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The All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP) is reviewing its manifesto ahead of the 2011
general elections to conform to the developmental needs of the country,
its national chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu, said yesterday in Abuja.

The ANPP chairman
disclosed this while receiving a delegation of the leadership of the
South East Youths Association in Northern Nigeria.

According to him, the party’s programmes on education and youth development are inadequate.

“Our manifesto is
under review and by the time we have completed it, it will be clear to
Nigerians where we stand on education and others things,” Mr Onu said.

The chairman said
that the ANPP is determined to make a difference in governance,
stressing that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has given the
country bad leadership in years that it has been in power.

Noting that the
problems of the country are self-inflicted, Mr Onu expressed regret that
in the last four months, state-owned universities in the South East
geo-political zones have been on strike, and called on governors in the
zone to re-open the schools.

“As we talk, the
state government universities in the South East are still closed for
four months, it is very disturbing,” he said. “The teachers are asking
for a living wage. We in ANPP have called the governors to enter into
discussion with these lecturers.

“Even if you can’t
meet all their needs, you can meet some. We can’t explain why they
should joke with youth education. We ask that they open those
universities in the interest of the state, in the interest of Nigeria
and the youths.”

Youth award

Mr Onu also
criticised the country for aiming at becoming one of the world’s 20
biggest economies, saying instead “we should be looking at being the 13
and above.” He, however, stated that the task may not be achieved if the
resources of the nation’s youth are not fully utilized.

Earlier, the
National President of the South East Youth Association in Northern
Nigeria, S.U. Njoemena, said the delegation had come to inform Mr Onu of
his nomination for the award of “Excellent Leadership.”

Stating that the
award will be bestowed on Mr Onu at an elaborate ceremony later this
month in Abuja, Mr Njoemena noted that the ANPP boss was nominated
because he is a renowned politician.

“The association sat down and took an acetic view of a cross section
of South East personalities and found that you are most worthy to be
given this honour,” he said. “Sir, this award comes on the heels of our
recognition of your outstanding leadership qualities which were brought
to bear when you became a governor of the old Abia State, We believe you
played a very significant role in bringing about the eventual creation
of Ebonyi State.”