Turaki lists qualities of ideal president

A frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, (SAN), has listed the essential qualities Nigerians should look out for in the next President, to include integrity, credibility, intellectual ability and experience.

Turaki, who is also the immediate past Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, tasked Nigerians on increased active interest in the country’s governance, stressing that the variables for determining political leadership have changed, as people now look beyond the character of political parties to the qualities of the candidates for elective offices.

He said this, when the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), led by Professor Aloysius Michael Okolie of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, visited his campaign office to know his agenda for improving the lots of the masses.

He said: “A presidential material at this juncture of the nation’s history “must be someone with integrity, credibility, well educated, knowledgeable, experienced and able to build strong bridges of unity across the country.

It must be somebody that will treat Nigerians equitably and decently, and above all, have the fear of God.” 

While assuring the association that he has the vision and the necessary political will to lead the country, Turaki vowed to bring back trust, sense of responsibility and rule of law into governance. 

He listed his priority areas, if elected as tackling insecurity, addressing the critical question of unity, including restructuring from different facets to promote equity and fairness, revitalising the economy, pursuing scientifically-driven and value-added agriculture, infrastructural development and educational development driven by technology and geared toward employment generation.

Turaki said implementing the 2014 National Political Report Conference report “would have largely addressed the problems of restructuring, equity and fairness,” which triggered and heightened agitations for ethnic self-determination.

On the spate of killings and insecurity in the country, he expressed disappointment at the non-implementation of the report of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the northeast, which he chaired.

He said the committee’s report would have greatly addressed the issue of Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges, such as armed banditry and the farmers-herdsmen perennial clashes.

Professor Okolie, who noted that Turaki is sufficiently educated, decried the level of deficit in governance in the country, and commended the presidential aspirant for his capacity and valuable ideas.