By Abdullahi Mohammed, Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Monday stressed the need for Nigerian professionals to jettison politics of ethnicity and religion in making crucial decisions for the development of the country.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Professionals Forum Conference at the State House Banquet Hall, Osinbajo said politics of religion and ethnicity hinders the nation’s development.He said there was the need for Nigerian professionals to embrace politics that is driven by merit as the 2023 elections draw nearer.
“The usefulness of professionals in politics is that you have people who are used to being assessed on the basis of their own achievements, who are unafraid to make competence the first advertorial of their acumen. In other words, professionals emphasize the role of merit in public life.
“So, one of the major advantages to our communities of having professionals in politics is lost if we do not recognize our role as merit driven persons must be to fight the temptation of ethnic, religious and other parochial considerations in making crucial decisions for the development of our nation. “There is no point having professionals in politics if these professionals are driven by ethnic, religious and other parochial considerations because the whole point of professionalism is that you are defined by merit, you are defined by your professional acumen.
“Nobody would place their lives in the hands of an incompetent doctor because they share the same faith or continue to patronize a dangerously inept mechanic because they belong to the same tribe. If someone told me, for example, that the pilot who is to fly the plane that I’m to go in is not a very good pilot, but he’s from Ikenne, my hometown, I certainly won’t go in that plane. “So, in the same way, we must especially refuse to be swayed by those whose sole argument for power is an appeal to sectional sentiments. We must resist it. And we must say no to it, because otherwise, we fail in our professional calling.”True progress is about reimagining our collective circumstances and creating an environment that enables prosperity for us all. This is the challenge for us as professionals.
To this end, we must see ourselves as stewards of the common good, who have been entrusted with the privilege of managing the collective destiny of our people for an allotted time. And we must do so with a conscience and to the best of our abilities,” he said.Also speaking, the immediate past governor of Nasarawa state and serving Senator, Mr Tanko Al-Makura, said politics was hitherto the pastime of job seekers, office seekers, and applicants.He said the narratives have changed considering the importance of politics and governance to the people.“And the focus, and the mindset of politicians will be changed once and for all. We need only professionals to partake in politics.“By so doing, you’ve added value to the system. By so doing, you will bring you a wealth of experience, a pedigree in your area of endeavor, which will navigate the party to the best position that we have always prayed for,” he said.In his remarks, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Okechukwu Ogah, said there was the need for professionals in politics to brainstorm on how to leverage on the solid foundation laid by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The former governorship candidate of the APC in the September 19, 2020 election in Edo State, Osagie Ize-Iyamu his goodwill message, said the party should not create dichotomy between professional and non-professionals, adding that a situation where party loyalty is not rewarded on the bases that one does not have a professional background was unfair. He said there was need for all to work together and everybody carried along. Convener of the event and former Governor of Bauchi state, Mr Isa Yuguda, said the success of any political party in government is dependent on the delivery of democratic dividends and good governance to the people.“If it fails in this it has lost its reason for co-existence. It is instructive to mention, however, that the delivery of these dividends is largely dependent on the capacity and competence of persons at the strategic, operational and technical levels of government.
“Only quality and visionary leadership can harness mobilized and deployed valuable human and material resources appropriately and accurately for the advancement of the country.“It is imperative to state at this juncture that only trained professionals in various fields of endavour possess the administrative and technical proficiencies to strategically drive developmental initiatives of any government globally,” he said.
He said the APC Professionals Forum was a registered support group with the All Progressives Congress and the umbrella body of all professionals, technocrats, intellectuals and skilled persons who are registered members of the party. “It is a neutral body that seeks to give consultative and supportive functions to the political party in the first instance, and to the government with regards to delivery of democratic dividends and good governance to Nigerian people,” he said.