Independence: PDP presidential aspirant, Turaki urges Nigerians not to lose hope

By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

A presidential aspirant 9th the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former Minister of Special Duties, Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has counseled Nigerians not to lose hope completely in spite of their current political, social and economic hardships.
In a message entitled: ALL HOPE IS NOT LOST to mark Nigeria’s 58th Independence Anniversary, Turaki who apparently attributed Nigeria’s current woes to the failure of leadership, noted that God has given the people another chance to turn their fortunes around for the better only if they collectively work towards having a Godly and genuinely transformational leadership.
According to him, “Let us not fail to seize this God-given opportunity” he counseled further, “as we embark on another process to elect a leader in February 2019 who will pilot the nation’s affairs for another four years.”
In apparent reference to the unrestrained manipulation of elections that had been witnessed in recent times, the presidential aspirant advised the people thus: “Let us plan and work together and be vigilant in order not to allow God’s plan and purpose for our nation to be subverted. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall. Also, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
Turaki urged Nigerians to give gratitude to God for sparing their lives to witness this year’s Independence Anniversary because, he said, “these are not the best of times for our nation which, ironically God has blessed with abundant and valuable human and natural resources beyond human comprehension, yet we are suffering in the midst of plenty.”
He attributed their predicaments to the horrendous conflicts resulting in innumerable loss of lives which they have been going through in the last few years, as well as the socio-economic hardships and flagrant erosion of human dignity which they have been subjected to also.
The former Minister of Special Duties And Intergovernmental Affairs regretted that the hopes of the people have been dashed by the government, promises made to them have not been kept, their trust in government have been betrayed, lies have been elevated to an art or as a state policy, while opportunities he regretted further have been wasted and lines of division among the various ethnic groups have become widened.
He noted that the plight of the ordinary Nigerian have been worsened as a result of the political and indeed the electoral systems being turned into a Nightmare in recent times “with the bold-faced ‘robbery’ of the people’s mandate at every turn – no thanks to the TRUSTEE (the government of the day) of the collective fate of the people.”
Turaki however urged the people to be grateful to God also because the judiciary “that has been pummeled, harassed or intimidated by the current government has survived to play its constitutional role as the last hope of the oppressed.”