There'll Be No 2015 If We Fail To Fix 2014- Tunde Bakare

A strong call has been made to the Federal Government by Tunde Bakare to address certain pertinent issues in the polity to avert impending danger much so as the 2015 general elections is just a few weeks away.

Bakare made the call while addressing newsmen at today at his church premises located in Ogba.

The fiery Pastor turned politician noted that thorny issues such as the awkward geopolitical structure which has the form of federalism but lacks the substance, the consequent lopsided economic structure in which a single product from one region of the country contributes the bulk of the revenue of the entire nation despite the abundant resources spread across the nation; contentious population figures that have been the harbinger of election disputes since the pre-independence era and an electoral body that wears the label 'independent' but is practically under the control of the presidency are issues that must be dealt with decisively.

Speaking at the gathering, Bakare said:" the Nigerian state has thus far been difficult and we have largely been drifting under the influence of the winds. It is clear that a great storm lies ahead as we are approaching elections without addressing the fundamental flaws in the polity.

"These factors have directly and indirectly contributed to the current economic crisis, the political instability, and the security situation. We managed to trudge on in this condition, advancing with great difficulty until we got to our Fair Havens.

"We arrived at our Fair Havens when, for the first time in the history of our nation, a person from the South-South, the region worst hit by the fundamental flaws in our polity, became president. One would have expected that being from the Niger Delta and an academic for that matter, President Jonathan would understand the role carved out for him, lay aside transient political ambitions and champion the cause of restructuring while pursuing national integration, and then go down in history as Nigeria's greatest leader hitherto; but this is yet to be seen.

"However, President Goodluck Jonathan came close to living up to this when he convoked the 2014 National Conference – a gathering of nobles, elders and the young from across the nation in which these issues were critically examined and recommendations made. Fellow Nigerians, I speak expressly to you that the report of the 2014 National Conference is the Fair Havens in which Nigeria must winter to avoid the storms that are ahead." Bakare said.

The one-time running mate of Gen. Muhammad Buhari under the Congress For Progressive Change (CPC) also proferred workable solutions that could avert the impending danger that lurks around the corner.

"What I have said in the past to our nation and our leaders, I will repeat here once more. To avoid the gathering storms, the following steps should be taken: activate the constitutional provisions for the suspension of elections, create a Transitional Government, implementation of the report, or part thereof, of the 2014 National Conference, conduct accurate census, establish a truly independent electoral body, create a true people's constitution that will reflect the aforementioned features and most importantly conduct free, fair and credible elections in the consensually accepted constitutional arrangement."

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN