John Dara picks SDP presidential forms

A former Special Assistant to the ex-Defense Minister, General T.Y Danjuma, Mr John Dara, has obtained Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to slug it out with other challengers for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential ticket.

Dara, who spoke at SDP National Secretariat yesterday, flayed the ongoing war against corruption in Nigeria.

The presidential aspirant, who said the government should adopt a wholistic approach to tackling corruption in the country instead of what he called the current ‘boxing in the air’, added that attention needed to be paid tonthe indices that triggered corruption.

“It is not enough to catch a thief, you must find out the causes of corruption in Nigeria. A situation where workers are not being paid living wages and you say you are fighting corruption, you are just boxing the air. You are fighting the shadow of corruption.

“The truth is that corruption has causes that tend to promote it. When I get to power, I will close the taps of corruption and Nigeria will become a highly respected, great nation once again,” he said in a statement issued yesterday by SDP National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Mohammed.

Dara, who said he remained the best candidate that can right all the wrongs of the present leadership of the country, stated that “SDP is a credible alternative party that has a credible candidate like me who can bring progress to Nigeria.
“As a champion of northern unity, I come as the man who will bring unity not only to the north but to the whole of the country.

“The people of Nigeria are good but our leaders tend to bring the worse out of them with their divisive tactics which has been so glaring in this administration. It is imperative for Nigerians to unite and bring up a leader who will protect their interest,” he said.

He said his administration would carry along women and youth, describing them as the pillars of meaningful development.

“Any nation that is being run by people who are too old, too weak, too sick, cannot fulfill our destiny and therefore, the young people of Nigeria that are excelling in all fields of endavour should be brought on board and fully involved.

“This also applies to the women. I see no reasons why we should not consciously engineer our politics in such a way that women will find it easy to participate, compete and to win.

“I believe it is only when the women who represent over 50 per cent of the population of Nigeria are fully mobilized and involved that we can get our best,” he said.