The Address of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at the 3rd National Convention and Presidential Primaries of the party on Wednesday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere Lagos.

Odigie-Oyegun promised that the party will ensure free and fair elections at all levels and respect for the rule of law, promotion of transparency and genuine anti-corruption measures.

The Chairman also reeled off his party’s plan for the growth of Nigeria and Nigerians.

The speech read thus

In the past, political manifestoes in Nigeria were hardly different from mere platitudes and general statements to which parties could not be held accountable. The APC Manifesto is different. We have clearly stated what we will deliver to Nigeria when elected into office.

When the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP came into office in 1999, it did not tell Nigerians what its vision was for the country; it had none. And true to form, the party has led Nigeria from one crisis to another, lurching deeper into political anarchy, economic decline and social disillusionment. A decade and half later, nothing has changed. The ruling party has neither concrete plans for the security and advancement of Nigerians, nor the wherewithal to do so even if it had one. Suffice to say that it has thrived on the maxim: Promise nothing, do nothing.

The consequences of thrusting power to a party that does not have the genuine interest of Nigeria and Nigerians are clearly manifest in our political and economic systems today; tens of thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed due to government’s neglect of security; poverty and unemployment have multiplied due to perverse economic policies; corruption has been taken to new levels while health, education and job opportunities are all in free falls. Indeed, the question on the lips of most Nigerians is: Is there a federal government in Nigeria?

Yes, there is a federal government in Nigeria: A PDP government that thrives on chaos, corruption, impunity, injustice and the systematic exploitation of ethnicity, religious sentiments and other primal instincts to divide and rule Nigeria. It is no wonder that at no time since the period of the Civil War have ethnic and regional sentiments been as raw as they currently are. Nigeria can, and must do better.

Since the historic merger that resulted in the birth of the All Progressives Congress, APC in July 2013, our intention has been to develop a set of guiding principles based on the needs of all Nigerians on how to collectively chart our future as a people and our destiny as a nation.

I am pleased to present this manifesto and invite you to share our perspective on how we can come together to free our country from the grip of the ruling party that clearly has no agenda for Nigeria beyond prolonging its lawless rule by all means.

In the past, political manifestoes in Nigeria were hardly different from mere platitudes and general statements to which parties could not be held accountable. The APC Manifesto is different. We have clearly stated what we will deliver to Nigeria when elected into office. Our focus is on six priority areas: National Security, Good Governance, Human Capital Development, Economic Development, Land and Natural Resources and Foreign Policy.

The APC Manifesto goes beyond broad proclamations of intentions. For each sector, we have articulated clear policy directions and accompanying strategies to indicate how our vision will be implemented. In addition to securing the territorial integrity of Nigeria, our plan for national security includes development of the capacity, capability and welfare of our security forces, with clear public accountability frameworks and the promotion of peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians.

The decay in Nigeria’s political and economic structures can be traced to poor governance and dysfunctional public administration. APC promises free and fair elections at all levels, respect for the rule of law, promotion of transparency and genuine anti-corruption measures. We will implement efficient public financial management strategies and ensure true federalism.

In order to fulfill our social commitment to Nigerians, the building blocks for our human development plan will be implemented through coherent health, education and social welfare policies. APC will therefore promote a healthy lifestyle, availability of balanced nutrition, and preventive and curative healthcare.

We pledge to ensure the availability of quality education at all levels and strive to create a pool of skilled Nigerians that will form the bedrock of our economic development agenda. This manifesto also details our plans for youth development, sports and the entertainment industry, in addition to the provision of a sustainable social safety net beginning with the most vulnerable Nigerians.

Our manifesto also includes policies and strategies to reverse Nigeria’s economic decline by ensuring sound macroeconomic management and accelerated infrastructure development, especially in the areas of electric power supply and transportation. We will implement fiscal reforms that would build the economy from the bottom up – one small business at a time.

Moreover, the APC manifesto plainly spells out our plan for Nigeria’s land and natural resources including computerization of our respective land registries, providing affordable shelter for all Nigerians, promotion of agriculture, development of oil and gas, solid minerals, provision of water and sanitation facilities as well as protecting our environment from the threat of gully erosion, desertification, global warming and rising sea levels.

Finally, APC believes that with Africa’s largest population and economy, Nigeria ought to play a leading role in regional, continental and global affairs. Our party will therefore make the Nigerian interest the overriding factor in its foreign relations engagements, commitments, decisions and partnerships. We will also accelerate regional integration within ECOWAS and facilitate the emergence of a common currency within the shortest possible time.

I invite you to read our manifesto and share our message with all those who genuinely care about Nigeria. All Nigerians must join hands to actualize what is contained in this manifesto and hold us to account if we fail to achieve them. For us, this manifesto is our social contract with Nigeria. Please join us in a new party for a new Nigeria!

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
National Chairman,
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Lagos, December 10, 2014