AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Labour Party candidate for Ibadan SW/NW Local Government Area Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Mr Sunday Oni, has pledged his readiness to serve his constituents with diligence and fear of God if elected as their representative in the 2023 general elections.
The House of Representatives hopeful spoke on Sunday at Maurve 21 Event Centre, Ringroad, Ibadan, Oyo State, during the official declaration of his ambition to represent the long-suffering people whom, he said, had been betrayed for many years by the old stock in politics.
While addressing a crowd of party loyalists and other constituents on the occasion, Oni said, “The spate of anti people policy by those in government is lamentable. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our constituency.
“We are faced with the monster of economic hardship. Society is full of decadence. How long shall we continue to lament and for how long shall we continue to live with this experience?
“I visited a lot of groups at the grassroots and what they face is hardship. I want people to understand the value of good governance.”
He stressed in his official address that “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our political journey as a people with common destiny navigating through an uncommon terrain. We are today faced with the monster of insecurity, economic hardship, inflation, health, and education stagnancy amidst many more woes in Nigeria.
“The existing structure of government policy formulation and implementation designed and executed by our elected leaders is anti-people and counter-productive. Sadly, this has remained the case for several years and has left many in a state of hopelessness.
“Daily, we see our youth, in a bid to survive economic hardship, resorting to self-help to navigate these hard times through anti-social activities such as drug abuse, fraud, and ritual killings, just to mention a few.”
Oni, who is the chief executive officer of Broadnet and SHYLD Youth Movement, including NPC Expo, said that “This saddens me greatly as I watch a country full of human and natural resources reduced to a decadent society filled with poverty and sickness due to bad leadership. As I watch myself and others around me lament the current state of Nigeria, I asked myself these questions which I am asking you too today:
“How long shall we continue to lament? For how long shall our wealth be diverted to personal use by the few oligarchies that have constituted themselves? Shall we stay back and expect the situation to change?”
Making reference to the Abiye Health Scheme in Ondo State pioneered by the administration of former Governor Olisegun Mimiko, Oni said that he would ensure that quality health scheme was replicated in his federal constituency as an elected representative.
“This is an opportunity for us to invest in the future. We shall invest wisely in our people in best areas, including sports for the benefit of the youth,” he said.
If he emerges victorious at the poll, Oni who said it would no more be business as usual, said that apart from lawmaking, his oversight function to the people would include infrastructural development of Ibadan SW/NW Local Government Area Federal Constituency, creation of empowerment opportunities and youth engagement through sports.
On his part, the Chairman of Labour Party in Oyo State, Olatunji Adigun a.k.a Atayese, lamented that the Nigerian masses were passing through a difficult phase in the history of the country.
This, he said, required urgent intervention by those whom he described as new breed of politicians with sincerity of purposes.
Making reference to a playlet on Nigeria as a bleeding nation, presented on the occasion, the LP state chairman likened the current situation as anguish being witnessed in the ‘years of the locust.’
He said, “For the past 20 years, we have been through this. A particular party ruled the nation for 16 years but the experience was unsavory.
“Nigerians asked for another leader like the Israelites, and another leader we got. Today, there are killings everywhere just as there are kidnappings everywhere. Our exchange rate is hitting the roof top at over N700 per dollar.
“In the Labour Party, we hold on steadfastly to the fact that good governance can happen not with PDP or APC anymore, but that a least expected party would spring surprises. Since Obi joined LP on May 29, the wind of change continued to blow. To change Nigeria is in our hands. Vote for our candidates.”
In company with Atayese at the forum were members of the state executives of the party, loyalists, members of the various pressure groups in the constituency and some spiritual leaders.
