Victor Oriola, Ag Politics Editor
PRESIDENTIAL candidate of FRESH Party and Senior Pastor of Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie, gave the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hard knocks yesterday, when he pointed out that the party was heading for destruction.
According to him, the crisis engendered by the controversial zoning arrangement in the PDP will lead to self destruction and emancipation of the people.
“What is happening in the PDP is for the good of the people and it will lead to their emancipation. I think PDP is on the road to self destruct,” he said.
He spoke in an exclusive interview with editors of the Nigerian Compass at his Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos office. At the parley were the Editor, Gabriel Akinadewo; Deputy Editors Steve Omolale-Ajulo and Dipo Kehinde; Acting Political Editor, Victor Oriola and Photo Editor, Tunde Ogundeji.
Okotie observed that the polity is being controlled by three entities: Elitism, Satanism and Mysticism, vowing to employ strategies to deal with them.
Explaining the three entities, he noted that if he is elected President, he would tackle these entities to be able to rule successfully.
His words: “The Elitism is the elite; they control the polity. The Satanism is like the former kingpin of amala politics in Ibadan, they are everywhere, and Mysticism is about those with mystic power and aura around them, I will negotiate with them to rule successfully.”
Okotie said that it would have been better for the polity, concerning credible elections, if all those who had served before, including President Goodluck Jonathan, stay away from the 2011 elections.
Okotie, who described himself as the best choice for Nigerians, argued that Jonathan is not a good presidential material.
He also argued that governance was not about mediocrity, insisting that Jonathan did not possess the requisite character to run for President.
“He’s been in government and never done anything for the people. When Alameyeseigha vandalised the treasury, President Jonathan was his assistant, he didn’t say one word to the people in the state; he didn’t cry out at any point in time. But there was looting going on in the treasury. He didn’t resign in protestation.
“So, there is nothing in his character, as a man in position of authority, which kindles the hope of wholesomeness in our region. And the sentimentality of regional government is not going to save Nigeria.
The only time the cry of the Niger Delta would make sense is if we produce the best. But if we are going to dwell in mediocrity, just because of the fact that it is Niger Delta, then that is not going to help.
“I believe that the reality of the day shows that the agitation of the Niger Delta is authentic and legitimate, but we would show Nigerians that we are not caught in the same web of regional politics that is meaningless, if we do not produce the best that we can offer this nation. So, if Nigerians say give us a leader, we should as a people come together and find someone who can represent us and be a blessing to Nigerian people. And I say with all sense of objectivity, within the confines of conventional propriety that he is not the best that our region can offer,” he added.
Okotie challenged his co-contestants to a live debate to determine their suitability for the office of President, adding that all those who contested with him in 2007 presidential election refused to show up for a live debate organised by Silverbird Television in conjunction with the Vanguard newspapers.
“Please, tell them I am ready to engage them in a live debate,” he said.
On what would be his priority if he is elected, Okotie said: “The President must be the personification of the ideals. I believe if we are going to fix Nigeria, our emphasis must be on human capital development.
“I believe the time has come to elevate the motivation and development of our people to the level of strategy; there must be an emphasis from building things to building our people. After that, there must be re-orientation and the key action, the education; you know that the standard of education has become moribund. And so we must re-activate the educational system. In fact, some people have suggested, the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations requires that nations should upgrade the budgetary allocation to education sector to between 25 to 26 per cent, because Universal Basic Education is one of the requirements of Millennium Development Goals which Nigeria is signatory to.
“Then we talk about healthcare; because there are no more hospitals. And I am not exaggerating, it is very deplorable. And the nation that is ill, that is incapacitated, that is debilitated, cannot blossom. Then we talk about creating a social security, I am talking of revamping our pension scheme and making it contributory for all those who are in position of employment. You have to re-examine the transportation system and then the housing, these are basic things that would enhance the lives of Nigerian people. That is what we are pursuing, not the theory and concepts of governance that are abstracts.”
Okotie, however, praised former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his courage and determination when he was in the saddle.
He said: “But if you take all the governments in tandem, there is no leader as courageous as President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is an example of strength and determination.”
On Babangida’s personality and incursion into the polity 17 years after he quit power, the clergy cum politician said: “Babangida on the other hand, I had always described him as quintessential political art master, he comes from a different approach. He combines Machiavelli with his understanding of the reality of Nigeria’s situation. He synthesis system governance that exhibits a charisma no other leader has exhibited. He is the most charismatic of them all.”
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