By Remi Oyeyemi<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat ambition is the passion of a great character.
\n– Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor<\/p>\n
I have met His Excellency, the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar
\nseveral times. He had come across as someone who actually believes that it
\nis either we save Nigeria now or we allow it to wither. Pinpointing that
\nthe choice is obvious, he insisted that delay could be very dangerous.<\/p>\n
During our meetings, which touched on several issues about Nigeria,
\nrepeatedly, he kept underscoring this urgent need to repair and revamp
\nNigeria’s UNITY. He kept insisting that there is only one way to do this –
\nbring peace through unfettered justice and sense of belonging to all.<\/p>\n
The former Vice President told me that the economy could only be a
\nnecessary corollary to peace ensured by justice. He insisted that a good
\neconomy would serve as a strong pedestal for the rehabilitation,
\nrefurbishment and replenishment of our health and educational services.<\/p>\n
“It is time we stop playing games with the destiny of this country. All of
\nus must recognize that injustice is what is fueling separatist agitations.
\nThis has to be addressed. We can’t sweep it under the carpet any longer.
\nAll of us must embrace RESTRUCTURING,” he volunteered.<\/p>\n
He explained further: “There has to be a politically conducive atmosphere
\nfor the country to move forward on other fronts for us to be able to
\naddress the challenges facing our people. It is not possible the other way
\nround. All nationalities should embrace RESTRUCTURING. It will establish
\ntrust among us all. It will renew our commitment to this country. It will
\ngo a long way to address the fears of various nationalities and make us
\nstronger as a country. We have to do it.”<\/p>\n
“I am very glad to let you know,” he made it clear to me, “that I have
\nsucceeded in convincing the elders in the North of the propriety of
\nRestructuring. They were\u00a0 totally against it initially. But I am grateful
\nto Allah that I have been able to bring them around. It has been a
\ndifficult task, but we accomplished it. With the same attitude, open
\nmindedness and determination, we can cooperatively take Nigeria to the
\nnext level.”<\/p>\n
He informed, “Between the year 2004 when I first bought the idea of
\nRESTRUCTURING and now, I have reviewed and updated my position paper a
\nnumber of times for it to address most of the concerns of all of the
\nethnic nationalities in my opinion. It can’t possibly satisfy one hundred
\npercent of us all, but I am very confident that more than 75% of Nigerians
\nwill buy my idea on this subject.”<\/p>\n
I asked him, “You have been in politics for a long time. You have been the
\nVice President of this country. Why do you have to be President?”<\/p>\n
“It is true, I was the Vice President of this country. But the way our
\nConstitution works, you could only be as good and as effective as the
\nPresident wants you to be. The President’s ideas are what you espoused.
\nHis policies, as inspired by the Party Manifestos, are what you follow and
\nexecute,” he explained.<\/p>\n
He then added, “I want to be President to help put Nigeria on the path to
\nthe deserved greatness. I have what it takes to make this country work. I
\nam the best prepared candidate for the Office of the President. I have not
\nonly learnt, my knowledge has increased. My vistas have improved. My
\nhorizon has extended. My perspective has widened and my vision is much
\nmore consummated. I am much more matured. I am ready.”<\/p>\n
He then extrapolated, “I have policies on what to be done. From resolving
\nour political crisis to bringing our economy to the digital age and making
\nit competitive. Reforming our Education to revitalizing our health sector.
\nKneecapping institutionalized corruption and unleashing the great
\npotentials of this great country. I am very ready.”<\/p>\n
His Excellency told me that he is not in the business of blaming anyone.
\n“My business as the President of this country is to proffer practical,
\nresult oriented solutions. It is to alleviate the sufferings of our people
\nthrough a working economy and ensure peace through justice.”<\/p>\n
“There is too much hunger in the country. The pervasive hunger has brought
\nabout seething anger. The injustice in the land has exacerbated the anger.
\nWe are sitting on a time bomb. We have to detonate it. We cannot allow it
\nto explode. We must rescue this generation from self destruct. We must
\ngive hope to the next generation,” he further explained.<\/p>\n
Ruminating, he looked into space and said as if soliloquizing, “I have
\nwhat it takes to build a New Nigeria. I have done my homework. I have been
\ntested. I am prepared. I will work to push and put my ideas on the Party
\nplatform. I look forward to working with other great, brilliant and
\ntalented patriotic Nigerians to actualize my dreams and vision for this
\ncountry. I pray and hope that Nigerians would give me the opportunity to
\nbring to bear my wherewithal on our present to chart the part for our
\nfuture. I appeal to them to do so. I really do.”<\/p>\n
“I am in the process of putting my campaign organization together after
\nwhich I will unfold the details of my agenda for the country,” he
\npromised.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmbition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.\u201d
\n\u2013 Bill Bradley, US Senator from the State of New Jersey<\/p>\n
\u00a9Remi Oyeyemi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Remi Oyeyemi \u201cGreat ambition is the passion of a great character. – Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor I have met His Excellency, the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar several times.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n