2007: PDP Maps Out Electoral Strategy for S/west
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South-west zone disclosed yesterday that the party has mapped out plans on how to consolidate its success at the polls by 2007.
Delivering a lecture titled: "Consolidating the Gains of the South-west Entry into the Mainstream of Nigerian Politics," Chief Yemi Farounbi, stated that PDP hopes to capture the zone by embarking on people-oriented policies aimed at assisting the people.
Farounbi urged South-west governors to work together for the progress of the zone, adding that "together they must re-engineer our value system to place emphasis on hard work, merit, self-discipline and integrity."
He called for the revitalisation of the agricultural system to provide food for the people as well as for export.
Farounbi, who was former National Vice Chairman for the zone, stated in the lecture that "PDP government must succeed and succeed very well. That is the only key to consolidation of victory. And that can only come out of creative management of resources, people-oriented policies, determination to break the cycle of poverty, underdevelopment, hunger and disease."
"We must work for a better society based on hard work, good character, integrity, self discipline, good neighbourliness and Godliness. We must take our destiny strongly and positively in our hands. This is the key to consolidate our victory," he said.
On the overall success of the PDP government in Nigeria, Farounbi said, "the PDP government must grant the people the basic freedom as defined by Franklin D. Roosevelt. They are freedom of speech and expression, freedom of every person to worship God in his/her own way.
"If I may translate these into Nigerian setting, it means that PDP government must achieve the lofty goals of wealth creation, employment generation, poverty reduction, service delivery and value orientation.
"Talking about poverty, all PDP government must be committed to its drastic reduction. Nigeria is perhaps the richest country in Africa. It can become one of the richest in the world. But it is a land of extremes and remarkable contrast. A tiny minority enjoys what may be the highest standard of living in the world... but some 70 percent live in poverty and misery."
The PDP Chieftain called on the Obasanjo government to ensure the equal distribution of wealth in the country saying "There is the dire need for equalization of wealth rather poverty."
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