The Governorship Aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Rivers State, Nature Dumale, has called on members of the party nationwide to remain steadfast behind the leadership of the party’s National Chairman, Dr Akeem Baba Ahmed.
Dumale said the National chairman Baba-Ahmed had deep political roots and experience and meant well for the party, stressing that distractions were inevitable in politics.
He accused the Federal Government of attempting to weaken opposition parties, insisting that opposition remained critical in strengthening democracy through constructive criticism and accountability.
Dumale in a statement on Sunday said despite having governors across many states, the ruling party still viewed opposition voices as threats.
Dumale said that the government was uncomfortable with opposition voices because of its inability to address critical national issues.
He said: “The government of the day does not want any opposition in this nation. Opposition parties are meant to check and constructively criticise the government of the day to do better ”
“People are dying daily because of hunger, drug addiction and gangsterism. Billions have been spent on power yet many communities have no electricity. Billions have also been pumped into refineries but they are not working,” he added.
Speaking on the security situation in the country, Dumale described insecurity as alarming, saying the situation had deteriorated across several states, particularly Plateau State.
He reminded the government of its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property lamenting that many youths involved in crime and violence lacked proper orientation and direction.
He lamented the condition of Nigerian youths, describing their future as bleak in a country that turned them into political thugs.
Dumale promised that the PRP would prioritise youth empowerment, skill acquisition and rehabilitation programmes if given the opportunity to serve.
He said already his organisation, Youth Rescue International Development Organisation (Yrido.org), had spent the last 10 years rehabilitating and reintegrating youths rescued from the streets in Nigeria and beyond.
He said: “Just on the 25th of last month, from our two 4R center of Youth Rescue International in Jos Plateau State and Port Harcourt Rivers state, we graduated many youths we took away from the streets after keeping them in our facilities.
“We have successfully reconciled them with their parents and reintegrated them into society, providing skill training for them to become meaningful and useful citizens of our country”.
The PRP governorship aspirants in Rivers urged residents of the state and the church to rise against intimidation, oppression and manipulation, insisting that Rivers had suffered prolonged political crisis and infighting.
He said the prolonged infighting and the non-passage of the state budget had hindered development in Rivers.
“There will be no meaningful development in a state where there is anarchy and infighting that has lasted for years. No budget has been passed in this state and it is against the procurement law to carry out any project without budget”, he said.
Dumale urged voters to elect leaders with compassion, empathy and those that had verifiable records of service to humanity before they joined politics.
He promised that the PRP leadership would expand youth rehabilitation and skills empowerment programmes if given the opportunity to govern Rivers.
“We will ensure that no youth remains on the streets. We will create skill acquisition programmes for them. Politics ends after inauguration; governance begins immediately,” he said.
Dumale also decried rising cases of hunger, drug abuse and gangsterism, describing the government as docile in addressing the challenges facing the people.
