation drops by increasing our productivity and production. But then productivity and productivity are impaired the least is waste of time, energy and resources.
“We will stop brain drain. We will be able to keep our people here and ensure that the take back home is competitive with among those that make sure they go abroad.
“Our primary health care we looked into. Naira will gain her value again. We are going to stop capital flight.”
Idahosa added teachers and lecturers welfare would be given priority, insecurity would be tackled, transparency, accountability and ruled of law would be enforced.
“Beautiful days are ahead of us and you are going to be glad that you are Nigerians,” he said.
Idahosa aid that the party was already enlightening the people to collect their PVCs to enforce their franchise, especially voting for the party and its candidates in 2023.(NAN)
