I am one of the thousands of delegates across the country that will gather in Lagos, the centre of excellence, the glory of Nigeria, the land of aquatic splendor, the land of limitless possibilities and opportunities,the economic nerve centre, a powerful destination in Africa, the land of hope, ideas and values, to nominate the APC Presidential candidate for 2015 presidential elections.
Buhari at his Presidential declaration
I have been waiting for this day like a patient bird to do the needful, to take a decision and to be a partaker in the struggle for a new Nigeria where mediocrity, hypocrisy, impunity and corruption will be reduced to the barest minimum. Today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere, Lagos I will cast my vote for General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB). I will cast my vote for him because he stands out as the hope for the new Nigeria of our dream.
I will vote for him because he understands the problem of Nigeria as a country. I will vote for GMB because he has done it before and he will do it again. All the contestants, Okorocha, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Nda Isaiah and GMB are eminently qualified because each and everyone of them is one hundred times better than President Jonathan but only one person will step forward today. I appeal to all the delegates to help Nigeria move away from the wrong side of history by picking GMB. I appeal to the delegates to return Nigeria back to normalcy by standing up for GMB. I plead with the delegates to stop this idea that Nigeria is a bad advertisement of governance in Africa. I urge the delegates to think NIGERIA today outside primordial sentiments, ethnic and religious preoccupation.
Nigeria cannot continue to nose dive in the age of success. The late Professor Chinua Achebe in his book: The Trouble With Nigeria, said: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal examples which are the hallmarks of true leadership." According to Achebe, this is where the problem lies.
Nigeria has remained for years a place where wealth accumulates and men decay, a dream in search of reality, a cobbler whose children go without shoes, a natural idea in search of fulfillment, a problem in search of solution. Nigeria is equipped with talents and resources to make a go at National reformation and transformation but the recurrent cycle of human stupidity has been choking everybody. Nigeria is a great country with great potentials manifested in its abundant resources and this condition makes development a must but we have been failing almost in all fronts.
In Achebe’s words again “I know enough history to realize that civilization and development, both human and material do not fall from the sky, it has always been as a result of peoples’ toil and sweat, the fruit long search for order and justice under brave and enlightened leaders”. Today history beckons on us to rise to the occasion and seize the moment. APC has walked a thousand miles, crossed a thousand bridges, scaled the highest walls, and faced monumental challenges and tomorrow we will have to showcase to the world that we have come of age. Only one person will emerge tomorrow and I expect that GMB will pick the ticket, all things considered and I do hope that the other powerful candidates will disappoint APC critics thereafter.
General Buhari is an honest man who is worth more to the society than all the crowned ruffians that ever existed. He is most disciplined, the most courageous, the most incorruptible, and the most outstanding in terms of experience and track record: A former Head of State, a retired Army General, a former Minister, former PTF Chairman, and a committed patriot. He has been tested and therefore can be trusted.
Nigeria produces strong men and women with national awards every year instead of strong institutions to drive democracy and growth. We must reverse this dangerous trend. We have to stop the momentum of those who torment and abuse us as a people. This is our chance!
John Knox, a Scottish reformer, clergy and writer says "give me Scotland or l die." Today I say give GMB or l...
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos
