By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
Spokesman of the Tambuwal Presidential Campaign Organization, Dr Okey ikechukwu, has said that Nigeria’s best chance of a president that can unite Nigeria, restore a sense of community and give the nation 21st Century leadership is Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He made these remarks during an interactive session with journalists. Excerpts: –
On what he would consider some of the strong points of his man vis a vis other aspirants within and outside the PDP and what makes him think that Tambuwal would make a good president for Nigeria at a time like this, Ikechukwu replied: “First he has learnt the ropes over the years, at the highest levels of national leadership and also as a professional. Second, he is very well known as a master of consensus and political bridge builder, which makes him the type of person we need now. Third, he has no issues with the law.
Fourth, he is one candidate in this contest who takes pains to be in m
entioning specific, practical and implementable policy ideas, actions and proposals with which he intends to tackle our national problems once elected.
Asked to explain Tambuwal’s views on restructuring he said: “His Excellency has taken pains to point out that the way forward for us to first realise that some parts of the country see it as confedration, while others see it as regionalism, resource control and so on and that the entire thing boils down to the demand for equity, for greater autonomy of Nigeria’s federating units and for the full expression of our national character in everything we do. He insists that our diversity must be maintained if we are to have a polity that gives everyone a sense of belonging”.
Dr. Ikechukwu said that Tambuwal looks at restructuring from the angle of realistic devolution of powers, debugging the essentially unitary provisions of the constitution and ensuring that the federating units do not feel diminished in their interface with the central government. “Restructuring does not, and cannot, mean balkanizing and re-dividing the lands and rivers of Nigeria. Tambuwal has explained that we should expunge the pillars of inequity in our existing constitution and debug them for good. This will include moving things like power supply, railways and so many other things from the Exclusive Legislative List to the concurrent lists. It will include allowing the Federating units to choose who should represent them in institutions like Federal Character commission, Boundary Commission, etc. “Tambuwal believes that such institutions should be populated by persons chosen by their respective states and screened by their respective State Houses of Assembly, before they are sent to Abuja.
Tambuwal said, “Nigeria has never been this polarized at any other time in its history.” We need a leader who has the ability, understanding and willingness to unify Nigeria at the level of values and bring back the peace and genuine community life that has been destroyed in our body politic.
When Ikechukwu was asked “So you see” Tambuwal as the man to beat in both the PDP primaries and in the 2019 elections? He replied: “No, he is not the man to beat, but the man they cannot beat. He has the credentials for 21st century leadership and the network of loyalty around him will come into full play in the coming days and months.
