Former Gov. Ikedi Ohakim of Imo on Saturday urged Nigerians to always promote each other’s well-being in the face the current economic challenges facing the country.
Ohakim, who spoke to journalists on the current economic situation in Nigeria in Owerri, advised all Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers.
He said that the way out of Nigeria’s socio-economic problems was for Nigerians to exhibit brotherly love towards each other.
“Nigeria in my own assessment is not at any crossroads.
“Economic calamity is part of the ingredient of every society and there is no graph with a straight line; a nation’s path to advancement is not also straight.
“There was a time in the 1920s when we had an economic breakdown in the United States of America. At different points in time, every country experiences its ups and downs.
“I think that is what Nigeria is currently experiencing; so, our people should be resilient.
“God is with us; our culture is: `if I do not have, I can go to my brother or sister and he or she will give me a cup of garri and I will eat’. So, now is the time to show brotherly love to others,’’ he said.
Ohakim urged Nigerians not to be deterred, adding that they should always endeavour to assist one another, while working to see to the end of the current economic hardship.
On the leadership crisis rocking the Imo state chapter of PDP over its recent congress, Ohakim said that there was no cause for alarm.
He said that tangible efforts were being made to put the party back on track.
“As a stakeholder, I am sorry for the inability of the PDP stakeholders to make public the progress made in resolving the logjam the party recorded in the conduct of the recent congress in Imo State,’’ he said.
He, however, commended PDP members and supporters for their love and devotion to the party, assuring that the crisis facing the party congress in Imo would soon be resolved.
On reports regarding plans to hold two PDP national conventions at different venues, Ohakim said: “I know that there is only one PDP national convention holding in Port Harcourt; if there is any other convention holding in Abuja, I am not aware of that.
“I did not receive any invitation for Abuja; I did not attend any ward and local government congress directing us to go Abuja for national convention.
“You have to enter class one before you enter class two. We did class one, two and three before going to Port Harcourt for class four.
“But the people going to Abuja, did they do elementary one and two before jumping to elementary six?’’ he quipped. (NAN)