….says Nigeria needs pragmatic leadership

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AHEAD of the 2027 general elections, one of the presidential aspirants under the platform of National Rescue Movement, NRM, Francis Onyema, weekend, challenged other presidential aspirants to convince and woo Nigerians to vote them with their ideas to solve current problems and not not using undue influence on them.

Onyema who spoke with Vanguard said, the crop of politicians Nigerians have experienced are not presenting convincing ideas to tackle the problems they are grappling with on daily basis.

He said as a reformer who leads the Francis Onyema Reformist Movement (FORM), which represents the hope for the emergence of a new Nigeria where elections are won based on ideas is to show Nigerians how problems they are going through could be solved with powerful but simple ideas.

He firmly believes that elections should be about competing ideas, not competing moneybags, saying “clearly show how your plans will tackle insecurity, hunger, unemployment, and other national problems. Simply show how it will work.”

He also added that, “Your ideas must be practical and workable, not mere rhetoric.”

He said: “My political ideology is simple: ordinary Nigerians should have the opportunity to participate in governance and hold political office based on the strength of their ideas to address the issues bedeviling us a people.

“I believe elections should fundamentally be a contest of ideas. In other words, every election should be a referendum on the best solutions to the needs of Nigerians.”

Speaking on how he is going to actualize his presidential ambition at the 2027 polls, he said, “First, for people like me and other aspirants who do not belong to the traditional political class to stand a real chance in 2027, there has to be a mental shift among Nigerians.

“Nigerians must begin to change what they demand, tolerate, and accept from those who seek public office. That is how we redefine our political trajectory.

“For us, reorientation is at the heart of this campaign. Nigerians must begin to see elections as a contest of ideas, not a competition among moneybags. When we continue to demand leaders who are simply moneybags, we end up with leaders who lack ideas and who see the state merely as a means of personal enrichment.

“What should come first are ideas and convincing solutions to the problems facing our country. Any plan to address issues of national concern must be practical and convincing to ordinary Nigerians.

“But beyond that, Nigerians must also understand that building a nation requires sacrifice. We must gradually move away from practices like selling our votes or aiding electoral malpractice for small personal gains.

“The Francis Onyema Reformist Movement, FORM, is committed to leading this reorientation so that our democracy can truly produce leaders based on ideas and solutions.”

Meanwhile, he (Onyema) boasted that he is coming out boldly to wrestle power from the incumbent President, Senator Bola Tinubu, others including Peter Obi, and others for a new beginning of leadership, which gives every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

“understand the importance of political structures in the contest of elections in Nigeria. While the Francis Onyema Reformist Movement already has members spread across many of the 36 states of the federation, we are still working deliberately to attract more dedicated Nigerians who believe in our ideology.

“Fundamentally, strong political structures are built around a compelling idea. Our movement is based on the belief that governance must work for ordinary Nigerians. I am confident that, in time, more Nigerians will recognize this vision and join the movement to make Nigeria work for everyone.

“What are the ideas of these respected elder statesmen to tackle the issues of insecurity, unemployment and other pressing challenges facing our country? Are their ideas more sophisticated than mine? Are they willing to engage in a debate so Nigerians can be decisive at the polls?

“Beyond merely debating policy propositions, are they willing to demonstrate exactly how their ideas will address these issues? I mean, can they put together a clear visualization that shows how critical policies like border control can be enhanced to deal with problems such as drug and arms trafficking, smuggling of crude oil products, and other forms of organized crime?

“Can they also demonstrate clearly how they intend to address the excesses of some elements within the Nigeria Police Force?

“This is the core of our reorientation. Nigerians must adopt the phrase “show working” as a standard for assessing those seeking to govern them. We must no longer accept vague statements like “we will create jobs.” The question should always be: how exactly do you intend to create these jobs? Demonstrate it.

“I can guarantee that with this new level of critical assessment by Nigerians, I will defeat President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and others in a free and fair contest.”