Comrade MacDonald Onuoha, activist and political annalist lives in Enugu, in Enugu State. He is the Coordinator, Igbo in Active Politics
In this phone interview weekend, the pro-democracy advocate gave reasons the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Minister of works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF), should join the 2023 race for president. According to him, the presidential crown fits his head.
He spoke with our correspondent on the phone.
What does your organisation, The Igbo in Active Politics stands for?
As the name implies, members are some of us who have decided to take active part in the political games of the country with a view to having opportunities to partake in policy making for the benefit of the generality of the citizenry.
If politics is about seeking for power, one has to get involved so as to be on good pedestal to be among the king makers.
If you can’t be king but can be part of the league of the king makers, you would be able to have unhindered access to the king collectively made to attract benefit to our people.
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In the case of the BRF now, if we succeed in being part of those who would make him king, we would be free and confident to table our people’s demand before him for consideration. That is the essence of political participation and involvement.
How old is the organisation now?
It was founded in 2015 shortly before that year’s general election and our impacts were felt across all the political parties in the south-eastern geo-political axis of the country.
The reason is that we decided to make our inputs into the process of crowning another national king next year
Why Fashola as your choice?
It would interest you that we have not met him as a person. But what the country needs now is beyond ethnic consideration or religious sentiment.
It is how to collectively look out for somebody who can do the job after President Muhammadu Buhari and do it well or even better.
And having looked round for a while we realised that the minister fits the bill we are searching for in terms of competence, experience, pedigree and antecedence.
His being in the corridor of powers at the state and national levels where he has excel and still excelling is an added advantage for the country.
If it is an open fact that standard infrastructure serve as a springing board for growth and development then we shoul look for someone who is familiar with the terrain.
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And it not a gainsaying that Fashola has been in that trade from his time as the governor of Lagos State till when he assumed his present office where he continues to handle infrastructure development. The job he has been doing satisfactorily.
I have no iota of doubt that greater percentage of Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings are reasoning aalong our line. And if that is the case, Fashola is as good as the country’s next president from 2023 May 30. The only barrier before him and Aso Villa, by my own belief, is just the general election.
Are you aware then that a number of other presidential aspirants from Fashola’s region are also in the race?
Yes of course. It is in the public domain for everybody to note. May I say that is the beauty of democracy for you as the government of the people?
The more the merrier because it will give about over 200 million a wide range of choices across the country.
In addition, the aspirants would be able to showcase themselves so we can separate the serious from the unserious and the jokers. By their fruits we shall know the comedians, the court jesters and ‘political Sebrudayas’.
And without sounding immodest, candidature of Fashola need not much advertisement, it is a product that is sellable with little or no further polishing at all. He has performed all round and his achieves are there to speak for him.
However, it is gratifying to note that some of those signifying their intentions to be president are also eminently qualified to be but Fashola is a special specie among the lot.
He surpasses a lot of them in terms of age, agility, experience, performance and wide acceptability.
But has he told you he would be running?
No. He hasn’t. But if we want the best for the country, we should put all hands on deck to conscript whoever we feel would serve the best interest of the generality of the people whether the fellow likes it or not.
The beauty of what we are beholding now is that Nigeria is blessed with materials that can hold their head high anywhere in the world.
Going through the list of aspirants on the street now, hardly could you find any pushover amongst them.
We have reached a point where no region would want to push forward a green horn to the field because no axis of Nigeria would want to be a laughing stock.
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Plans are underway to organise a massive rally beyond the south-east enclave to persuade Fashola to join the race and we have the confidence that he would not reject such a patriotic call as a patriotic man he is.
What agenda would you table before him if he eventually becomes President?
He would be told in clear terms that keeping the country as one must be ensured as it is a non-negotiable agenda. The war againt corruption and insecurity must be sustained and even concluded.
All the electioneering promises to be kept. Confidence of the masses in the authorities be strengthened and votes must count. He must ensure creation of jobs, create wealth and banish poverty. Security of lives and properties not negotiable. Equal rights and opportunities must be guaranteed at all cost.
Generally, people must be happy as they should be made the centre point of his administration. And on top of everything, he must be a listening President.
We have the conviction he would perform when he eventually gets there because he has done it before an still doing it now. His case can never be a trial and error system.
Against the foregoing, we enjoin all like minds like us to team along with us to search for better future by joining us to persuade Fashola to come and serve his father land on a higher pedestal.
