“If you set fire on a tree that is standing and it burns so well, then it is a lesson to the dry tree, that if the same fire is set on that dry tree, you won’t find the aches,” a member of the All Progressives Congress said, describing the outcome of the Presidential election in Nigeria and the chances of the APC, considering Nigerians’ expectations.
In an interview with Channels Television on Friday, Mr Benson Enikhuomehin said the victory of the APC should not be celebrated with so much merry, but should be seen by the party as an opportunity to look at the critical issues that led to the defeat of the PDP and address them.
He stressed that “Nigerians have realised that their votes would count” and that “any party fails to fulfil its promises would be kicked out”.
“The effect of the victory is that whatever government messes up and does not keep faith with whatever it has promised Nigerians, we have a right to change that government and this should be a lesson to my party.
“I am not scared. I am rather, this will keep us on our toes.
“While we are rejoicing, General Muhammadu Buhari and the leaders of the party should look beyond making merry.
“In the next six months, I expect tremendous changes. We should sit down and plan.
“We need to cut the wastage. Let men sit down and face the issues in Nigeria and not travel about.
“We have the resources. All the leakages, let’s block them.
“There should be good briefing on quarterly basis of what the government has done.
“We are Nigerians. If we do well, they will tick us and if we do badly the people will throw them away,” the APC member said.
On the courage of President Goodluck Jonathan to call the winner of the Presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari before the declaration of the winner to congratulate him, Mr Enikhuomehin said “President Jonathan is a gentle man”.
“He said it before that, peradventure he loses, he will leave the office.
“Despite predictions that Nigeria would breakup, the man doused the tension and he should be commended. I respect him.
“If we do not give him the pride of place for the role he has played in calming down the tension in this country, someone may not be willing to do that tomorrow, saying ‘when Dr Goodluck Jonathan did that what was done for him?’.
“The man is a true statesman and I commend him for it,” he emphasised.
The member of the APC also commended Nigerians for their resilience and the fact that this time around our votes counted.
He stressed the need for political parties to look for persons of integrity and capable of delivering their promises to Nigerians and present to the people.
