The Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu on Monday said that the coalition of opposition political parties to sign a Memorandum of Understanding would rescue Nigeria from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
He said the coalition is a renewed hope in the future of the country.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, the Senate Deputy President gave the assurance during the signing of the MoU by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and other opposition political parties in Abuja on Monday.
Ekweremadu said the coming together of the opposition parties would restore Nigeria to the path of democratic freedom, security and development.
The deputy Senate President in his address said the mammoth crowd that gathered outside the venue to witness the birth of a new Nigeria, showed the renewed hope of Nigerians in the future of the country.
He, however, urged all the parties concerned not to disappoint Nigerians home and abroad.
Ekweremadu said: “For three years, what I see on the faces of Nigerians is frustration and anguish. But for the first time, I tell you that I saw joy. I saw people laughing and smiling for the first time in three years.
“Those our brothers and sisters, and investors, who left Nigeria in the last three years are also rejoicing with you because by this time next year, they will all be back.
“Those factories that were closed are going to come back alive by this time next year and Nigerians will rejoice.
“The people of the South East whom the programmes and practices of this government are forcing them to have a rethink on their membership of this country, today will rejoice and be happy that a new country that will be fair to all is coming; a country that they will be proud to be part of and continue to contribute to her development.
“All our people in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, who have been wondering or believe that they will spend the rest of their lives in the IDP camps are happy today because their stay there is almost over; because next year, we will enthrone a government that will take them to their homes and protect them there.
“The media houses, all the instruments and institutions of democracy that have been trampled and muzzled in this country, they will be free again to do their work without fear of intimidation.
“Those, who are being persecuted on account of their political views or insisting that the right thing should be done, are also going to rejoice because a new dawn is here. One of them is my brother, Senator Dino Melaye, who went through hell, but today, he is a free man.
“Also, remember that Nelson Mandela said that unless Nigeria earns the respect of the world, no one would respect Africa. So, various countries of Africa, who have looked up to Nigeria to provide leadership will have a good dinner in their houses today, happy that we are coming back again to retake our place again as the foremost country in Africa and to provide leadership”.
He also assured Nigerians that anguish and suffering days in the land will come to an end very soon but enjoined the people to keep faith with the coalition parties.
