The President Nigeria deserves in 2023

By Akpo Ometan

That Nigeria is at the crossroads at the moment cannot be denied, what should however be in issue now is what kind of President Nigeria should have in 2023.

We are compelled to take this route because the Nigerian presidency as extantly constituted is still an all-powerful one. Thus the make-up, character, build and proclivities of the holder of that office are most important.

We need a President with a high degree of practically demonstrated honour, credibility and responsibility

We need a President who is clear about the problems, understands the issues and has very significantly not been enmeshed in haranguing deals that would circumscribe his or her ability to confront the big issues.

We need a President who is a real democrat, a negotiator, a consensus builder and a man or woman of peace and who is sold out to genuine national cohesion.

In geo-locational terms and given the realities imposed on us already by our political history and structure, we need a President who is preferably a Southerner, a Christian and an Igbo.

And finally, but most importantly, we need a President whose first post-inauguration exercise shall be flagging off the process of giving the nation a brand new constitiution, complete with all of the ingredients of fiscal federalism, state police and which will be assented to in a popular referendum within the first half of his/her administration.

Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Founder, FixPolitics