The 2022 Committee – made up of 100 leading business, political, civil society and thought leaders, has refuted reports that it is working for the presidential ambition of a particular candidate in 2023.
The Committee stressed that its meeting at the weekend in Lagos was a non-partisan retreat, to map a new consensus for national rebirth.
The committee in a statement by a former Presidential Liaison Officer to the Senate, Mr. Kashim Ibrahim-Imam and Chairman of THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, described attempts to link the Committee with candidates or political parties for the 2023 elections as an unwarranted and unnecessary distraction.
It added that while the Committee is interested in the quality of leadership that will emerge in Nigeria at all levels, it is only political parties that are empowered to choose candidates for elections.
“The Committee believes that what Nigeria needs today is for all patriots to come together to rescue our nation from all political, economic and security threats, and promote the unity of Nigeria. We call on all patriotic volunteers, who are willing and able, to join this collective effort to stabilise the system so we can all build a new Nigeria we can all be proud of,” the statement added.
It stressed that the retreat, which helped to recognize the urgent need to seek common ground and irreducible minimum actions to stabilize the polity at this critical time of transition, had in attendance 14 current Governors, 13 former Governors as well as 3 former Senate Presidents.
