2023: Saraki group visits Benin, canvasses competence above ethno-religion sentiments

Saraki

As the contests for the 2023 presidential election hots up, the group angling for the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to contest the nation’s number one position, the Contact and Advocacy Council, Dr Bukola Saraki Presidential Campaign Organisation, has urged Nigerians to elect the next president based on competence and not on religion and ethnicity.

The Chairman of the group, Professor Iyorwuese Hagher, made the appeal in Benin on Tuesday while soliciting support from Edo State delegates ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries.

Hagler, a former Senator, lamented that Nigerians had in the time past, used ethnicity and religion in choosing leaders of the country and asked that the template be changed.

While stating that his principal, Saraki is a man with no ethnic or religious bias, the Chairman boasted that Saraki “stands tall and remains the most competent and qualified aspirant among others”.

According to him, Nigeria’s problem is not resources but leadership, adding that “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 these 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 of Nigeria will identify with.”

Hagher who disclosed that Saraki had promised the women segment 35 per cent representation in a leadership position if elected as president, added that his principal would make youths below 35 years of age to be ministers in all the ministries.

“He has promised 35 per cent representation to the women. Likewise, the youths should have hope. Each ministry will have a minister who is a youth. All the 36 states will produce a minister that is below the age of 35 because he believes in the youths,” he added.

Hagher who stated that his principal was committed to rescuing Nigeria from the major crisis the All Progressives Congress, APC, 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,” the former ambassador lamented.

Hagher, who is above 70 years urged those above 70 aspiring for the presidency to allow the younger ones to rule, stressing that they are more energetic and will do better.

Responding on behalf of the Edo State chapter of the PDP and the State Working Committee, Mr Harrison Omagbon, Deputy Chairman of Edo PDP, expressed fear that if the APC governed the country for another four years, Nigeria might cease to exist as a nation.

He said listening to the brilliant presentation by the organisation, “Saraki is good to go as president”.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE