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Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto state and former Speaker of the House of Representatives has dumped his party, APC to return to his former party the PDP.
He has declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential primaries under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said, “We all have a duty to do our best, while nudging our
political parties to progressively align political contests in Nigeria along clear ideological lines; such that sooner rather than later the aspirations and the will of our people will be the only determinant of election outcomes”.
With this development the political equation as regards who will fly the PDP flag come 2019 can now be safely constructed to be ‘Tambuwal
vs. x’, where x stands for the other combatants in the party primaries.
Besides, Tambuwal who is easily the most credible and best product for the task of rescuing Nigeria, there are 6 other very serious aspirants who have shown interest in the PDP ticket.
Abubakar Atiku, a former
Vice President for eight years is in the race. So are serving governor
of Gombe state Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwaanbo, and Alhaji Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa state and a former Foreign Affairs Minister.
There is Mr. Taminu Turaki, a lawyer and former Minister in charge of
Special Duties and Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who was also a former
governor of Kaduna state, and former Senator of the Federal republic.
He is the man credited with rescuing the party from the hands of those who were commissioned to sink it a few months ago.
The question is which of these aspirants who have offered themselves for this service can really do the job of flying the party flag? Who can rescue Nigeria from the charade of change inflicted on it since 2015? Who can PDP trust to send on this very difficult journey to rescue Nigeria, to restore power to Nigerians and restore the hope of the people in good governance? Who can get the results?
Fortunately, all the aspirants are qualified but only one can fly the flag. All have occupied exalted offices either as Vice-President, Governor or Minister and all of them under democratic dispensation.
In the matter of choosing presidential candidate, I dare say is like picking a good product from the lot in a market place. In my opinion, that there are some key qualities which a credible and good
presidential candidate must possess namely; personality or character, and vision and understanding of the Nigerian reality.
Subjected to the tests identified above; the question is who among the PDP aspirants can tackle the very critical issues confronting this country namely Power, Insecurity and Unemployment? What did each do as incumbents of the offices they once occupied? Who among them possesses the essential qualities of a president?
Personality or character is the defining quality of an individual. It is the character of the person in question which compels the holding of standards and values that would not be violated however unpleasant and bumpy the imminent situation might be.
Having a good personality involves making trade-offs between personal and national interest. For example, which presidential aspirant has the personality to embark on a campaign while school children have been abducted in his village?
Successful presidential aspirants make decisions and engage in activities based on their inner convictions not the mathematics of expediency. The absence of personality ensures that a presidential material cannot “walk the talk.” Neither can he “talk the walk” so that the options left to him are those that satisfy self-serving desires. Consequently, integrity and decency are abandoned to the
dogs!
Personality also determines how a presidential material will engage in
the work of leadership. Presidents have personality that is noble and they handle issues with calmness and composure especially in difficult situations. They display elegance and sensitivity, while those with the opposite character will resort to such tactics as manipulation, power plays, over-control, emotional outbursts and tirades that tear down anyone who provokes their wrath.
A presidential aspirant’s personality or character gives a country the roadmap or direction which he intends to lead the country along soothe citizens don’t get lost following. The personality is a guiding map for action.
Finally, any and all behavior and all goals are not acceptable and the
end does not justify the means. When presidents with highly developed personality are in power, they do not compartmentalize their lives, activities and utterances in other to act one way at home or in one situation and another way in the work place or outside. Real character permeates and influences the president’s entire life. Constancy and liability are the watchwords.
A presidential aspirant has the responsibility for defining a
country’s tactical mission and for the successful implementation of
the mission as well as ensuring the implementation of the strategic
vision. Before accepting responsibilities for the success of the mission, a presidential aspirant must have the capacity for envisioning future possibilities. Visionary presidential aspirants provide a compelling route and hub. This ability to see the prospect
is characterized by insights about future trends, needs, opportunities, and barriers.
The visionary presidential aspirant like Tambuwal sees the future, develops a mission and strategy for getting to that future, and establishes a plan or roadmap for articulating and selling that vision to the people he hopes to lead. A presidential aspirant’s capability and need to understand the circumstances of his people is determined by his ability to simultaneously evaluate all the aspects of the milieu after which a good dosage of aptitude, information, insight, hardiness, obligation and consistency are applied to what has been discerned.
The resulting picture of the desired end-state leads to the goals that sustain and lead to the fulfillment of the purpose. If the vision is apposite, then it leads to the greater good of the majority and not
just for a select few.
To define Tambuwal’s strategic mission and vision, we need to read his thoughts. In these are evident his belief about Nigeria, his fatherland. One quoted statement which I now paraphrase says,
“Nigerians now need to team up as a people and find lasting solutions
to the myriad of challenges confronting the nation. We are a blessed nation and we should continue to develop our strengths so as to provide the needed leadership for Africa and the black world”.
Tambuwal puts the oneness and unity of Nigerians first. Worried by the wanton massacre of Nigerians in their own country, he blamed failure of leadership in these words, “The worst part of all this is that these deaths are avoidable and the killings preventable. It boils
down, at the end of the day, to failure of leadership. This is not the
way to go. That is not what will build a virile, united, politically stable and economically prosperous African Giant”.
He believes all Nigerians though tribe and tongue may differ are one
people. He has never changed this focus. These simple words give hope and bearing for Nigeria as a nation, when he says, “It is because I am convinced that no nation can thrive while there is inequity and bad governance; because I am saddened by the fact that lethargy,
incompetence and sustained denial of obvious leadership missteps have become the major raw materials with which the Nigerian State is being run today; because I am unwilling to be part of frightful conspiracy against the cohesion of the Nigerian State, Nigerian youths and peoples; because I am unable to feel at ease in the face of a
progressively divided nation and, above all, because I am totally unable to reconcile myself to a national leadership that offers no redeeming moral beacons that I am here with you today”.
Tambuwal will make an effective President flag bearer to rescue Nigeria with a mission and vision statements that can inspire the hopes and actions of all Nigerians; in the country’s future by tying it to national purpose and strategic
direction.
For him, good governance, viz-a-viz economic wellbeing of the people, remains the major reason for his aspiration as, “Information from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that over nine million jobs have been lost in the last 3 years (2015-2018)….while youth unemployment rate was 11.70 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2014, it rose to 33.10 per cent in third quarter of 2017”.
He says that, “The (Nigerian) economy is not showing any real signs of improvement. Our educational and health institutions are in retreat.
Poverty is on rampage and still ravages the land. As in the past, it is only my interest in equity, the wellbeing of Nigerians and a befitting future for our teeming youths, national unity and economic prosperity that has led to my new locus in Nigerian politics today”.
The other quality a good President must possess and which Tambuwal epitomizes is grasp of the Nigerian reality and the capability of “building bridges”. This man has built bridges that span Nigeria’s
divide; this is a serious quality when multiplicity is an important ingredient in the life of a country. Capability to “build bridges” as a proficiency, refers to how a presidential aspirants work with the
various segments of the society will get the job done. As indicated earlier, a good President is one who knows how to inspire and motivate others to participate in implementing his mission and vision. Building of bridges expertise to inspire others implies the ability to fashion out atmosphere that provide resources and incentives that give the people the incentive to bring and do their best. A President that has this feature is able to benefit from his people’s strengths and talents while improving and strengthening areas that need development. The ensuing society must be welcoming and acceptable to all. In a country like Nigeria where diversity abounds in all its ramifications, the value of conflicting thoughts, ideas and perspectives cannot be
over-emphasized. These perspectives sharpen a country’s strategic mission and vision and increase the country’s ability to effectively participate in the world comity of nations.
Consequently, a good president must possess good relationship building expertise so that inclusive environments where all members are valued, respected and fully utilized are in existence.
Against all odds and the prognostications of political pundits, Tambuwal has been a beacon of hope of progressively minded Nigerians who want a Nigeria where despite the challenges and difficulties, we remain one nation in line with the mission and vision of the founding fathers. He blames this on lack of statesmanship in responding to
national issues, brazen inequity and capacity and questionable distribution of appointments/projects, which to among other things are aggravating the anomaly.
Let me add that as the speaker of the House of Representatives, Tambuwal left his comfort zone to be involved in the struggle for the enthronement of purposeful leadership for the citizens of our country.
And when he spoke about the failure of leadership, he says, “…what ought to be a new order as desired and elected by Nigerians, (has seen) the nation is unfortunately going through the most difficult and precarious times, since the Civil war; with ethno, religious and
regional distrust at its highest ebb”.
From the fore-going, the choice before PDP and Nigeria in the 2019 Presidential election is apparent; Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, (Mutawallen Sokoto). Put in a nutshell he is the Good President Nigeria needs at this hour. Nigerians cannot afford to miss the
opportunity of a President on a rescue mission and for a lucid and resolute verdict in 2019.
In my opinion, if Muhammadu Buhari is to be given the opportunity to manage a herd of cattle, in a matter of weeks, we will have dead animals on our hands. A shoddier quandary is that no one
will be able to explain to the world what happened to the cows! Such has been the drift and Nigeria can no longer afford to remain in that state.
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