Shun sentiments — Osinbajo urges professional in politics

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged professionals in politics to shun ethnic, religious and other parochial considerations in making crucial decisions affecting the nation.

Osinbajo offered this advice in his keynote address at the APC Professionals Forum (APC-PF) Inaugural Conference on Monday at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

The Vice President, who was the Chief Host, said the role of professionals in politics and nation building was critical as it provoked questions about the role of the Nigerian elite in shaping the destiny of the nation.

He said it was pertinent also to interrogate the narrower but equally important question of the role of the All Progressives Congress(APC) as a political party in nation building.

“The usefulness of professionals in politics is that you have people who are used to being  assessed on the basis of their own achievements and who are unafraid to make competence the first advertorial of their acumen.

“In other words professionals emphasise the role of merit in public life.

“So one of the important advantages to our communities of having professionals in politics is lost if we do not recognise that our role as merit driven persons must be to fight the temptation of ethnic,  religious and other parochial considerations in making the crucial decisions for the development of our nation.

“ Nobody would place their lives in the hands of an incompetent doctor because they share the same faith or continue to patronise a dangerously inept auto-mechanic because they belong to the same tribe.’’

Osinbajo said that if someone told him that the pilot who was to fly him was very good but he was from Ikenne, his home town, he certainly would not go on that plane.

According to him, in the same way, professionals must especially refuse to be swayed by those whose sole argument for power is an appeal to sectional sentiments.

“Thirdly, while it is true that we have several excellent individuals in various spheres of society, we must recognize that success in a country such as ours can no longer be defined in personal or individual terms.

“We must come to the realisation that it is no longer sustainable to keep finding individual solutions to collective challenges.

“Development and prosperity cannot be understood merely as the exceptionalism of a few individuals that prevail against odds.

“ That is not an adequate response to the challenges confronting us; true progress is about re-imagining our collective circumstances and creating an environment that enables prosperity for all.

“To this end, we must see ourselves as stewards of the common good who have been entrusted with managing our collective destiny for an allotted time.

“ And we must do so with a conscience and to the best of our abilities; it is only through public-spiritedness and dedication to the common good that we can as a people truly become greater than the sum of our parts.’’

The vice president cited the renowned author, Chinua Achebe, to buttress his argument.

“As one of our nation’s greatest writers, Chinua Achebe once wrote, “Enlightened and thoughtful Nigerians… must bestir themselves to the patriotic action of proselytising for decent and civilized political values….

“ Our inaction or cynical action is a serious betrayal of our education, our historic mission and of succeeding generations who will have no future unless we save it now for them.’’

Osinbajo said that the future of Nigeria depends therefore on professionals who were prepared to live up to their calling.

He commended the APC Professionals forum for starting the important conversation.

“And I hope we will be able to mainstream some of the innovative ideas here in our party and governments across the nation,’’ he said.

Earlier, in his address, Dr Isa Yuguda, Chairman, APC-PF Board of Trustees, said the forum was a registered support group with the APC.

Yuguda, a former Governor of Bauchi state, said that the forum also intended to interface with its respected political actors seeking leadership positions within the party and towards the 2023 general elections.

“The main aim here is to draw from the abundance of expertise within our fold to help sharpen concepts, ideas and policy thrust,’’ he said.

APC-PF draws its membership from professionals in the whole 36 states of the federation and the FCT, who are registered members of the party.