2015 Presidency: Oshiomhole warns politicians against heating up polity

AHEAD the 2015 presidential election, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state has warned politicians against heating up the polity, saying that the President of the country will only emerge through the ballot box and not rigging or imposition.

While urging Nigerians to embrace peace and allow democracy to flourish, he lamented what he described as the misuse of power by politicians since the return of democracy in 1999, and stressed the need for politicians to be mindful of the past in order to avoid mistakes and unnecessary tension in the country.

Oshiomhole stated this at the Independence Day Celebration held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City. The governor who addressed the mammoth crowd said despite the drumbeat ahead the 2015, presidential election, the ballot remains the only means of achieving political power , adding that it would be suicidal for any politician to attempt to manipulate the electoral processs.

According to him, 'the promise of independence was that Nigeria will be governed on the basis of democratic principles, we have had democracy unbroken since 1999 and for this we must salute the patriotism of our armed forces. They have worked hard to keep Nigeria going in-spite of the way politicians try to destroy our unity based on short term calculation of political convenience.

'As we approach 2015, our mandate must be clear and bold, no one who is not the product of our ballot shall govern, or preside or function at any level of government, our politicians must be made to understand that our people are not in the mood to tolerate imposition and one man dictatorship because civilian dictatorship is more deadly and dangerous than military dictatorship.

'On this occasion, we recognized and salute the courage and commitment of the Nigerian Armed forces. In Edo state, I ask you to appreciate these men who all the time put their lives on the line so that you and I may be safe.

Nigeria is on, there is no question about our future, it is true we have not managed our resources as judiciously as we could do across the country, yet in different parts of the country you can see evidence of progress' he stated.

Oshiomhole further described as sad the management of the nation's resources,s aying that it would be difficult for the economy of the nation to grow if the nation continues to import all it needs. 'No nation has grown because people choose to wallow in lamentation.

Government should ensure that they deliberately create policies for production and not importation. Any policy that leads to job loss, importation, we must reverse. We must change our consumption pattern to more of production based  policies'.