March 17, 2009
The declaration of the court of appeal that legitimized the stolen mandate of Chief Alao Akala yesterday never came to us as a surprise. It is, of course, highly imperative to say that another history was made on the 17 March 2009. The judgment has doused the anxiety and long expectation of the people of Oyo State that have been waiting for a judgment day that turns to be a day of mourning. The political declaration of the Court of Appeal is painful, disappointing and disheartening. It is a postponement of evil days for the usurper and election riggers. However, the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, has accepted the judgment in good fate and further encourages the people of Oyo State to be hopeful, remain steadfast and apply the lesson learnt for future election.
Our oppressors who want to continue ruling us perpetually by force with the aid of fraud has taken advantage by raping us politically, crippled us with poverty and manipulated the judiciary by hiding under the weakness of the law to achieve their nefarious agenda. Every living being that witnessed Oyo State election in April 2007 knew that PDP never won the election. The Oyo people rejected them despite the fact that scores of people were killed, thousands maimed while properties were destroyed by the PDP thugs in order to instill fear in the heart of the people. In fact, the judgment in favor of Chief Alao Akala is a crime against humanity. However, we have taken consolation in the word of Dr. Nelson Mandela that says; “History and posterity will continue to punish those that uses fraud and forces to suppress the yearning and aspiration of the masses”.
With the present situation, the opposition groups, and the people of Oyo State are left with two options of either to move forward by coming together and repositioning ourselves as mass movement of the people for the struggle ahead or recede by folding our arms, closing our eyes and mouths in the face of oppression, fraud and tyranny. We strongly appeal to the entire Oyo State people to take the first option. If we fail to come together and conduct a “strategic plan” that will stop the PDP killing machine in the whole of South West by 2011, it may take the next hundred years to repair the damages that will be done to our homeland. The PDP lacks agenda for development for Nigerians at all levels. Therefore, there is need for us to rise up, unite and liberate ourselves from the shackles and manacles of the PDP.
If we fail to stop the Akala/PDP callous regime from pushing us to the dark ages, the consequences of the PDP’s action would be disastrous to the future of the youth in Oyo State as:
a.Millions of the present and future generation of youth would be denied access to education and training, knowledge and skills.
b.Illiteracy, Ignorance, Under-employment, Unemployment and poverty would increase. Frustration due to the lack of educational opportunity will further push many youths to the destructive paths of drug addition, rubbery, fraud, "419" and prostitution among others.
c.Education will become the exclusive privilege of the children of the very rich while thousands of students especially tertiary and secondary institution students would be forced to withdraw from the school due to the inability of their parents and sponsors to afford the exorbitant fees.
Recognizing the fact that there is strength in numbers, we call on all progressive democratic forces to combine against the conspiracy of election riggers in the coming election in Oyo State. It is highly imperative for all political leaders in the southwest to convene urgent meetings to set up an agenda for the future.
We sincerely count on the role of the media as an agent of change in illuminating the minds of Nigerians in order to see the struggle for the enthronement of genuine democracy as a collective responsibility.
Oludare Ogunlana
South West Coordinator
Democratic Peoples Party, DPP
Our oppressors who want to continue ruling us perpetually by force with the aid of fraud has taken advantage by raping us politically, crippled us with poverty and manipulated the judiciary by hiding under the weakness of the law to achieve their nefarious agenda. Every living being that witnessed Oyo State election in April 2007 knew that PDP never won the election. The Oyo people rejected them despite the fact that scores of people were killed, thousands maimed while properties were destroyed by the PDP thugs in order to instill fear in the heart of the people. In fact, the judgment in favor of Chief Alao Akala is a crime against humanity. However, we have taken consolation in the word of Dr. Nelson Mandela that says; “History and posterity will continue to punish those that uses fraud and forces to suppress the yearning and aspiration of the masses”.
With the present situation, the opposition groups, and the people of Oyo State are left with two options of either to move forward by coming together and repositioning ourselves as mass movement of the people for the struggle ahead or recede by folding our arms, closing our eyes and mouths in the face of oppression, fraud and tyranny. We strongly appeal to the entire Oyo State people to take the first option. If we fail to come together and conduct a “strategic plan” that will stop the PDP killing machine in the whole of South West by 2011, it may take the next hundred years to repair the damages that will be done to our homeland. The PDP lacks agenda for development for Nigerians at all levels. Therefore, there is need for us to rise up, unite and liberate ourselves from the shackles and manacles of the PDP.
If we fail to stop the Akala/PDP callous regime from pushing us to the dark ages, the consequences of the PDP’s action would be disastrous to the future of the youth in Oyo State as:
a.Millions of the present and future generation of youth would be denied access to education and training, knowledge and skills.
b.Illiteracy, Ignorance, Under-employment, Unemployment and poverty would increase. Frustration due to the lack of educational opportunity will further push many youths to the destructive paths of drug addition, rubbery, fraud, "419" and prostitution among others.
c.Education will become the exclusive privilege of the children of the very rich while thousands of students especially tertiary and secondary institution students would be forced to withdraw from the school due to the inability of their parents and sponsors to afford the exorbitant fees.
Recognizing the fact that there is strength in numbers, we call on all progressive democratic forces to combine against the conspiracy of election riggers in the coming election in Oyo State. It is highly imperative for all political leaders in the southwest to convene urgent meetings to set up an agenda for the future.
We sincerely count on the role of the media as an agent of change in illuminating the minds of Nigerians in order to see the struggle for the enthronement of genuine democracy as a collective responsibility.
Oludare Ogunlana
South West Coordinator
Democratic Peoples Party, DPP
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