Victor Ezeja
Former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and convener of the New Nigeria Group (NNG), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has given a hint on what he would bring to the stable to overhaul the country’s social, political and economic system when elected as president.
Ohuabunwa who has declared his intention to run for the position of president in 2023 general election on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said he has joined the race essentially because he understands the problems of Nigeria and has the ability to make a difference in terms of providing good governance that will take the country to her desired destination.
He was speaking as a guest on the Arise Tv News Morning Show programme on Wednesday, to highlight his agenda for a new Nigeria and chances of clinching the PDP presidential ticket, which is expected to be a keenly contested one.
Join our WhatsApp Channel” I believe that our country has been in a conundrum, moving round in a circle, not attaining the kind of growth, economic prosperity and global competitiveness that we have expected. I believe I can make a difference because I think the country needs a leader that understands how we can propel our country to unleash all the potentials for creative accomplishments to make the country become a proud nation where we can deal with lingering issue of poverty,” Ohuabunwa stated during the programme monitored by Prime Business Africa.
He said the country needs a visionary leader who can transform the various factor endowments into source of creating diversified wealth, not just depending on oil revenue which is no longer sustainable due to increasing global emphasis on decarbonisation.
On whether his emergence was as a result of the Igbo agenda to clinch the presidency position in 2023, Ohuabunwa said his coming out to run is not because he is from the Southeast but because he feels he is a competent Nigerian who can deliver quality leadership that is much more inclusive.
Speaking on the NNG, he said it is a political movement that seeks rebirth of Nigeria in all fronts of development, adding that it will be merged with the PDP for better synergy in order to work towards taking the country to where it shoud be.
“We are saying please do not lose hope. A new Nigeria is about to be birthed. Every civilisation has an end and a beginning. We are about to recreate Nigeria. We are about to rebirth a new Nigeria that will be globally competitive, pursue poverty to its conclusive end; that will make sure that our country becomes respectable globally. What we are doing in New Nigeria is branding what we are talking about that a new Nigeria is possible and we are asking all Nigerians to have hope.”
On the burning issue of fuel subsidy removal, Ohuabunwa said the Federal Government is taking the decision at the wrong time when many of the citizens are poor, hungry and unemployed as a result of harsh economic system. According to him, the government failed to do it at the right time when the citizens could have easily absorbed it and moved on.
“When people are poor, hungry, there is high level of unemployment (poverty 71 per cent in the country), that may not be the right time to add additional burden on them. But a time does come. We have passed several opportunities when we could have fully deregulated and Nigerians could have absorbed it. But out of lack of foresight, political will, or courage, we failed to do it
If I become the president of Nigeria, we are going to get to a point where there will be no subsidies in a manner they are now. There will still be subsidies but such will be directed to benefiting the underprivileged. Every nation must take care of the poor, the needy, the weak.”
He said the government will find a way to subsidise for those who cannot afford to pay the cost of things as determined by the market forces at the point of consumption.
He observed that the act of fixing prices of things is out-modelled, stating that what needed to be done is to create opportunities to protect the poor and needy.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
