By Ibrahim Salaudeen, Lagos
A Texas-based Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Austin Orette, has joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Orette, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Delta South senatorial aspirant, told newsmen in Lagos how the APC sidelined the founding members in Delta State.
‘’The All Progressives Congress (APC) wants the incumbent to hold the position without primary elections. In this wise, I can say I did not leave the ruling party. It was APC that left me’’
He said defectors made the environment unbearable to APC founding members in Delta State’’
‘’I love President Bola Tinubu. I wish him well’.
The senatorial hopeful described the 2027 election as a battle of ideas.
He urged Nigerians to put the best and brightest minds in the Senate.
‘’The Senate is the engine house of democracy. It is a place for the debate of ideas. In Nigeria, people who are not intellectually sound are allocated tickets in National Assembly elections’’
Orette narrated how shortage of medical personnel resulted in the death of a woman in his hometown.
He promised to change the narrative of leadership, create an enlightened citizenry and tackle unemployment through skill acquisition.
‘I believe I can serve my people. I have been in this journey for long. I will make the people rich. I will attract a lot of foreign investments to the area. I will train the citizens to be of service to others. I will retrain artisans with modern tools. I will open offices in all the towns and villages in Delta South. I will transform Ogbe-Ijoh Market’’
Orette pledged to focus on creating jobs by teaching youths to be entrepreneurs.
‘’I’ll address perennial problems in Delta South. I will address electricity, healthcare and agricultural challenges. I will provide modern equipment and support agricultural extension services’’
He criticized the ‘’no-go-areas’’ in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Orette advocated reforms to decentralize power from the federal government to local level.
‘’Uniformity does not build a country’’
He called for the reorganization of the society in view of keeping the dreams of young people alive’’
‘’We must build a community of love. There must be a standard of how we treat our neighbours’’
The medical expert reflected on Nigeria’s trajectory during and after major military regimes, attributing the country’s problems to the prolonged incursion of the military into politics and the obnoxious decrees.
He highlighted subversion of internal democracy, military mentality in civilians, impunity and abuse of power, centralization of power, political intolerance and blurring lines between public office and private interest
‘’The military brought Nigeria to this state. The military destroyed all our institutions. Today, the political actors exhibit behaviors akin to military rule. We need to demilitarize the brain of the political leaders.
He also canvassed reserve army and a six month military training for youths in the country
‘’The country should have trained and ready youths to be mobilized during national emergencies, war or disaster. The NYSC should not be mandatory but voluntary. The individual should be given the right to choose a state for his primary assignment’’
He also highlighted a rise in authoritarian trends, a decline in democratic principles, executive arrogance, citizen’s apathy and legislative incompetence.
