By Usman Ibrahim
The Transformation Movement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a vanguard movement of transformation formed by members of the party drawn from different professional backgrounds. The essence of the group is to galvanize support and propagate the ideals of PDP manifesto as encapsulated in the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
On April 16, 2011, President Jonathan won a pan-Nigerian mandate that swept through the North and South of the nation. He ran on a promise to radically transform the nation and overhaul every aspect of the national life. The Transformation Agenda Final Report defines the goal of the reform exercise in these words: During 2011-2015, the policies and programmes directed at addressing governance will focus on the public service, security, law and order, the legislature, anti-corruption measures and institutions, the judiciary, economic coordination, and support for private investment… These will be addressed through the implementation of the recommendations … in the areas of public service reforms, judicial reform, anti-corruption initiative, electoral reform, land use reform, fiscal management reforms, power sector reform, police reform, financial sector reform, infra-structural development reform, and information and communication technology.
Thus, it seems that the NEEDS provided the common denominator upon which the 7-point Agenda, the Vision 20 2020, and the Transformation Agenda rest. The expectation was that all the above reform measures, would culminate in the fulfilling of the 2001 Kuru Declaration:
To build a truly great African, democratic country, politically united, integrated and stable, economically prosperous, socially organized, with equal opportunity for all, and responsibility from all, to become the catalyst of [African] Renaissance, and making adequate all-embracing contributions, sub-regionally, regionally and globally.
Sadly, after more than fifty years of policy reforms, Nigeria has painfully remained:
i. i) A public-sector led economy with a bloated government presence in every facet of national life;
ii. ii) A nation with very weak private sector which has grown a “rent-seeking and unproductive culture of over-dependence on government patronage and contracts, with little or no value added’;
iii. iii) A mono-crop economy with preponderant influence of one commodity in determining the nation’s revenue-expenditure profile and the balance of payment position;
iv. iv) An extractive and primary economy that produced unrefined raw materials for export, either in the form of agricultural products or crude oil. Manufacturing was at a very rudimentary stage, and industrialization remained an inconsequential factor in the nation’s economic equation;
v. v) A nation without an effective industrial infrastructure for economic take-off – no petro-chemical industry to fuel the industrialization process, no effective iron and steel complex to produce flat steel, a deficient power and energy sector, insecure and inhospitable environment, and poor communications;
vi. vi) An economy with a weak and tottering national currency that was the whipping boy of the international financial community.
The mandate to reform and transform Nigeria has been most emphatically communicated in the majesty of the democratic process. The dream is for a bold and audacious transformation programme that will radically, fundamentally, structurally and massively transform the national economy, reinvent the politics of our nation, secure the polity, care for the underprivileged, and provide responsible, responsive and credible leadership to Africa’s largest and most promising economy. We make bold to declare that President Jonathan has done much for today’s Nigerians within the space of governance in this four years and most of his achievements are not only glaring but record breaking which if allowed to continue, will guarantee a prosperous and great Nigeria.
Many groups have been persuading Mr. President to contest for a second term in order to advance the transformation project, but PDP Transformation is using this platform to appeal to Nigerians to shun sentiments and parochial interest and join us to forge an unbeatable team that will ensure the success of the Transformation Project. The Transformation Agenda has performed creditably and its achievements are glaring for all to see despite the daunting security challenges that are bringing distraction to the administration. Mr. President has remained focused, committed and dedicated to achieving his set out agenda for a transformed Nigeria. Below are some core achievements of Goodluck Jonathan.
1. Mr. President’s undying commitment to the security of the nation is paying off as he has humbly commenced negotiation for ceasefire with the Boko Haram insurgents.
2. Mambila project that was conceived by Tafawa Balewa administration was completed after long years of neglect by previous administrations received the touch of completion by Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
3. Increase in percentage of farmers that ccessed subsidized seeds and fertilizers from 11% under the old system but now E-wallet system called “Growth Enhancement Scheme” (GES).
4. Due to Mr. President commitment to the safety of Nigerians and his strategic intervention in containing Ebola virus, Nigeria has been certified Ebola free by the World Health Organization on 20th October, 2014.
5. Jonathan believes in Nigeria, loves Nigeria and is doing everything possible to promote peace, unity and cohesion among Nigerians. His star-studded cabinet portrays Nigerianess, his various appointments are regionally, religiously and ethnically spread, his developmental projects are widely spread. He is a Nigerian in the true sense of it, his mission in government is very clear-to transform Nigeria, to re-enact Nigeria, to re-build Nigeria and to recreate Nigeria.
He is set to evolve a Nigeria of our dream-given the right opportunity: he often says that the security challenges of the country will soon come to pass and has promised to give hope to the hopeless. These are some of the areas of we want to persuade, sensitize and mobilize all well-meaning Nigerians to stand up for the greatness of Nigeria and massively vote for Mr. Transformation Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan come 2015 general elections.
Hon. Ibrahim is the
National Coordinator, PDP Transformation Movement