A former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Dr Sam Ohuabunwa, has declared his intention to run for president in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The pharmacist, who is also the Convener of the New Nigeria Group (NNG), disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Abuja.
Ohuabunwa said though the membership of his NNG cuts across many other parties, he decided to run on the PDP platform because of the party’s determination to operate as a truly democratic party with a new internal democratic ethos.
He said, “The PDP in our view has shown that it has learnt some useful lessons during the past six years of being in the opposition at the Federal level, and seems prepared to correct all mistakes it may have made when it was in power and to refocus governance at all levels to the true enhancement of the security, wellbeing and happiness of the citizens of Nigeria.
“We believe that in doing this, the new thinking, the new vision, the new values and the freshness we bring will be in sync with the new mission of the PDP.
“No doubt, we are fully persuaded that the birth of a new Nigeria, which we espouse will find fulfilment through the platform of the PDP.”
The Abia State-born politician said his seeking to govern the country in 2023 was to address the worsening conditions of things in the country, which, he said, seemed more divided than in 1970 after the Civil War, with many retreating into their ethnic enclaves.
He promised to make Nigeria a country where poverty, low quality of life and joblessness will be vastly eliminated, thereby making Nigeria globally competitive.
He also pledged to make the nation diversify away from export of crude petroleum and natural commodities to aggressive export of processed and value-added products and knowledge-driven services.
He said under his leadership, law and order would reign supreme, and that lives would be sacrosanct while the citizens would have access to quality education, healthcare and housing supported by a mortgage.
