Why I initiated House 2 House Campaign for Jonathan 2015 – Ibe

[SunNews]

From AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

Sequel to the 2011 general elections, particularly the presidential election, a lot of support groups cropped up to lend their voices to the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan, who eventually clinched the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket and also, won the April 2011 election.

But as soon as the elections were over, the numerous support groups went underground. But in the midst of all this, a man, Prince Chidi Ibe, Chairman and Global Coordinator of Initiative for Diaspora Knowledge Transfer (IDKT), offered to reverse the brain drain syndrome and contribute to the development of Nigeria.

Ibe has been quietly championing the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

His call for support bill boards, which stare you in the face once you get to strategic areas in Abuja, have remained a strong indication of Ibe's commitment to the Jonathan comeback project. Unlike others, he quietly supported the Jonathan campaign with his resources.

And since then, he had also been laundering the image of the administration to the outside world, stressing  on the vital and urgent need to support the Jonathan administration and how to develop the country.

Through IDKT, Ibe developed five modules namely: the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Turkish Industrial Cluster Model, the FRISOL Grazing Grass Technology, the High Street Mall Initiative, the Agri-Hubs and so on. Ibe, an astute businessman, is a Communication and Business Information Technology graduate of South Bank University and the South East College, both in London.

He had since doubled his efforts towards the transformation of Nigeria, and once declared that "with IDKT, we cannot only turn Nigeria around, but we can turn it around within one year."

Set to launch the House 2 House campaign geared towards the Jonathan 2015 presidency, Ibe said, having presented the IDKT modules to the right ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for adoption and domestication, he was worried by the possibility that Nigerians' behaviour in 2015 might spoil this gradual good.

"Hence, IDKT has given birth to, weaned, and nurtured House 2 House Campaign for Jonathan 2015 in order to ensure that there is continuity along this divine path.

As 2015 approaches, we have no need of the acrimonious dramas of past elections so that we can support the institution of a smoother, healthier process of choosing our leaders ," Ibe said. Dwelling on the reasons he is lending his voice to the Jonathan administration, Ibe said: "In the recent past, situations around us were too pathetic and overwhelming that there were germane issues of national concern that were so ugly and staring directly at our national facade with no immediate hope of redress. Not even the numerous agitations gave any lead to solutions.

Year in, year out, I kept ruminating over the unpatriotic attitude of some Nigerians. This really got me vexed but I mulled further on what to do to improve the lots of Nigerians and the destiny of our dear country. God opened my eyes to see that Nigeria is the easiest project that can yield good and enduring results if we can make individual and collective sacrifices geared towards oneness of purpose."

"This realisation coincided with the emergence of a transformative candidate for the Presidency on the scene. My attention to Nigeria expanded to involve her politics.

And I have made quite some intriguing discoveries that the multiplicity of voices, emanating from the polity are signs of a living and growing democratic entity. That, since 1999, Nigeria has progressed along a divinely defined path to greatness, even if unsteadily.

That ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, amongst other things, delivered two key things to Nigerians: political stability (transfer of power from one civilian government to another) and the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) revolution.

That the late Yar'Adua presidency was divinely saddled with the task of consolidating our democracy by addressing regional and sectional grievances in order for everyone to be on board this ship to greatness.

And now, because of the freedom and general political awareness that come with a fledgling democracy, it is likely that too many demands will be made on the incumbent, strategic presidency," Ibe revealed.

Ibe, however, added that ideally, power and electoral reforms were what Nigerians are to rightfully demand from this presidency. "Yet, we all know that a far-reaching agenda of transformation is on board with these."

"Stability in the power sector will put Nigeria on the path for industrialisation and growth while electoral reforms will provide a level-playing field and a healthy set of rules for the next generation of politicians. Indeed, the simplicity of the man and the transformation agenda, are what caught my attention, and I duly developed a blueprint for a supportive platform, the IDKT."

Not satisfied with the present Nigerian situation, Ibe said he was bringing to the forefront for Nigerians to understand that "without us supporting the president, we cannot do much." According to Ibe: "We are trying to bring to the forefront of fellow Nigerians, to understand that it is the responsibility of each and everyone of us to change our country."

Via: Sun News Online