Ribadu to Nigerians: Vote Wisely

A speech by Nuhu Ribadu, presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria at a press conference in Abuja today

Welcome and thank you Gentlemen of the press, good afternoon every one. First, let us be clear and set the records straight: I am still running as Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and my running mate is Fola Adeola. Please ignore any attempt to manipulate the outcome of this election by whatever means especially through viral text messaging disinformation campaign. In the next 48 hours, the destiny of our country will change. We would be electing the next president of our beloved country, and with that act, we would be announcing our preparedness to march into a new future. My message to all my fellow compatriots today is that we vote wisely, that we act smartly, in the effort to save our democracy and our country, and set the path to a new beginning of greatness, achievement, and prosperity.

We, as a nation, are today in the mid section of our country’s century, but fifty years of independence has not been the cheering news of achievement and fulfillment everyone here would have hoped for. In the midst of opulence and unspeakable wealth, our story and our journey of failure, of squalor and despair, remain one of the most ironic narratives in the history of nation building. But this is not a session for nostalgia or for indulging on the pains of the past, but a moment for decision.

A decision that will usher in a new Nigerian in which people want to live in peace, and harmony with one another with good healthcare, good education for our children, job opportunities, security of life and property, and above all a humble, responsive, and accountable government. It is that simple. I want to start therefore with a deep statement of gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity of a lifetime to be the missioner of the message of change and hope that our people are so badly yearning for. A transparent and accountable government is critical to attaining these simple goals but fundamentally, a transparent electoral administration is the foundation for all of it.

The history of elections in Nigeria reveal that electoral malpractices are the most formidable huddle that always stood against electing a truly representative and responsible government. In last week’s National Assembly election, the same challenge started raring its ugly head again and the main perpetrators are the same gifted captains in the art of election rigging and manipulation. They are roaming the streets about now, getting set for action, and if they did it last week, we would all be naïve to imagine that they would yield on this criminal and unpatriotic acts and go on vacation this coming Saturday.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is for this reason that I want to sound a strong note of caution against tampering with the votes in the coming presidential election, as indeed of the remaining elections.My message here and particularly to our young brothers and sisters is to vote wisely. Don’t sell your conscience, don’t sell your votes, and don’t sell your future. The future we are stepping into is longer that the past we are coming from, and I understand that not all the variables are in the hands of the electorates.

I also want to take this opportunity to urge electoral officials and law enforcement agents to fear God, especially at this time, and put the interest of the nation above all considerations.Fellow compatriots we have to use this opportunity to make the future address the past of our nation. Opposition politicians understood this challenge and tried hard to forge an alliance to address the problem. Sadly, however, the ego and self-centered world of politicians have made it impossible to forge that type of massive force against the administration of the ruling PDP.

Ladies and Gentlemen, despite the failures of the past, despite the pains that governance bears on us as a people, our true challenge as great Nigerians is hope. I speak strongly now to our young Nigerians and ask them not to give up in cynicism to the electoral fraud that has made governance fail. The fifty years of failed leadership and corruption in the country are the logical outgrowth of electoral fraud. The broom revolution of the A.C.N seeks to redress this rot, and I urge you all to stand with me all you Nigerians who believe that a new Nigeria is possible. Vote wisely, vote for A.C.N.

Thank you all, the story of our dear country can still be written in gold.