By Fela Durotoye
Good morning distinguished ladies and gentlemen and members of the press.
Today is indeed a great day … as we mark yet another critical milestone on our journey to a New Nigeria.
Let me start by thanking the National Chairman of the ALLIANCE FOR NEW NIGERIA, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels and all the national Exco members including the Lagos State Chapter of ANN, Mr. Onome Ojigbo and all the State Exco and party members for warmly welcoming us into the ANN family today.
Our hearts and prayers are with the 79 girls that have been abducted from their school (Government Girls Secondary School) in Dapchi, Yobe State on Monday, 19th February 2018. We implore the security agencies to work night & day and leave no stones unturned in rescuing each and every one of these precious daughters and sisters of ours and to return them home safely.
One day in the New Nigeria, abductions and kidnappings of this nature would only be read about in the dark chapters of our history books.
My fellow brothers and sisters,
13 years ago, my heart was infused with a vision of a NEW NIGERIA and I received a mandate to raise a generation of nation builders that will build Nigeria into the most desirable nation to live in & work in a most desirable nation to do business in and do business with, a nation where everything works and everyone is gainfully employed, a nation where everyone is productively and passionately working to make things work, a nation where people live in peace and harmony and are secure in every part of the country regardless of where they are from or where they were born.
We accept to be ambassadors of our generation and commit to build our beloved Nigeria into a nation we will be happy to retire into and proud to carry the identity of by Wednesday, December 31st 2025.
I dream of this New Nigeria every day and my HEART burns with this dream daily.
13 years ago, the New Nigeria became my life’s top priority. Practically every meeting over the past decade has been FOCUSED on planning projects & programs aimed at actualising this vision. .
I pray about it always. I think about it always. I talk about it always. And my HANDS are committed to building that New Nigeria everyday.
All the work we’ve done over the past decade has been in recognition of the great potential of our country and the undeniable blessing that have been divinely bestowed upon us in the abundance of natural and mineral resources, but most importantly in the abundance of human resources as we have been blessed to be the largest collection indomitable, indefatigable, innovative & inventive people … indeed the world’s largest black nation.
All of these blessings affirm our potential to be one of the greatest countries in the world, but that potential is also a challenge to our generation to work hard to actualize our potential & to be all that we can be, do all that we can do and possess all that we can have as a truly great nation.
However, I have come to the conclusion that Good Governance is critical for any nation to accomplish its full potential. Infact, without good governance every other good work carried out by its citizens would ultimately be like pouring water into a basket and is therefore not sustainable.
This is why it became important for us to set up the running for a new Nigeria platform, where we galvanise a critical mass of people who would participate in the governance process either by VOTING or BEING VOTED FOR at the 2019 General Elections & beyond.
In line with the Values I hold dear, one of which is to “BE A ROLE MODEL WORTHY OF EMULATIONâ€, I had to decide to get involved in the political arena rather than staying on the sidelines and only challenging others to go in.
It is my hope that as I step unto the political scene, many more of our brightest and best will arise to heed our nation’s clarion call to contest for elective offices, win the elections, and most importantly collectively deliver good governance to our nation.
But the real question for every Nation Builder who has a love for their country and heart for the people and who, like me, aspires to serve their nation through elective office in the 2019 General
Election is, ‘What kind of party offers us the unfettered access to actualise our aspiration to serve our people?’ Whilst it is true that some of these old known parties may have formidable grassroots structures, I strongly doubt that these old parties with their old ideology will have the capacity to birth a New Nigeria.
I simply cannot see how a New Nigeria with a culture of excellence and meritocracy can emerge from political parties that place higher value on God-fatherism & a selection process that stifles the aspiration of visionary leadership, but promotes the emergence of rulers that subdue and oppress the will of the people and seeks to preserve the special interest of power brokers over the general interest of the populace.
This system, produces a brigand of rulers who seek to divide and rule a united people on the basis of our ethnic diversities & our religious beliefs … they impoverish the people so that their votes can be bought with a few hundreds of naira at the general elections with the money stolen from our commonwealth.
To these rulers, our generation serves notice, we will no longer be ruled. We have been ruled for the last 57 years, and have not fulfilled our potential as a nation. This generation is determined to choose real leaders that are committed to serve the common interest of our people and protect our common wealth.
And I stand here on behalf of this generation of leaders to declare that WE ARE NOW WILLING, ABLE and READY TO SERVE OUR NATION THROUGH ELECTIVE OFFICE and WE ARE NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN, … WE ARE YOUNG, BUT WE ARE STRONG and WE ARE READY TO DELIVER THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP and GOVERNANCE REQUIRED TO BUILD A NEW NIGERIA.
In my opinion, selectocracy is the root-cause of all the ills of our society from the erratic power supply after spending billions of investment to our pot-hole ridden roads that have become death trap to several members of our families and friends. Selectocracy is at the root of our hospitals without healthcare and schools without education. It is because of selectocracy that we have teachers that cannot pass the examinations they set for the children.
Therefore it is clear to me that whatever political structure would deliver the promise of a new nigeria must have a contrary internal democratic culture to those that the existing political structure values. And so, over the last few months, I have researched into several political parties to determine if their ideologies, vision and values resonate with mine.
During this search, I looked out for parties with: free and fair internal democratic processes that is open and transparent; where every member (not just delegates) has the right to vote for their
candidates amongst the aspirants and a party with a clear ideology, vision for the nation and values system that guides the conduct of its members/executives.
I am glad to announce that one party has resonated more with me than any other in sharing common ideology is the ALLIANCE FOR NEW NIGERIA. And today 22nd of February 2018, I have formalized my membership with the ALLIANCE FOR NEW NIGERIA (ANN) & become a member of this great party.
I believe it is safe to say that I have found my political home, which I truly believe would be a HOME FOR ALL NATION BUILDERS. ANN is a party founded by Professionals and technocrats with great political insight and wisdom required to build a formidable nationwide grass-root movement within the next 12 months and beyond.
It is my desire that each and everyone will like I have done decide to step in the political arena and go beyond just registering to vote but also becoming a member of a Political Party where you WOULD HAVE VOTING RIGHTS, ABILITY TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN CANDIDATES AMONGST THOSE ASPIRING FOR OFFICE AND WHERE YOUR POTENTIAL ASPIRATIONS CANNOT BE STIFLED BY ANY GOD FATHER.
I strongly believe that our involvement in the political arena either as a member or aspirant within a political party would strongly enhance our ability to deliver good governance for the New Nigeria.
As you thoroughly consider the various political parties, I’ll like to recommend for your favorable consideration the Alliance for a New Nigeria. I want you to join ANN not just because I asked you to, but only if the Party Ideology resonates with yours as it does with mine. You can check out the party & also join online via this link: www.alliancefornewnigeria.org
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have just 12 months to the 2019 General Elections and we only have enough time to ACT QUICKLY, so let’s make each day count.
Now is the time to get involved.
Now is the time to decide the political destiny of our nation.
It is time to choose our future over our past…
Our generation must accept the responsibility to birth a New Nigeria, a nation where everyone has the opportunity to find work has they make things work.
A New Nigeria that we would all be proud of and be proud to call home.
A New Nigeria that our generation would be glad to retire into & the next generation would be grateful to inherit from us.
It is time to forge a formidable alliance for a New Nigeria and I strongly believe ANN is that party that will help our generation facilitate and align our strength, resources and political will.
IT IS OUR TIME… And together, we will deliver the future.
God Bless You all.
God Bless our Alliance For New Nigeria.
And May God Bless our Federal Republic of Nigeria.
–Durotoye delivered this speech when he formally joined the Alliance
for New Nigeria, ANN, recently.
