How will you address corruption claims, North-South trust issues, the 2023 PDP crisis, and weak youth support?

Today, I charged the youths, not to give up on Nigeria's democracy notwithstanding the deliberate efforts of the ruling party to constrict the democratic space. My counsel to the youths was in response to a group of PDP Grassroots Supporters, FCT, led by Amb. Akin Akinleye, which paid me a visit on Wednesday in Abuja. The group visited to indicate its willingness to join forces with the new coalition. I admonished them that although elections keep being stolen and do not reflect the choice of the people, citizens should continue to come out to cast their votes during elections. I reminded them that even though we had over 90 million registered voters, not up to 30 million came out to vote in the 2023 elections. It is imperative that they show up to vote because it is about their future. Earlier, I had received the Sardaunan Matasa Forum (Kano Chapter), led by Alhaji Babangida Abubakar Sani.

I am extremely concerned at how young Nigerians are losing hope about the future of our country. Every time they come to have a conversation with me about bad governance, fraudulent elections, and resultant hardship being faced by citizens, I deeply feel sad about the situation. Yesterday evening, I received yet another group of youths from across the 19 Northern states, led by Alh. Adamu Bappa Gombe. They were worried about how their votes don't count and how bad governance and policies impact negatively on their standard of living and private businesses. I have continued to encourage them not to give up. I told them the change they desire can only come through the ballot. I reminded them that they have a responsibility to mobilize their fellow young people to keep participating in the process of leadership recruitment through elections. I reminded them that the change they desire cannot be attained by voter apathy and that 25% to 30% voter turnout in every election cycle is not encouraging. I challenged them to make a huge difference by influencing massive participation in 2027.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have to brace up; we don’t have much time. Closing Appeal. In closing this short speech, I would like to appeal to our sense of responsibility as Northern leaders to reconsider our priorities and rise up to the numerous challenges facing the North. We have seen how the North remembers its true leaders like Sir Ahmadu Bello, gone for a long time, but still remembered every day. Let us ask ourselves, how would we like to be remembered, after we have gone? As people who made the necessary sacrifices for the rest of us? Or as people who seized the opportunities and only buttered their bread? If there is any time for the North to unite, it is now. And it is my ardent hope that we should resist those trying to divide us along ethnic or religious lines and rise above these differences; look at the challenges on the horizon and come together as the one people we have always been.

Where competence matters more than connections. Where character matters more than political patronage. Where hard work is rewarded, and every young Nigerian has a fair opportunity to succeed. My dear young people, The greatest tragedy before us is not that Nigerian youths lack talent. The greatest tragedy is that Nigeria has lacked leadership worthy of your talent. That is why this election is different. This election is not merely about changing a government. It is about changing the direction of our country. It is about restoring hope. It is about rebuilding confidence. It is about creating opportunities. It is about ensuring that no young Nigerian feels compelled to abandon the country of his birth in search of dignity elsewhere. I believe in the Nigerian youth. I believe in your intelligence. I believe in your creativity. I believe in your resilience. And I believe that if we work together, there is no obstacle too great for our nation to overcome.

Question: Why are you running when many people believe that it is the turn of the South and do you believe in the power rotation principle? Answer: The idea of power rotation became a subject of debate during the 1995 Constitutional Conference, which I was a member of, alongside other prominent Nigerians, including the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme. I didn’t agree with Dr. Ekwueme’s suggestion that the six regional blocs should be given recognition in the proposed constitution. The democratization process is a living concept, and looking into our experience thus far and the imbalance in the rotation of political power from 1999 till date, I believe that we should give a constitutional backing to the idea of rotational presidency. There are three blocs, each from both the North and the South, and so far, one major bloc from each zone has benefitted from the zoning principle. So, the imbalance is self-explanatory, and it is part of the issues we must revisit in our attempt at restructuring the country. My decision to contest in 2027 is particularly hinged on the spectacular failure of the Bola Tinubu administration. This is a government that has brought the worst cost of living crisis ever. Nigerians are struggling to survive and businesses are shutting down in proportions never seen before. Our democracy would not live up to its meaning if the scandal of the Tinubu administration is not challenged. I have a better plan to revive the economy through policies that are specifically designed to restore vitality to the economy and make life affordable again for Nigerians.

Question: Would you support zoning when it doesn’t personally benefit you and, if elected, would you support a Southern candidate to succeed you? Answer: I am not sure that there has been any politician in Nigeria who has made more sacrifice than me to protect the principle of power rotation. In the 1993 presidential election that produced the infamous June 12 crisis arising from the annulment of the presidential election, I withdrew from the race to create a path for the late Chief MKO Abiola to emerge as the candidate of our political party in that election. Similarly, in 2003, an overwhelming number of governors of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attempted to prevail on me to jettison my support for President Olusegun Obasanjo and, instead, run for president myself. I declined their offer; I believed it was contrary to the zoning principle. If I am elected president in 2027, I would raise the bar of governance in Nigeria. It will be certain that only people with credible credentials—either from the South or North—will be bold enough to present themselves to succeed me.