Loyalty

By Abolade Ogundimu

Abuja, Aug. 5, 2018(NAN) The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has reiterated its support for politicians that fully subscribe to masses-oriented ideology.

Mr Akin Malaolu, the Secretary-General of the socio-cultural group made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

According to Malaolu, the group is unperturbed by politicians’ defection but interested in any political party with proven record of national developments.

“Political defections should be driven by intent to make the masses better and not selfish interest.

“The recent realignment of political leaders in and to various political parties must be seen as ideal in democracies around the world.

“Our nation will be better if they are not defecting for selfish gains but greater good of their people or constituencies.

“Leaders who think of themselves alone, without care for positive change have no modicum of regard for the generality of the people.

“It is no surprise to see them moving in droves,they would always be attracted to their typical likes across party lines,” he said.

Malaolu said his group enjoined the electorate to ensure that only candidates with proven commitment to masses development got elected.

“Today, we are grateful to Nigerians everywhere for still keeping the vigil for the sake of their children and to the future of Nigeria in their speedy search for her greatness.

“There is no doubt that some politicians have remained obstinate in their errors and political mistakes, arrogance and pomposity are the pivots turning them.

“God that put them together into one political boat has a mission unknown to the Nigerian people.

“It is important to identify them now and reject them at the polls, so that their political demise will be celebrated with fanfare in all States of the Federation.

“it can be clearly seen that they have continued in their old ways of turning religion against religion and tribes against tribes.

“They have perfected the art of evil doing as good political tool against the Nigerian people thinking we are still fools and food for them.

“We hope that one day they shall eat dog biscuits for lunch,” he said.

Malaolu noted the apology of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 16 years of past misrule.

“With the ongoing realignments visibly everywhere without any patriotic reason but selfish gains, Nigerians must not fall for any anti-masses collusion.

“Government should be handed over to the progressives who remain committed to people -oriented policies in spite of open frustrations from self-serving elected office holders, ” he said.

Malaolu said flimsy excuses made by federal legislators for drastic cutdown of 2018 budget for critical infrastructures and social welfare could be a good yardstick to judge if they could contribute to national development.

“We are assuring President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders with milk of human kindness in them of our support wholly and fully to their aspirations in the 2019 general election.

“Our Forum started cleaning political political Augean stables since 2004 , watching, looking and taking notes of what was achieved to what was looted.

“The 16 years of PDP in power was a period of lost opportunities to right the wrongs done to the Nation’s economic development by previous Military administrations, Malaolu said.

“That could be seen in all areas that could assist in gainful employment for our teeming youths,” he said.

Malaolu said his group supported Buhari in 2011 after its assessment of democratic rule and obvious weaknesses.

“The election was won by him but reactionary forces changed some results if not, Buhari would have taken the mantle of leadership in 2011 as President,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defections from one party to the other by politicians in the last three weeks may not be unconnected with the preparations for 2019 general elections.

NAN also reports that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has in reaction to this, said its departing members were majorly those that were clogging its progressive wheel from within, saying “good riddance to bad rubbish “.(NAN)