S’West caught between ‘a rock and a hard place’ – Former Gov.
Contenders accused of plot to destabilise country
Only S’East, N’Central, N’East can claim 2023 Presidency, says Fani-Kayode
BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, TIMOTHY AGBOR, AGNES NWORIE AND MAYOWA SAMUEL
Many aspirants jostling to take over power from President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023 are only on a spoiler’s mission, The Point has learnt.
At the last count, with the 2023 presidential election just 10 months away, about 45 aspirants, cutting across six political parties, have indicated interests in being the next occupant of Aso Villa, the seat of power.
Nigerians have expressed discomfort with the large number of aspirants which they described as unwieldy. They contend that this may just throw up not exactly the kind of individual they are earnestly yearning for at the moment. Nevertheless, they believe certain individuals have what it takes to rescue the country.
ASPIRANTS WITH HIDDEN AGENDA
A top supporter and close ally of one of the aspirants of the leading opposition party told The Point on condition of anonymity that there seemed to be a hidden agenda behind the large number of presidential aspirants.
He noted that it could be a decoy to unsettle the populace and ensure decision-making becomes difficult for them to pick the right person.
“Let’s face it, this is about the first time we are having this large number of people earnestly seeking to succeed any sitting president in Nigeria. And you ask yourself why? I tell you, it is either the incumbent made a very poor job of the office such that everyone now sees it as a can-do thing, or they are on a mission.
“By this time, one would expect the field to be narrow. But what do you see? Even people who know that they cannot get even their family members to vote for them in a local government election are going out, saying they are set to declare for presidency or have actually collected the form. This leaves us, the South West, caught in between a rock and a hard place
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“Personally, I think most of them are on a mission to ensure Nigerians don’t make the best of a bad situation because making a good and right choice or taking the right decision is a very difficult thing when the options are many.
“Everything will almost look real, attractive and same. When you see this one and that one, who will you vote for? It will be difficult for Nigerians, I tell you,” he said.
Reminded that the parties would only present a candidate as they would conduct their primaries this month, the source insisted that the primaries would be won by the highest bidders in the various parties.
“You shouldn’t be talking like this. Primaries are won by the highest bidders. We are seeing videos of branded bags of rice to delegates in some states already. Will you accept bags of rice and not vote for the person during primaries? On the day of the primaries itself, money, usually hard currencies flow freely. So, primaries are not a sure bet of throwing up the best aspirant from any party,” he argued.
Last week, while the ruling All Progressives Congress began the sale of its various forms comprising Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party was busy screening both presidential and gubernatorial aspirants in Abuja and across other city centres in the country.
S’WEST CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE – FORMER GOVERNOR
A former Governor from the South West, who spoke in confidence with one of our correspondents, claimed that leaders of the South-West did not actually have the interest of the region at heart but were more concerned about their selfish interests.
He noted that a situation where, barely one month to the primary elections in both big parties, the list of South West contenders for presidency was growing, showed clearly that leaders from this part of Nigeria were only interested in power.
“By this time, one would expect the field to be narrow. But what do you see? Even people who know that they cannot get even their family members to vote for them in a local government election are going out, saying they are set to declare for presidency or have actually collected the form. This leaves us, the South West, caught in between a rock and a hard place,” he noted.
TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH
Manzo Mohammed, a social critic, also argued along the same line. He said what was happening could be likened to the saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth”.
“It is not a good omen at all. How can over 45 aspirants vie for Presidency when in an actual sense each political party will present one candidate? They have turned it to comedy. How did we get here in the first place? You may say since they have the N100 million for the form as in the case of APC or N40 million in the case of PDP, they are free to vie for any post. But that is not true.
“The seat of the President in any country is not for every Tom, Dick and Harry. We (Nigerians) are in a precarious situation in this country and that calls for a very serious political road map. Take for instance, the people in the South East are clamouring for a president of Igbo extraction. But how many of them are in the race?
“Talk about the South West, the major talk is about betrayal or not. How Osinbajo as a son betrayed Tinubu and how Tinubu is claiming he has no grown-up son enough to contest for President.
“Go to the South-South, 50 per cent of the governors are aspiring, the rest are angling to be running mates except one. The North is angling to retain power in 2023. All these are breeding confusion here and there.”
Mohammed noted further that there seemed to be a game plan to destabilise the country the more and accused the various party chieftains of being behind it.
“Whether we like it or not, tribe and religion are still playing a major role in the choice of who our President should be. Let’s stop pretending. That’s my opinion,” he added.
THE PRESIDENT WE WANT
A civil rights activist, Ayo Ologun, said, “It is unprecedented in the history of the country that we have these many people aspiring to be president. It simply shows things are not right and service is not the intention. One person in my sincere opinion that had shown capacity for improving the economy sustainably, however, is Peter Obi.
“Anyone can tackle the issue of insecurity so long such person is sincere, resolute and determined to do the needful even at the detriment of his own life.
“A sincerely detribalized and non-religious leader will do, someone who does not stand with some against the others. Someone whose watchword is justice. Yes, Nigeria can get a selfless, transparent and patriotic presidential aspirant who is totally committed to rescuing our nation from further economic, social and political drift, if only we are sincere with ourselves and ready to have our country back.”
Former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly and a former Commissioner in the state, Muyiwa Oladipo, said everyone had the right to aspire but canvassed for a younger, visionary and energetic individual to rescue the country.
He noted that the job was rigorous and demanding, insisting that it could easily wear down the aged, both mentally and physically.
“Without fear or favour, everybody has the right to aspire. Aspiration is inherent in human beings. However, to put Nigeria on the right path today, we need a younger individual. When you talk about the younger generation, say between 50 and 65. Take Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for instance, he is tested, he has the strength, determination, zeal and passion. I worked with him for eight years, and believe me, he was, is, and will continue to be a workaholic. He’s a goal-getter any day, any time. He will work things out to get the desired result. Once Senator Ibikunle Amosun emerges as the candidate, the next thing is for electorates to do their part by voting.”
Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, is convinced beyond all doubts that his principal, Governor Yahaya Bello, is the best of all those angling to succeed President Buhari in 2023.
Fanwo, who made the declaration on Friday when he picked up the expression of interest and nomination forms to vie for the Yagba East and Yagba West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, contended that “Governor Bello has all it takes to lead the country.”
“I can sacrifice anything for him to become the president of this country. It is not about me. It is about our nation. It is about the person that can bring security, unity, development and progress. And he can do it.
“When you look at what he has done in Kogi State, all of us are proud of his giant strides. This is a man who inherited a balkanized, divided and disunited state, but he came and ensured unity in the state.
“And apart from that, our governor has been able to ensure security in the state. A state that was almost becoming a pariah state, a cesspit of kidnapping and criminalities but he has been able to put his foot down to ensure that our state today is one of the safest states in Nigeria.
“And that’s why we are not surprised that Nigerians are calling on him to be the next President. He was the first to pay for the expression of interest and nomination forms to become the president of Nigeria.
“When he becomes president, I am not saying if he becomes president, I am saying when he becomes president, he will ensure security, he will ensure unity and he will enthrone prosperity in our nation,” Fanwo stated.
The spokesman for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbinnaya, said the group’s interest was “an Igbo that will serve as the president of Nigeria and be a turn-around agent. I mean a change agent, a person who will bring prosperity and wipe away poverty.
Somebody with great individual ingenuity, a person who is audacious and has wide international and local connections and that can redeem Nigeria from its present condition.
“We are convinced that we have a good number of Igbo who will do that. But above all, very soon, Ohanaeze will hold a discussion with our aspirants with a view to pointing to Nigerians on the way to go. We have a lot of aspirants from Igboland and we are very much delighted about that. We hope that before long, we will be able to have a discussion with them to see if we can have consensus, and thereafter we point to Nigerians the way to go.”
ONLY S’EAST, N’CENTRAL, N’EAST CAN CLAIM 2023 PRESIDENCY, SAYS FANI-KAYODE
A former Minister of Aviation and a chieftain of the APC, Femi Fani-Kayode, explained that it was only the North Central, North East and South East zones that had never produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers since independence.
He said when it comes to the Presidency of Nigeria, the North West zone had produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers for approximately 15 years since independence.
He listed them as President Shehu Shagari (1979 – 1983); President Umaru Yar’adua (2007- 2010) and President Muhammadu Buhari (2015 – 2023).
He said the South West zone had produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers for approximately eight years since independence in the person of President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999 – 2007).
In the case of the South South zone, Fani-Kayode said it had produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers for approximately five years since independence, saying it was President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 till 2015.
He also noted that the North East zone had produced a democratically elected Prime Minister with full executive powers for approximately five years since independence, 62 years ago, in the person of Tafawa Balewa, from October 1, 1960 till January 15, 1966.
“The North Central zone has NEVER produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers since independence.
“The South East zone has NEVER produced a democratically elected President with full executive powers since independence,” the former minister stressed.
From the foregoing, Fani-Kayode argued that it was clear that the North West, the South West and, to a lesser extent, the South South, have had a fair crack of the whip over the last 62 years when it comes to producing a democratically elected President with full executive powers.
Going forward, he said if the only criteria were fairness and equity and if the nation was to put primordial and tribal sentiments aside, there were only three zones that could legitimately claim the Presidency next year.
“Those zones are the South East, the North Central and the North East. All three have been deprived of the honor and privilege of fielding their fair share of democratically elected Presidents with full executive powers.
“The South East and North Central have NEVER done so and the North East has only done so once when Sir Tafawa Balewa was Prime Minister for five years and three months, approximately 60 years ago.
“Worse still he was murdered whilst on the seat and did not finish his tenure. It appears to me that electing or supporting anyone outside any of these three zones for either of the two political parties in 2023 is unconceivable, unacceptable and indefensible,” he said.
In a forwarded message to The Point, Yusuph Olaniyonu, media adviser to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described the Kwara State politician as a “strong symbol for stability.”
He said, “Saraki, by his antecedents, experience, record, and background is a strong symbol of stability. As a top private sector player who then came into the public sector to excel, he sure understands the economy and what needs to be done to achieve stability.
“He has also vowed to create a safe and secured Nigeria where there is stability in terms of people’s ability to live, work, produce, and play in Nigeria without any fear of any harm coming to them or their investment.
“He plans to provide the armed forces with all the necessary equipment and training to neutralise security threats, enforce transparency in the utilization of resources provided for the forces, ensure police are properly funded, trained, and motivated to get them to take over police duties currently being performed by the armed forces.”
Former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government and 2023 governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Bernard Odoh, opined that Peter Obi was the selfless visionary President Nigerians had been yearning for.
“Peter Obi is the answer to your questions from number one to six. Vote Peter Obi and see the difference we have all been yearning for. Peter Obi is the selfless, visionary, disciplined and hard-working leader we need currently as a nation,” he stated.
APC Publicity Secretary in Ebonyi State, Simbad Ogbuatu, argued that the problem of the nation was basically maladministration by successive governments.
He quickly named Governor David Umahi as the right person with the required leadership acumen needed presently for a progressive Nigeria.
“Allow Governor Umahi to fix Nigeria. The problem of leadership has become very crucial in the journey of this nation that it gives many concerned Nigerians sleepless nights. This is the pathetic situation that Chinua Achebe saw when he equivocally asserted that “the trouble with Nigeria is simple and squarely a failure of leadership.”
“In Ebonyi State, our story has been that of the Israelites when God turned their captivity around and it was like a dream. The unprecedented infrastructural revolution in the State is monumental, breathtaking and amazing. The Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, David Nweze Umahi, has within 7 years turned Ebonyi State to a wonder.
“The seat of the President in any country is not for every Tom, Dick and Harry. We (Nigerians) are in a precarious situation in this country and that calls for a very serious political road map. Take for instance, the people in the South East are clamouring for a president of Igbo extraction. But how many of them are in the race?
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“As a result of all these antecedents, Umahi as an infrastructural mogul, rebuilding Nigeria if given the opportunity to steer the ship of Nigeria will be unprecedented and revolutionary. He has the required and needed political will to give the country the leadership it deserves,” he noted.
WE DON’T BELIEVE IN PRESIDENT OF IGBO EXTRACTION – UWAZURUIKE
Ralph Uwazuruike, leader, Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, on Saturday, led thousands of South East youths in a solidarity march to support the 2023 presidential ambition of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
The youths, who started the procession from the MASSOB leader’s house in Owerri, Imo, marched through the streets, carrying different placards, with inscriptions such as: “Power to the Youths, Support Yahaya Bello”, “Youths Can Also Lead”, and “Yahaya Bello for the Youths”, among others.
They made it clear that the only solution to Nigeria’s political quagmire was for power to go to the youths.
According to them, in this regard, Bello is the right fit for the position of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Uwazuruike advised Nigerians and party leaders to shun zoning, saying it had no place in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
He said that his group would support Bello to become the next president of Nigeria because he had the leadership qualities to lead Nigeria effectively.
He noted that power should go to the best in the race, adding that the Kogi governor was the best for the job.
“We are supporting Bello for this and no one else. That he has the capacity to solve the problem of insecurity and a host of others facing the nation is not in doubt.
“This is a crucial time in the history of the country. We must give youths a chance, especially one that has demonstrated uncommon capacity, in the person of Yahaya Bello,” he said.
Uwazuruike, who is also the founder of the Biafran Independent Movement, said that he does not believe in a president of Igbo extraction, insisting that the contest should be thrown open.
But a lawyer, J. P. Jones, while speaking with The Point, said none of those that had indicated interest in succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari had the capacity to deliver and rescue the nation from its plethora of woes.
He argued that godfathers would not allow them to serve the interests of Nigerians and Nigeria but those of the godfathers and their cronies.
“None of these people who have indicated interest in taking over the reins of power from PMB can actually bring into reality all that you have rightly opined. If at all any of them could, it should have been PMB who we thought cannot be pocketed, but alas, what did we get from him? Nothing!
“There are demonic and wicked godfathers in the Nigerian political system. They are not interested in making Nigeria work, so far their bank accounts are continually filled up. They won’t allow anybody to perform as he ought to do,” he lamented.
