NIGERIA: THE NEXT PRESIDENT

2019 THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:

If anything, I admire former self styled Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida GCFR, for his understanding of the Nigerian Political arena and his ability to sway Nigerians to his way of thinking. IBB Achilles’ heel was the June 12, 1993 presidential election, if that election had held; it would have taken some kind of force greater than a Military Coup to remove him from power. But the election did hold, the results were annulled, the rest as they say is history.

WE ARE A TWO PARTY STATE:

IBB gave Nigeria two Political Parties, The National Republican Convention NRC and the Social Democratic Party SDP. Nigeria has always been a de-facto two Party State, the large number of parties registered notwithstanding, it still comes down to two prominent parties and a sprinkle of other parties holding sway in a state or two, having a seat or two in the Upper and Lower chambers etc. predominantly we are a Two Party structured Country.

Never in our Nation’s History have we so many registered political parties as it is today. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC’s website, there are SIXTY – EIGHT (68) Registered Political Parties. Of course we have the big two PDP and APC and others. If as Youths we are truly keen on taking over the leadership of this Country we must do the needful by first taking over the Party Structures.

With less than 293 days to the 2019 General Elections and a massive 70 candidates gearing to take over from PMB, the coast is not clear for any of the contenders to rattle the current administration. Kayode Ogundamisi gave a caveat when he pointed out the obvious that popular candidate had never done well when it comes to elections and I don’t think even with all the media blitz that a popular candidate can change the status quo now.

MY HUMBLE POSITION:

Winning elections require structures, the current political parties are not bad, it’s the actors that a bad. We must not throw away the Baby with the dirty bath water, we have to throw away the bad politicians and its better done from within. Politics is a game of Numbers, with social media at our disposal and the very successful individuals in their Forties and Fifties; we have all it takes to take over the captaincy of the ship of state.

With the likes of Fela Durotoye, Kingsley Moghalu, Omoyele Sowore, Ahmed Buhari, Mathias Tsado, Eniola Ojajuni, Olu James Omosule, Tope Fasua, Fumilayo Adesanye-Davies, Moses Samuel, to mention just a few of the Contenders, we have an array of men and women with the required vision to lead our Nation but if we are truly keen on taking over from the old brigade, we must come together to join a Political Party – APC or PDP – why these, they already have the structures on ground. Ensure we take over the structures of the Party from ward to the National Level as the first step in this revolution albeit none violent but a revolution all the same.

THE LONG ROAD:

My position may not be achieved in 2019, I have stated in other forums that the best bet for us now is to work with one of the old brigade with a sealed agreement that he will serve for one term, with young agitators taking major positions in his Government, preparing ground for the grand take over come by the New Breed Politicians come 2023.

The Political Party to be used as our platform, the old brigade candidate to work with etc, will be decided in a stake holders meeting convened by one or more of the aspirants – We must put aside individual aspirations for the good of our Motherland. By 2023 with our strong presence in the Political Party, we should be ready to take over from Councilors, Local Government Chairmen, House of Assembly Members, Governors, Senators, and Representatives to the Presidency.

A new Nigeria is possible.