By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

THREE-time Delta State gubernatorial candidate of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Chief Great Ogboru, yesterday, in Lagos, threw his weight behind the proposed national conference.

Speaking during a special choir festival of songs at Ikate Baptist Church, Surulere, Lagos, they called for a moral rebirth on the part of Nigerians, just as the Bishop of Rhema Christian Centre, Ota, Ogun State, Dr. Taiwo Akinola, berated Nigerians opposed to the proposed national dialogue, arguing that “they should be grateful to the President for the opportunity to dialogue.”

Addressing newsmen ahead of his church’s national convention beginning on November 3, Akinola said the nation would be great if politicians embraced the opportunity to dialogue over the several challenges and come up with solutions for the diverse problems confronting the nation.

Lamenting the state of Nigerian democracy and other challenges confronting the country, Chief Ogboru insisted that the present democratic dispensation was better than military rule, noting: “There is need for concern about the whole issue in the country because this is not what we had in mind when we are agitating for democracy. We fought for democracy on the grounds that Nigerians would be helped but we find that after several years of trying to keep up the concept, most things did not work out. Our people are still suffering, there is need to address these issues. I am worried because we cannot continue like this.

“If the way out of all the national malaise is a national conference then let it be, so that we can address all these lingering issues. It will be an opportunity to address the issues.” He added that “the type of democracy we have today is not the one our founding fathers fought for. However, the worst form of democracy is better than the most benevolent military rule.”

In a related development, Secretary, of the National Democratic Coalition, NDC, Chief Ayo Opadokun, has called on Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands and stop suffering in silence. Chief Opadokun, who said that President Goodluck Jonathan would be committing a political suicide if he dared to confront the scourge of corruption, said military intervention was not a solution to the nation’s multi-dimensional crisis. He argued that rather, Nigerians should stand for what was right.

He said: “The Aviation Minister has caused a lot of havoc in Nigerian aviation industry. The latest one is just the only one that people have recorded. How can she use the money that is dedicated to the industry for something else? She ought to be in jail by now but unfortunately she is enjoying herself.”