‘APC, PDP have failed Nigerians’
Iyoha John Darlington, an expert in conflict management and resolution is the International Media aide to the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN). In this interview, he speaks on the situation of the country and plans of the party to emerge as an alternative for
What does the Green Party of Nigeria really represent?
For starters, there is no denying the fact that we are in the middle of an epic struggle, a very challenging phase in the course of our nation’s history. The ongoing struggle to regenerate Nigeria is, of course, between genuine game changers, that is to say, those who want to embrace a more progressive agenda and those who are driven by a dispiriting spectacle of threadbare ideas.
The Green Party of Nigeria thus became a child of necessity to rescue Nigeria and Nigerians from the death throes of misrule foisted on us by a cast of neophyte actors. We believe in a free, democratic society where the rule of law shall be vigorously pursued and upheld with a view to advancing the cause of social justice in a stable constitutional government.
Nigerians today suffer from the debilitating effects of hunger and this has triggered many other social vices and crimes of varying degrees. The Green Party of Nigeria as a party that cares about the social welfare of Nigerians has in its possession a well thought out and packaged agricultural programme for a holistic solution.
It is our interest and desire to pursue social justice for all, fashion out policies to cater for the unemployed have-nots, the underprivileged, the unemployed, socially displaced and the handicapped to ensure a healthy lifestyle that is totally free from abuse.
What is the party’s stand on the call for restructuring?
On the vexed issue of restructuring, the Green Party of Nigeria is following the issue cautiously and making wide and extensive consultations across the country in order to come up with a workable policy document that will be acceptable to every section of Nigeria. That is why we are yet to take a firm position.
In fact, we do not want to put the cart before the horse considering the sensitive nature of this issue. We do not want to make any mistake. That is why we deem setting up a special committee for this purpose absolutely necessary to study the situation, make extensive consultations by reaching out a hand to all the geopolitical zones. The GPN presidential candidate, His Excellency Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, together with his team, has been on nation-wide tour in this regard.
How will your party address the challenge of corruption in the country?
President Muhammadu Buhari, doubtless, deserves a pat on the back in this regard and the Green Party of Nigeria, therefore, voices solidarity with him in the on-going anti-graft war for this rare display of courage by fighting this cankerworm toe-to-toe but urges him to do more by ensuring there is, in fact, no sacred cow. You see, government, they often say is a continuum along dimensions and we do hope to build on Buhari’s antecedents by ensuring that we do not relent under any guise.
GPN does not control any state at the moment. How do you intend to woo Nigerians to see the party as an alternative, especially considering the fact that there are over thirty political parties in the country?
It is not in dispute that Nigeria and Nigerians need a new intriguing third force in Nigerian politics as experience has shown that the two dominant political parties namely the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that have each had a shot at the centre have not only failed Nigerians woefully but marvelously considering the myriad of problems plaguing Nigeria.
We parade a broad spectrum of firebrand revolutionaries highly determined to abolish corruption, violence, insecurity, hunger, unemployment and the on-going ethnic agitations threatening our corporate existence. The Green Party of Nigeria under the dynamic leadership of Major Al-Mustapha has commenced effective mobilization at the grassroots across the country and over 11 million Nigerians in the Diaspora will be reached other things being equal to mobilize a potent political force to ensure our candidates win by a landslide. I can confidently tell you here that many political bigwigs across Nigeria have shown interest in our great party and have, in fact, girded up their loins with us for the circuitous journey to 2019. Rest assured the GPN will be the party to beat in the forthcoming general elections.