The President Nigerians Want

As we prepare for the presidential poll on Saturday, Nigerians must start asking for what they really want.

In 51 years of nationhood, we have very little to show as a sovereign state. Infrastructure continues to decay and the nation’s leaders do not care, while the populace have taken to religion by leaving everything to God.

Nigerians want a detribalised president who would treat all citizens the same way and provide infrastructure without bias for any particular part of the country.

For 51 years, constant electricity supply has eluded us, hence the few industries that could power the economy have almost died out. Nigerians need a president who would work on providing regular electricity supply to rejuvenate our ailing economy and provide jobs for all categories of Nigerians. Industries would no longer have to provide their electricity and the prices of products will be cheaper. The domino effect is better imagined.

Nigeria is a secular country and we do not need a religious bigot to pilot the affairs of the nation. Many times religion has been used as a weapon to pauperise and oppress the populace, when leaders say something and do another thing. Nigeria needs a president who would respect all religions and treat all equally.

The importance of good roads to the economy of a nation cannot be overemphasised. This is one problem that successive governments have been unable to tackle even after allocating billions of naira to repair and reconstruct the nation’s network of roads. Nigeria needs a president who would fix the roads and rejuvenate alternative means of transport.

Nigeria needs a healthy president who would not be distracted by ill-health, so that he can pay enough attention to the problems of the nation.

Agreed, a president cannot work alone but Nigeria needs a leader who would not be held hostage by a cabal. We need an independent-minded leader who can take decisions concerning the well-being of the state, no matter whose ox is gored.

Our neighbour Ghana is one country we should take a cue from. Potable water, steady electricity supply, good network of roads and a stable economy are some of the things Ghanaians now enjoy because they have leaders that care; not the self-serving leaders we haven in Nigeria. Agreed Ghana’s population is a fraction of ours but the dedication of the people and the leaders to making the country the pride of her people are lessons we should learn from.