Adibe Emenyonu
Ahead of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primaries, former Senate President and presidential aspirant, Dr. Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerians to elect a president for the country based on competence and not on religion and ethnicity, adding that he is the most qualified for the job
Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, stated this in Benin City when he paid a visit to PDP delegates in Edo State to solicit their support.
Represented by the Chairman, Contact and Advocacy Council, Bukola Saraki Presidential Campaign Organisation, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Saraki said though Nigerians had been using ethnic and religion in choosing leaders of the country, he was a man with no ethnic or religion bias.
Other members of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Contact and Advocacy Council are: Dr. Ahmadu Musa, Secretary;
Alhaji Aliyu Maigari, Senator Shaaba Lafiagi, Hassan Husseini MNI and Prince Oleteru Lekan.
Also in the team were, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, Judith Bindi and David Itopa, as well as Moses Aliyu.
Saraki stressed that he stands tall and remained the most competent and qualified aspirant among others.
According to him, the problem of Nigeria was not resources but lack of good leadership.
“Nigeria has refused to identify the right man and put him in a leadership position. We choose our leaders based on religion; we choose leaders based on zoning; we choose our leaders based on identity politics. Nigeria is a diverse society.
“We cannot continue to use this parameters in choosing our leaders, especially the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, he is offering himself as the president that the whole Nigeria will identify with.”
Hagher who disclosed that Saraki has promised women 35 per cent representation in leadership position if elected as president, adding that his principal would make youths below 35 years of age to be minister in all the ministries.
Hagher who stated that his principal was committed to rescuing Nigeria from the major crisis the All Progressives Congress had plunged the nation into, lamented that, “Nigeria is in the emergency ward. Nigeria is sick. And if the country is sick, then it needs a medical doctor to attend to it, a man that will fix Nigeria by setting it back on it fit.
“When the PDP came to power, we offset all debt, but within seven years of the APC coming into power, we have been plunged into debt. It has been loan upon loan and it is increasing every day.”
Hagher, who disclosed that he is above 70 years urged those also above 70 aspiring for the presidency to allow the younger ones to lead, stressing that they are more energetic and will do better.
Responding on behalf of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Edo State chapter of the PDP, the party Deputy Chairman, Mr. Harrison Omagbon, alleged that if the APC was allowed to govern the country for another four years, Nigeria may seize to exist as a nation
He said listening to the brilliant presentation by the Saraki Campaign Council, the aspiration is good to go as president of Nigeria.
