2019 NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: WHO CAN I VOTE FOR? _TUNDE ADEGBITE

As the 2019 elections get close, so many questions are on my mind. Which presidential candidate do I vote for? Who has competence, capacity and credibility amongst them? Who can say 'No' to status quo? Who has made a mark where they are and now wants to make a mark here politically? Who is that detribalised, non-bigoted candidate? Who is it that can take on Nigeria’s security, economy, education and infrastructure and then turn around the narrative? Who is that candidate whose Executive Will can resist the age long Nigerian political class? Who can transform our street realities? Who is ready to put Nigeria in her rightful place amidst the comity of nations?  Who loves these different numerous tribes and faiths that we have? Who loves this nation?

As a believer in the Redcard political ideology, I have rushed through most of the candidates of several of the 68 political parties. I need to state clearly that I have given my red card to the APC and PDP. I am already tired of them both as a Nigerian, hence I have every political right to move on. Amidst my search, I have seen three candidates of exciting and honest report- CEO Sahara Reporters Yele Sowore, Former CBN deputy Governor Prof Kingsley Moghalu and the CEO of Gemstones Mr Fela Durotoye. For me, I take very personal interest in saying that first, these 3 men are young. Hence, they are energetic, deliberate, intelligent and aggressive and have all devoured the lions of impossibilities in their different industries.

Sahara reporters came in as an online newspaper. It never made sense and smelled virtual to many with no value. Today its considered the strongest anti-corruption online daily to ever come out of Nigeria. The daily is as aggressive, compelling and forceful as its CEO whose videos online shows him as a 22 years old boy fighting for democracy right behind the widely acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12 presidential elections, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. Yele is outrightly radical and dangerously fearless. He believes that crooks have cornered powers in Nigeria since 1960 and believe that until their self-perpetuation is grounded, the country will not experience growth.  He believes so strongly that Nigeria's problem is a leadership problem. So many fill Yele Sowore may be arrested and kept incommunicado via a court injuction while the incumbent's preferred candidate continues to campaign and win as it happened in the last Ondo state governorship elections. I think otherwise.

Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu owns one of the most exciting CVs amidst all the Presidential aspirants. Born to a father known in the public sector for probity, Kingsley Moghalu emerged a political economist, lawyer and Professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He's worked with the United Nations for about a decade before deciding to join the CBN in 2009.
Now this is the exciting part. Moghalu definitely earned accolades for his work at CBN. The years 2009-2014 that He worked at the CBN are years never to be forgotten in the banking industry having worked with the legendary former CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and helping to disrupt the recklessness in the Nigerian industry and setting up practices that align with international standards. The CBN leadership 2009-2014 which Kingsley Moghalu played a major role in transformed the banking industry, overhauled so many regulatory processes and interestingly had a way of  bringing multibillionaire bank CEOs to  accountability even as some were even convicted. Today even the federal government cannot by law prosecute cases of mismanagement, abuse of office and corruption professionally without meaningless political influence or media trial. A Kingsley Moghalu with his vast work experience at the United Nations and the CBN will work towards setting up a country with a thriving macro economy, where all men will do their jobs and crooks will dwell in prison and not on horses. Some believe Kingsley could not have achieved all these without a godfather and they believe that a Kingsley in power will have to compulsorily answer to 'some' powers that be. I think otherwise.

Adetokunbo Olufela Durotoye is an excellent business consultant and virtually the best and most popular motivational speaker from the West African sub-region. He is the president of the GEMSTONE Nation Builders Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization. Fela started motivational speaking at a time when most of such were done by teachers only, triggering a disruption. Not only did he transform it, he turned it into an industry that has created thousands of jobs. Fela has caused institutional transformation for so many industries. He believes that leadership is the basic problem Nigeria has. He markets Nigeria all over the world aggressively and believes that standards set by good governance and the rule of law can put Nigeria in her place amidst the comity of nations. Some people feel Fela is quite too new, too Godly, too clean for Nigeria's dirty political space but I think otherwise. The job of fixing a nation is that of men that fear God, have standards and have a heart for the people.

I am sorry to disappoint you that President Muhammadu Buhari is not an option for me. My reasons are countless but I will stick strictly to 3. First, the Benue, Taraba and Plateau genocide ongoing is the first reason why I will not vote for PMB. In a sane society, the president will first of all, BAN grazing in those 3 states! Allowing grazing to continue with the killings is dehumanising, insensitive and shows lack of a heart for the people. I cannot imagine people getting killed in Oke Ilewo, Sapon, Ijebu Oru or Odeda on a daily basis because some herdsmen cannot find the criminals amongst them. I will rather ban all cows and herdsmen in that area to save the life of a Nigerian. The life of a Nigerian is more important than the life of a thousand cattle and I mean that statement! Secondly, I can’t vote for a septuagenarian that has some serious health issues undisclosed to her citizens. I will rather follow Mo Ibrahim's warning that I should vote for young credible leaders and take decisions like others in developed parts of world. Lastly I have been taught all my life that Leaders don't pass bulk. They take responsibility and get things done. I cannot never vote for a man who after making major mistakes would tell me he does not know or could even pass the bulk to Henry Townsend. This is not Animal farm where Napoleon will claim to all that Snowball, their former leader is their problem.I have not seen much difference between the leadership of the APC and the PDP as  there is no difference between 6 and half a dozen. 

My most important message is that we vote for a man drilled by experts in critical fields for the nation before our very eyes. Watch their tongue for out of the abundance of the heart their mouths speak. Vote for a man that has disrupted his occupational space and now hopes to disrupt the political space. Vote for a man who knows the data on Nigeria, understands the problems and won't start passing bulk. Vote for a man that can stand the test of debates. A man that misses same debate question the second time is a time bomb. Vote for a man that has integrity but note that integrity alone without knowing what to do cannot fix a nation. Vote for a candidate that is not telling lies repeatedly. Never vote for a man because he is an incumbent. So many people are by the sides as shown above that are better than incumbents. Vote for a candidate that is competent, young, capable and credibility. That you are credible does not mean you are competent. Nigeria needs leaders with these 3 Cs. Nigeria needs leaders that respects good governance and would enforce it. Next year again is the time.

Don't stay at home on Election Day. Get your PVC now. If you stay home collecting 2k bribes from candidates to vote in mediocres or just sleeping, then please don't complain when money for those desired roads, portable water and quality schools are being stolen by crooks and politicians. Don't stay at home snapchatting, instagramming, whatsapping, facebooking, gisting and peppersouping on Election Day as riggers cart away your votes. Keep in mind that, that is their prayer. Check INEC for your polling booth and support the most qualified candidates and not the most likely to win. Reject the wrong options regardless of how wealthy or powerful they are! The very desire to have good and credible leaders is in all of us Nigerians as a people but the power to vote for excellent leadership that eschew mediocrity rests on our Thumb. Please vote very intelligently.