All Progressive Congress (APC) has emerged as a national party of enormous substance. The party is an all encompassing in membership, from every geographical corner of Nigeria. The personalities that pilot the affairs of the party are people of weight in every ramification. Ideologically the party is on rescue mission to free Nigerians from the shackles of inept leadership that enmeshed the populace into unnecessary poverty and misery. The wealth of this country is concentrated in very few individuals that deepen corruption and high handedness. We need a party that believes in wealth creation through agriculture (aggressively empower those that till the land for food production), industrial growth to transform our abundant raw materials into finished goods, opportunity for affordable shelter, functional and qualitative education, affordable health care delivery system, security of lives of citizens, good roads, effective and efficient transport system, including railways, airways, waterways etc. These shall add to provide employment for our teeming youth. It has not bothered the present federal administration that the country has a very large rate of graduate employment. This is the situation that ignited the Arab uprising that triggered from Tunisia.
APC is set to address the issues of unemployment among the youth. It is a fundamental problem that created the current insecurity of citizens of Nigeria. This is a malaise that precipitated mistrust among Nigerians because majority of the citizens are alienated from the mainstream of economic flow and thus self actualization nose dived to unfathomable abyss. A good number of citizens are unemployed or underemployed because the economy is comatose where capital projects are truncated or neglected in pursuit of vain elitism. The economic policy of PDP at the centre is wholly prescriptions of IMF and World Bank. Those behind this imperialist drive have their eyes on lucrative jobs at the two institutions that manipulate third world economies to the advantage of core capitalists’ mode of production. We have been deceived enough on intangible growth of the economy that is yet to reflect on the living standard of the masses. There has not been positive response from those that vaunts economic growth as demanded from the House of Representatives (the 50 questions).
Every citizen yearns to fend for his family. Our extended family system compounds responsibility of bread winners that sicknesses such as stroke, hypertension and high blood pressure are now common killers of citizens who on daily basis battle psychically on management of basic necessities of life. The ruling party at the federal level, PDP, has become insensitive to the plight of the common man. Anarchy prevalence is under statement in describing the country’s situation at present. It is sad indeed. However, hope is now radiating with the emergence of a formidable party, APC that shall reverse the woes of this country. It is not about ethnicity. It is not about religion or any ill conceived parochialism. It is about country and good governance.
It is no longer arguable that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now embroiled in enormous crisis. Much of the cream of the personalities that sustained the party is totally disenchanted with the state of affairs of the party. Quite a large chunk of these personalities are now in APC, and more are joining. It appears a clarion call for patriots to realign to fashion a workable blue print to move the country forward in consonance with the demand of 21st century. This is not mere rhetoric but glaring fact based on abuse of our abundant human and material resources. The synergy of the two elements is enough to catapult the nation to enviable height in good governance; where equity, justice and fair play shall guarantee to the citizens basic needs such as adequate food, good shelter, affordable and functional education, good health care delivery services, industrialization through adequate power supply and enabling environment in security for investors.
APC now gathering momentum in the Nigeria’s political firmament needs a vibrant leader that knows the workings of the economy very well. Such a leader must be a bridge builder. He must be a personality that understands the intricacies of true democracy and appreciates mechanism of rule of law. In leadership theory it is extant that leadership qualities are divinely bestowed in charisma, drive and coordination. These are ingredients that blend favorably to achieve effective and efficient results in overall output in management of human and material resources. In the present condition of Nigeria it is imperative to prop up a leader that is sensitive to contentious needs of the rural and urban dwellers. As the cities are being developed there is also pressure to address the essential demands of the components, the states and local governments, especially the villages that produce food.
Thus, a close look at Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal reveals an excellent president in waiting. This lively man has steered the leadership of the House of Representatives so well that he has become a beacon of hope for the young generation that yearns for change. As Speaker, he has given the House of Representatives immense bite to confront corruption in the polity. With the young men in the House he is a pain in the neck of those that manipulate the economy for selfish ends. The nightmare he created rumbles members of the executive arm that indulge in sleazy acts that rubbish the nation’s annual budgets. His leadership reveals that projects meant to improve the lots of the masses are not executed or unnecessarily slowed down in execution.
Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal hails from Sokoto, specifically Tambuwal that are noted for excellent leadership. Sokoto is the state that produced late Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardaunan Sokoto), former president Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji (former Minister of Finance) and many prominent figures that served this nation creditably. It is the Seat of the Caliphate, the springboard of Shehu Usman Dan Fodiyo, the great scholar that spread the light of knowledge to other parts of Nigeria and beyond. This leadership blood runs in the veins of scions of the Caliphate. They are noted for religiosity, humane attitude and appreciation of human dignity. They believe that in peace development is sustained, thus Sokoto remains the most peaceful state in Nigeria today. The Caliphate contributes in no small measure to the unity of Nigeria. Sir Sadiq Abubakar III (late Sultan of Sokoto) was ubiquitous during the civil war to keep Nigeria one. He worked assiduously with General Yakubu Gowon to ensure indivisibility of this country.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo when he visited Sokoto late last year to commission some projects executed by Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko eulogized the leadership qualities of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. He prophetically saw Aminu in the light of leadership of Nigeria in his usual humour but serious remarks. That followed encomiums heaped on Governor Wamakko for his wisdom in tackling basic necessities of Sokoto people as a leader with focus towards the masses. His administration introduced bottom up system of development where development starts from the rural areas to the urban towns. The system succeeded in opening up the rural areas through good roads, electricity, potable water, hospitals, increased agricultural activities through loans and subsidies to farm implements, provision of shelter and introduction of cottage industries and good transport system. Many youths left the cities to villages because they have everything in the villages that is obtainable in the cities.
Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is part of the success story of the administration of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. He has learnt much from his home base and national level of the real needs of Nigerians. In him one envisages a president that shall focus very well on the problems of the youth, however, not ignoring the necessary care of all and sundry. This is a sure means to reduce tension in the polity and revive or give direction to the economy.
President Barak Obama became president of the United States of America from the legislative house. That opportunity has given him adequate capacity to relate well with a congress that is not balanced towards his party. It is an experience a leader needs to manage power among the three arms of government. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is, therefore, eminently positioned as president of Nigeria from APC stock to deliver the dividends of democracy. As lawyer he is not naïve about nationalism and corporate workings. Indeed that background is added advantage to gauge the mind sets of the citizens in the provision of critical infrastructure for the growth of the economy.
The careful choice of a presidential candidate such as Aminu Waziri Tambuwal shall douse apprehensions and skepticisms about the blaze trail of APC, a party that will truly propel Nigeria to the anticipated stardom in every facets of life. It is a consensus of opinion of political analysts of this country that our problem still lays on leadership.
This is a golden opportunity the populace should grab to beam a new ray of hope for corruption free society, government with human face or egalitarian society where citizens shall have equal opportunity, enjoy rule of law, justice, equity and fair play. Nigeria shall become a country that respects human dignity; our professionals in Diaspora shall make acceptable inputs to the development of the country; they shall also come home to lend hands to make this country great. This is a call to patriots to mobilize for a good leader with vision to better the lots of the masses.
Sahabi Garba
Sokoto Patriotic Front
301 Abdullahi Fodiyo Road
Sokoto North