Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has held a session with members of APC in Rivers state where he promised that change will come to Nigeria no matter how long it takes.
But he said that the country was yearning for peace to achieve the desired change.
Addressing members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state on Tuesday , he said: “Peace is the most important in anything we do. This is not time to make war.’’
“This is the first time that the APC leadership in Niger Delta will be in opposition, but we in Lagos have been in opposition for 16 years.’’
Apparently referring to the presentation by elders of the party on the current impasse in the state, he said: “The answer to violence is not violence. We will destroy everything if you answer violence with violence.’’
“Let us not fight, Let us march together. The federal government is behind you in every step you take. Future is bright. Do not let us destroy everything.’’
He assured the people that APC would achieve everything it set to achieve.
“I am here to visit the APC family and to say I am grateful for the way you have conducted yourselves.
“This is the first time that the APC leadership in Niger Delta will be in opposition, but we in Lagos have been in opposition for 16 years.’’
Osinbajo explained that the government acknowledges that there was hardship in the land, but said that the situation was caused by massive corruption.
He explained government was currently investigating $15 billion arms purchase scam.
“If such money disappears from the system there will be shortage of foreign exchange.
“All the talks about sliding Naira against the dollar is about scarcity of the dollars.
“Aside the corruption, the pipeline vandalism and militancy denied the country opportunity to export more crude oil to earn more foreign exchange.
“What accounts for foreign exchange rate is dollars. If something is scarce the price goes up. Once we are able to earn more dollars, exchange rate will come down.’’
He gave the assurance that the country would return and do better in the next few months.
The Acting President explained that the government was on course and in spite of the lean resources, had been able to bail out 22 states which were in comatose and could not pay salaries.
The government, he said, has a robust programme to develop the Niger Delta region.
As part of the Ogoniland clean-up scheme, the government would on Thursday will kick off remediation plan for the people.
The government has displayed serious commitment to the construction of the East West road which had been under constructed in almost six years.
“What the government has done on the road in 18 months is more than what was done in the past years,’’ he said.
The government is planning to engage those youths in illegal refining of crude oil to be part of the modular refineries scheme that would start soon.
The Amnesty programme, he said, would not be scrapped, but would be used to engage more youth in meaningful activities.
At the “Special Engagement on Niger Delta Matters’’, Senator Magnus Abe, told the visiting Acting President that the government of Rivers State was not ready for peace in spite of all entreaties.
He complained that the government had been antagonizing members of APC in the state, but vowed that they would not succumb to blackmailed and provocation.
Abe explained that members of PDP pulled down the banners which APC erected to welcome the Osinbajo.
He said: “We need peace. We should all be careful because we do not know what the future holds for us all.’’
NAN
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