The publisher of Leadership newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah on Tuesday in Niger State formally declared his intention to contest for presidency in next year’s general election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nda-isaiah’s formal declaration brings to five the number of persons vying for the APC’s presidential ticket. Others include former Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governors Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano and Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.
Nda-Isaiah said the country had lacked qualitative and visionary leadership that could usher it into a new era of wholesome progress, growth and development. He noted that the ruling People’s Democratic Party had only succeed in creating more rot in the polity in the last 15 years.
“People are afraid of sending their wards to boarding schools in parts of the country because their kids could be burnt alive in their dormitories; they are afraid to send their daughters to school because hundreds of them could be kidnapped at the same time and turned into sex slaves,” he said.
“There are many more who are afraid to go to church or mosque because they could be bombed out of existence”.
He said it was time for Nigerians to denounce the PDP because the party had nothing to offer. In the same vein, Sam Nda-Isiah labelled President Goodluck Jonathan as incompetent and clueless.
He further said the PDP has also proved to be totally incapable of presenting its best people to Nigerians by forcing the people to meekly accept Jonathan’s incompetence and his failures as our destiny and then continue with him.
Mr. Nda-Isaiah said corruption under the PDP government had reached extreme levels to the extent that the Federal Government was no longer able to give state governments and other government units their due allocations.
According to him, because of the ugly development, state governments could not longer pay workers’ salaries.
The aspirant, however, explained that he was not planning to rule the country because Mr. Jonathan was a bad president but because he wants to change the cause of history.
“I want to be President. I have come to offer that change that will change Nigeria forever. I do not seek to be President simply because Jonathan is not a good President. I want to be that President that will change the course of Nigerian history forever,” he said.
Nda-Isiah also said a total onslaught against corruption would be one of his priorities if elected. He also promised to strenghten the level of security in the country.
“Nigerians from everywhere yearn for change. They cry for a new direction because the country cannot continue on this path, that is why I want to be President. Under my presidency, all crimes will be punished, no matter how long it will take to apprehend the criminals.
“I will ensure we expand the various security services to match the challenges of our current size. We are going to modernise and increase our police strength from the current 370,000 to atleast 1,000,000 and gradually grow it to 4,000,000,” he said.
Among those at the declaration ceremony chaired by the Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, were party leaders such as Mr. Abubakar; Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi; former Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Communication Minister, Audu Ogbeh; and Mohammed Danmole, who represented Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos.
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