By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has advised that should Nigerians wants to have the best in governance, then, the issue of zoning presidency has to be reconsidered in favour of merit.
Tambuwal who warned that the future of Nigerians is seriously at stake, however advised that the 2023 election should be used to correct the misgovernance of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
He therefore submits that, "the task of seeking the position of President and subsequently running the office is not predicated upon the zoning of the office and other isolated indices but upon the collective interest of all the people of the country whose existence and subsistence is at stake now".
Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly, is also seeking to become the president come 2023. He warned that, "Nigeria is on the brink of collapse, thus require the communal resolve of all to save it from sinking completely".
Speaking when some persons under the auspices of Concerned Citizens of Nigeria who purchased N40 million forms for him to indicate his interest in running for the number one job in the country next year visited him, Tambuwal decried the current high rate of inflation and cost of living in Nigeria.
“As our situation is in Nigeria today and in times like this, when the situation is so dire and the country is in distress, members of that community or country must come together and put whatever differences they have aside to save the country.
“It calls for every concerted effort from every and all concerned citizen to put their hands together to rescue it from an imminent collapse,”
Listing some of our greatest challenges as a country for now, Tambuwal said, the devaluation of the Naira, insecurity, corruption economic downturns, unemployment; inflation, etc, has crippled every aspects of our lives. And to correct these challenges for the good of all, the country must look inward for those that can rescue us from these menace.
This therefore according to Tambuwal informed his decision to said for the position of President and not an overbearing ambition, but a quest informed by the need to rescue the country from its quagmire. C "Having foreseen what later became the abysmal failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) misrule about two years after it came to power, he and his allies left the party for the PDP.
"And, now, it behoves on us, as leaders, as responsible leaders of this country, to once again, come together to rescue Nigeria. It would be too bad for Nigeria if APC remains in charge of affairs after 2023.
“Things are rather getting bad and worse . That situation that demanded us to rise to that challenge of working towards changing the defective APC government at the center has not changed. Things are rather getting worse and bad by the day,” Tambuwal reminded Nigerians.
Talking on why seeking presidency must he a collective struggle, Tambuwal said, “No single individual can do it alone. No zone can do it alone. No state can do it alone. No tribe can do it alone. No members of a particular faith can do it alone. Nigeria is our common heritage. It is our country. All of us must be hands-on in saving our country".
To the group that purchased the form for Tambuwal, he thanked them for having confidence in him, saying, "You are right. I have friends from across the length and breadth of this country. You are right. I understand the federal structure of this country. I quite appreciate the complexity of the Nigerian state. I have the requisite experience, by the grace of God, to seek for the office of the President. As I said, I am still consulting. I will come back to you after my consultation very soon,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Akinboro (SAN) said they purchased the form for Tambuwal in recognition of his sterling qualities and the need to rescue the country from its current bad situation.
According to Akinboro, Tambuwal is still very young, active, agile, and a detribalized Nigerian with integrity that can be trusted to lead the country. Continuing, Akinboro adds that Tambuwal is also a man that has no zealous attachment to his faith, hence embracing all. NNL.
