Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has assured aspirants of the party that their sacrifices and commitment to building a new Nigeria will not be in vain even if they eventually fail to secure party tickets.
Obi, who spoke in Abuja on Monday night, said the party was committed to building a political institution based on service, fairness, inclusion and internal democracy, and not personal interests and transactional politics.
He commended the aspirants for offering themselves for public service at a difficult period in Nigeria’s history, stressing that their courage and sacrifices would be rewarded by the party.
I promise you, your sacrifice will not be for nothing. “Not all of us are going to make it, not all of us are going to be picked, not all of us are going to be winners, but it’s time we start recognizing the people who have worked so hard for this country,” Obi said.
He urged party members not to be discouraged by temporary setbacks, stressing that the task of rebuilding the country required sacrifice and perseverance.
“The NDC is not being created as a platform for opportunistic politicians seeking ephemeral relevance but as a permanent political movement that would outlive its founders,” he said.
“We are not setting up a special purpose vehicle for anyone. “We are building a party that will last the test of time, a party of principles and service, not a one-man show,” he said.
Obi also spoke on his recent visit to South Africa where he met with government officials and former President Thabo Mbeki over the plight of Nigerians living in the country.
He lamented the deteriorating state of Nigerians abroad, saying many citizens had lost confidence in their homeland due to insecurity, economic hardship and bad governance.
“If things were working in Nigeria the way it should, most of our people abroad would not be there,” he said. “Some of them told me that they would rather die there than go back home because things are worse in Nigeria.”
Obi lamented Nigeria’s fallen global prestige, recalling how the country played prominent roles in peacekeeping operations across the globe in past decades.
“Nigeria used to lead United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world, but now Nigeria can’t even secure itself. “That is unacceptable,” he said.
Also addressing the dinner, the National Leader of NDC and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, said the party had concluded arrangement to introduce electronic voting for its congresses and primary elections.
Dickson said the party had already developed a digital voting platform that would enable registered members to cast their votes using their mobile phones but said its deployment was delayed to allow proper testing and consultations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We wanted to shock Nigeria with e-voting but we do not want mistakes or glitches,” he said. He said, “By the time of the next round of elections, every registered voter in the NDC will vote through their phones.”
“The NDC is a movement that is meant to outlive the ambition of individual politicians,” the senator said.
“We’re building a massive movement together that will outlive all of us. “The NDC is not a transactional vehicle for anybody,” Dickson said.
