Speech of the Movement for the Actualization of South-East Presidency (MASEP) as Read by the Leader/Founder of MASEP – Humphrey Onyima, at Agura Hotel in Abuja recently.
We, as members of the Movement for the Actualization of South East Presidency (MASEP – 2023), have watched on in dismay as many have bandied words and expressed varied opinions about President Muhammadu Buhari’s aspirations for 2019 and trying to excite the polity by trying to display their knowledge of what the president should do, would do or should not do, come 2019.
We want to categorically state here and now, without recourse to what anyone thinks or has thought, that the rank and file of the MASEP, hereby back President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidency.
Our main reason is to get the North to see out her tenure and let the South-east take the lead in 2023. Thus, a Buhari presidency would guarantee that of the South-east come 2023. Amongst many other reasons, the current administration has set the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.
The construction of the three-phase Second Niger Bridge is on course. The bridge will by-pass Onitsha and Asaba to connect to the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway at Nkwerre-Ezunaka and, then, cross Atani to the Asaba-Benin Expressway at Okpanam, with a total length of 44 kilometres.
Also, to the credit of this government, between June 2015 and July 2017, it has earned $58billion in oil revenue, according to the OPEC.
While we would refrain from making comparisons, it is imperative to point out that the payment of contractor liabilities running into trillions is ongoing, Boko Haram is being given the desired attention, massive development of rail transportation is ongoing, the age-long, clash between herdsmen and farmers is being addressed by the government, amongst others
Back in September 2017, this administration issued a N100billion Sukuk bond with a 7-year tenor, so as to facilitate the rehabilitation of 25 key economic road projects across the country (Oyo – Ogbomosho Expressway, Ofusu – Ore – Ajebandele – Shagamu dual carriageway, Yenagoa Road Junction – Kolo Otuoke – Bayelsa Palm, Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway, Onitsha – Enugu Expressway, Kaduna Eastern By-pass, Dualisation of Kano – Maiduguri Road, Dualisation of Abuja – Lokoja – Benin Road, Dualisation of Suleja – Minna Road), with each geo-political zone benefiting by an equal amount of N16.67b from the funds.
The effect of the backward integration policy; the policy is anchored on self-reliance with employment generation. This protectionist policy is inclusive giving opportunity to our rice farmers, shoe and fashion designers at Abakaliki and Aba respectively. Today our Farmers and shoe makers are empowered. The CBN anchor borrower programs provide loans at single digit to farmers. Emphases that our import bill is gloriously down below 2 billion dollar’s monthly ad against 5.5 billion dollar’s 4 years ago, a measure of our self-reliance. That we have achieved about 90% self-sufficiency in rice production and about, 70% in other cereals like maize. These are opportunities therein for our teaming youth irrespective of tribe.
Power generation is on the rise, as more power plants are coming on stream. The Azura Power Plant in Edo is a great example. Work has started on the Mambilla 3,050 megawatt hydro-electric dam abandoned for the past 35 years, while the stalled Zungeru 700MW hydro-electric power project is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 hydroelectric plant, the 40MW Kashimbilla hydro-electric plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel power plants will all be completed before 2019.
This government has set a target of ending fuel importation by 2019. Licenses have been issued to 10 modular refineries with a refining capacity of 30,000 barrels per day and total refining capacity of 300,000. The pre-fabricated part of Amakpe modular refinery in Akwa Ibom has been containerised and is being shipped to Nigeria.
For many years, we were led down dark paths by a misguided few and it resulted in utter chaos at every level. Today, everything is being done to reverse that disgraceful, obnoxious phase in our democracy.
To be honest, this cannot happen overnight; not even in four years. Thus, we want to call on the country to get behind the president and get him into office come 2019.
We want to call on Nigerians to be more objective in x-raying this administration and judge it based on its performances and how much it has braved the odds to impart positively on the lives of Nigerians. We must not, as much as the tide of the day makes that almost impossible, judge the president based on religion, ethnicity, region and all other sources of sentiments.We will only end up colouring an honest situation in false light.
Without mincing words, this government has given Nigerians more hope and more reason to believe in our future as a nation, than we have ever had at any time in our history.
As for the Igbo, the MASEP makes bold to state that they are as Nigerian as any of those who have governed the nation in the last 16 years and, as such, should be given the opportunity to take the nation to even greater heights.
We, therefore, state that no region has the exclusive right to govern our dear nation;it behoves on us all, as Nigerians, to present ourselves as people who can govern this nation and lead her to make a difference in the comity of nations.
As far as the Igbo are concerned, all we need to do is to mobilise for a Buhari continuum in 2019 and, thereafter, set up shop to make a go for it, in 2023, without negotiation and without hesitation.
We have the likes of Orji Uzor Kalu, Rochas Okorocha, Ken Nnamani, Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe, Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu, my humble self , Humphrey Onyima and others too numerous to mention, who are willing, able and ready to take up the challenge of actualizing Igbo Presidency come 2023.
I, therefore, issue a rallying cry to every Igbo man, woman and youth to pitch in for President Buhari in 2019, as we prepare our house to present ourselves for election in 2023.
This, fellow citizens, is where we stand.
God bless Nigeria
God bless Ndigbo
God bless MASEP
