2023: Capacity to tackle insecurity must also be considered along zoning, says Saraki

Immediate past President of the Senate, Senator, Bukola Saraki has said Nigeria needs a man with the capacity to improve the current troubling insecurity, promote youth inclusion and boost the economy rather than ethnic or religious biases for a presidential candidate.

Saraki who said he would announce his interest to run for the Presidency before the end of March pointed out that zoning was important in the choice of a Nigerian leader for the office of the president.

He said this Sunday night on Politics Today, a channels Tv programme, which x-rays politics in Nigeria.

He maintained that his misunderstood political identity was not important to the dire need for national salvation from the myriad of challenges that confront Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria cannot ignore the new narrative for a competent Nigerian to lead the country irrespective of region, given the present needs.

He said even where zoning was considered it was important to know that the North Central and the Southeast has been out of the political equation since 1999, and these regions were not in want of capacity aspirants for the office of the Nigerian President.

He stated that “We spend our time on these kinds of conversations, but you know, the real conversation today is insecurity. Youth unemployment, a lot of our youth over fifty percent are struggling with a high cost of living. Those are the conversations.

“I do a lot of talking to young people, you know, what they tell us. That’s what concerns us. For me, It doesn’t matter where you come from. I believe that what matters now, is where we have today as a nation, that is, what is important?

“Let’s talk about zoning. I’m not saying that what in 2023 Zoning and other issues must be considered you see in 1999 when the issue of zoning came in If you could recollect the were in political imbalances, particularly coming out of June 12, 1993, that needed to be addressed.

Some of those imbalances still exist. Don’t get me wrong but today. As a nation, the challenge that we have is the defining moment in our history, where you come from, does not really matter. Today is how we are going to prevent a country.

“Some have been harsh to us and say that Nigeria is close to a failed State. We are not a failed state. We don’t do the right thing and those right things required reform.

“We need to turn this country around. If you sample, the polling was only 86 percent of Nigerians saying. The country is going in the right direction.

“We must address this issue. So, as we address the issue of where you come from, we must also put that energy and address what kind of leadership do we need now.

“When you talk about reforming the country, you need leadership that has vision, you need a leader that has knowledge. More importantly, you need to have a leader that has courage.” Saraki said.

He also said that, Kwara South which has not produced a Governor since 1999 would be the focus of political leadership in the state to assuage the area in the build-up to 2023.

He said the long wait by the people must be justified on the ground of fairness, equity fairness, balance inclusion and justice, Kwara South would be supported to produce the next governor.