By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – FORMER Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s presidential campaign team was in Edo State where he said he was the right person to become the next president of Nigeria and called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to give him the ticket of the party.

Speaking at the party’s state secretariat in Benin City yesterday, the Chairman, Contact & Advocacy Council of  Dr Bukola Saraki Presidential Campaign Organisation , Professor  Iyorwuese Hagher urged Nigerians to elect the next president based on competence and not on religion and ethnicity and that Saraki fits the conditions.

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While stating that Nigeria’s problem is not resources but leadership, Hagher said “Nigeria has refused to identify the right man and put him in a leadership position. We choose our leaders based on religion; we choose leaders based on zoning; we choose our leaders based on identity politics. 

Nigeria is a diverse society. We cannot continue to use these parameters in choosing our leaders, especially the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, he is offering himself as the president that the whole Nigeria will identify with. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo said two things make a nation; the size of the pocket and the quality of leadership”

Hagher disclosed that Saraki has promised that women 35 per cent representation in leadership positions would be implemented if elected like he did as governor of Kwara State and that his principal would make youths below 35 years of age to be ministers in all the ministries.

He said is in an emergency situation with debt overload and insecurity. “When the PDP came to power, we offset all debt, but within seven years of the APC coming into power, we have been plunged into debt. It has been loan upon loan and it is increasing everyday.

Responding, state chairman of the PDP, Hon Tony Aziegbemi said he would relate the visit of the team and their mission to the members of the party and the leader of the party, Governor Godwin Obaseki.