Scrutinise presidential candidates to end current sufferings, Onitiri tasks parties

Political parties have been urged to scrutinise their candidates in order to present a credible, highly educated and intelligent person with the fear of God to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

A socio-political activist, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, who gave the advise in a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, cautioned that in choosing new leaders, every patriotic Nigerian should ensure the people to voted for, especially for the president, must be a highly cerebral, well educated, selfless and forthright person.

“A new president must be a servant leader that has the spiritual acumen to unite the country. Not a selfish leader that could easily be influenced by the spoils of office. Never again will Nigerians tolerate an old, sick or unhealthy, corrupt, indolent, religious fundamentalist as president.

“We also urge all Nigerians to vote wisely, as this suffering and abject poverty must end. Our economy is at the lowest ebb. There is serious insecurity in the country. We need a patriot, young, highly educated, healthy, internationally connected president who has the capability and ability to govern. He must be honest, transparent, credible, and diligent with the quality of a world-class president and not a moneybag.

“Nigeria needs leaders like Mohammed bin Rashid of Dubai, President of Malaysia, and President of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew. These people should be our role models. We desperately need leaders that can turn our economy around, turn our desert into land flowing with honey and milk,” he said.

Nigeria’s next president, he emphasised, should be a fearless leader, not necessarily a politician; he may be a technocrat or drawn from the industrial sector, who knows his onions and could not be bamboozled by political jobbers, cabal or clique.

Onitiri said Nigerians must know the source of wealth of presidential flag bearers contesting for the parties; and ready to serve and not to milk the wealth of the nation.

That is the ideal person Nigeria needs now.

“Nigeria needs a president that would look inwards to develop our economy with local human and material resources, not a president that would pile up foreign debts for future generations to pay.

“He must have the capacity and capability to solve our security challenges without fear or favour. These are the qualities a president that should emerge in 2023 should possess.

“Enough is enough. Nigeria is bleeding profusely and in dire need of young, highly educated, committed, visionary, world-class, patriotic and selfless leaders,” he added.