Atiku not a pushover in Nigerian politics, says OGD

A former governor of Ogun state and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Gbenga Daniels, says former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar whom he worked with as the Director- General of his campaign organisation in the 2019 election, is not a pushover or walk over in Nigerian politics.

The former governor, who spoke on a number of issues in the polity that range from Atiku, open grazing to the political parties, among others, told newsmen that former Vice-President Atiku gave a good account of himself in the2019 election, though did not win.

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On the position of Southern governors regarding opening grazing, the former governor who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, said what the Southern governors are clamoring for is in order.

“It is possible that if they had invited their northern colleagues to the meeting some of them too would have endorsed the position – banning of open grazing”.

Speaking on the agitation of some activists in the South-west zone for a sovereign Yoruba nation, OGD said: “The entire Yoruba nation is united and knows what they want of this nation in their aspirations. If our people have a choice to make, they will choose Nigeria, equity, Justice, and fair play.”

Speaking on security, he said: “Insecurity in Nigeria has reached unacceptable levels. “It is not time for responsible people to begin to shout party slogans. They should join hands to find solutions to the challenge.”

On the two major political parties in Nigeria – APC and PDP, he said: “APC and PDP have no Ideological differences. Members of both parties are also interchangeable.”

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On the issue of unemployment, the former governor said governments could arrest rising insecurity in the country by creating menial jobs for the youths.

Explaining his menial jobs concept, the former governor said: “Remember I did it in Ogun State at a time people were shouting unemployment to the high heavens. I went on television and challenged them to bring to me any one they found that did not have a job.

“I deployed them to work. I asked them to start painting churches and mosques in the state. They went into it and they were paid and were very happy with it. When the leaders of the places of worship saw what was happening they started praying for me and the government.

He said unemployment is rising because the country was blessed with “plenty” of cheap labour that has not been absorbed into productive ventures.

He challenged the governments at all levels to consider his Ogun model and assured them that, if adopted, idleness would expire, jobs created and crime would drastically reduce.