... Endorses Senator Bala Mohammed
A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in the South-South Zone has expressed its support for the emergence of the next President of Nigeria from North-East geopolitical Zone of Nigeria.
The group, “Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Transparency and Good Governance, COCSOTRAGG,” spoke on Saturday through its Zonal Coordinator, Chief Henry Nabena, at an interactive session with reporters in Port Harcourt.
The group said that Nigeria required selfless, focused and good leaders with the political will to harness its resources for greatness in the 2023 Presidential election.
According to COCSOTRAGG, the Bauchi State Governor, Sen. Bala Mohammed (Kauran Bauchi), “is a fitting peg with such sterling qualities to lead Nigeria as President in 2023”.
The group also stated members’ desire to contribute and promote transparency and good governance in to ensure the emergence of good leaders irrespective of tribal, religious or political affiliations for Nigeria.
According to the group, “although material and human resources abound in Nigeria, the bane of the country is selfless, focused and good leaders to harness the resources for the greatness of the country”.
Nabena said: “This is equally true of the fact that the country has a lot of policies and programmes that could have taken her to greater heights if well implemented by a leadership with enough political will, compassion and foresight.”
He, however, observed that that in spite “her potential for greatness, the country is facing myriad problems, ranging from insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, nepotism, economic crimes to corruption amongst others”.
“All these combined, no doubt, have retarded our socio-economic progress as a people, against the backdrop that a lot of time, human and financial resources are being dissipated on tackling these surmountable challenges,” he said.
According to COCSOTRAGG, the “high expectations and hope of a better Nigeria which people placed in the present administration before it birth’’ seemed to have waned.
“Everyone today, without mincing words knows that the reverse is the case such that the country is gradually drifting towards a failed state. This is quite unfortunate though. But sadly, that is the reality. Nigerians are largely not enjoying their constitutionally guaranteed right to government's primary responsibility of security and welfare,” Nabena stated.
“In our march towards 2023, it is crystal clear that what we as a people need is a leader who, apart from being a detribalised Nigerian must have the track record of service.
“Such a leader must have a commitment and be ready to serve the people and bring an end to the myriad of problems confronting our beloved Fatherland today. Such a leader must as a matter of fact be patriotic, sagacious, more proactive with good records.
“He must be able to rise up to the occasion to address current alarming state of crime and criminality and corruption leading to the high level of insecurity in the entire country today.
“Having considered many of the political gladiators on the scene today, COCSOTRAGG is of the strong opinion that Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed possesses sterling qualities to lead Nigeria come 2023,’’ it stated.
According to the group governor Mohammed of Bauchi state can turn around Nigeria’s fortunes for better if given the opportunity to be President of Nigeria in 2023.
“It is a known fact that Bala Mohammed's patriotism is not in doubt. He had amply demonstrated this in 2010 when he put party politics aside for Nigeria's interest to prevail when he moved the "Doctrine of Necessity" Motion on the floor of the Senate.
“This eventually paved the way for the then Vice-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to emerge acting President when the then President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was incapacitated.
“This Senator Mohammed did despite the fact that he belonged to the then opposition party, ANPP. His doggedness and ability to fix the numerous challenges confronting the Nation was seen in his outstanding and impeccable performance as the FCT Minister for six consecutive years, which is yet to be surpassed till date years after he left office.
``Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is a detribalized Nigerian devoid of nepotism and has been able to build bridges of friendship and unity across the country over the years. His appointments as FCT Minister reflected his detribalisation with people from every parts of the country given the opportunity to serve their Fatherland. As a Governor today, he still does this,” the group stated.
It also expressed members’ views that “age is on Governor Mohammed’s side and he is a politician without extra baggage, competent transparent and immensely resourceful”.
“He equally possesses the political sagacity and will to not only confront but also successfully tackle the problems bedeviling the country today. As a sitting Governor, Senator Mohammed is currently demonstrating this in Bauchi State.
“He has been able to bring developmental progress to the state and making it the most peaceful state in the North-East despite the zone being the hotbed of insurgency in Nigeria today.’’
Nabena said: “COCSOTRAGG, South-South Zone is of the strong belief that Nigeria is in a desperate need of competent, transparent, detribalised, loyal but dogged and immensely resourceful leader.
“Nigeria needs a leader for the 2023 presidential election with democratic credentials to steer the ship of Nation through transparency and good governance and decadence, disintegration and total collapse.
“We believe that Senator Bala Mohammed as a proven, tested and trusted loyal public servant fits naturally into this category; hence, we are calling on him to throw his hat into the Ring.
“We equally support the emergence of the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the North-East geopolitical zone which is the least developed zone in the country as of today.”
