Without any doubt, the governing party needs a charismatic leader with an impeccable and appreciable political experience, extraordinary capacities, brilliance, network and net-worth that can build more bridges across the country’s political divide. An undaunted leader, who will not be intimidated or discouraged in taking rightful decision the will strengthen the party in the face of difficulties and challenges.
By Ibrahim Tajudeen Olesin
Not just to occupy the coveted position of the National Chairman of the governing party, All Progressives Congress (APC) the former governorship aspirant under APC in Kwara state and new Turaki of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Saliu Mustapha will undoubtedly add more values to the party, if elected as the National Chairman of the party for his thoughtful, reflective and determination to represent the interest of all.
Now, some months away from the next congress that will conduct the election that will produce the substantive National executives of APC, many people question what sort of leader suitable for the herculean task ahead 2023, as it is not a gainsaying that the party must produce the National Chairman that will engaged all aggrieved members of the party to make the party more stronger and the one to beat come 2023.
Without any doubt, the governing party needs a charismatic leader with an impeccable and appreciable political experience, extraordinary capacities, brilliance, network and net-worth that can build more bridges across the country’s political divide. An undaunted leader, who will not be intimidated or discouraged in taking rightful decision the will strengthen the party in the face of difficulties and challenges.
A person that can stand the test of time and revive the aura of the Change Mantra that greeted Nigeria’s political space at the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 as the clout that changed the narratives of Nigeria politics till date. Such a person with the above listed pedigrees is expected to man the office of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, the governing party.
As the revalidation of the old members and registration of new members is winding down, the Congress that will produce the new National executives is expected to be the next on the line, immediately after the conclusion of the exercise.
Of course, the party has not taken any official decision on which geopolitical zone to produce the Chairman of the party but with the arrangement favouring Presidential candidate coming from the south has placed eyes on the north to produce the National Chairman of the party.
With the six geopolitical zonal arrangements, candidates from North Central, Northeast, and Northwest are featuring more prominently jostling for the apex seat of the governing party, the National Chairman. The candidates such as the two former governors of Borno state, Ali Modu Sherriff and Senator Kashim Shettima, also the former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-makura as well as Malam Saliu Mustapha, the newly appointed Turaki of Ilorin among others, have indicated interest to take the mantle of leadership of the party.
Of all the candidates that have indicated interests and presented themselves before the party faithful, with the soul aim of retaining power come 2023, the Turaki of Ilorin has been singled out as the beautiful bride and best experienced candidate with astute party administrative acumen and one candidate with a clean and healthy bill devoid of any scandal, corruption cases hanging on his neck unlike some other candidates aspiring for the same job. Saliu Mustapha represents the ideal candidate for the plum job. What APC should hold jealously in any candidate is nothing but Integrity, which Malam represents!
The man Saliu Mustapha, is a young, vibrant and charismatic Mullah from Kwara, North Central, has been adjudged by political analysts as the best experienced candidate in party administration and a diehard supporter of President Buhari.
Mustapha, a liberal minded person, a strong member of the defunct CPC, he was said to be the one, who signed the final agreement that culminated in the formation of the APC on behalf of the CPC.
Mustapha is in his 50, who serves better as a bridge between young and old folks, giving his prime age, an enigmatic, energetic and detribalized Nigerian who understand the differences of all political divides and know what it takes to handle political issues as they come.
His philanthropic gesture has endeared him to the minds of many, not only to his own people but to Nigerian in general.
Apart from being a cosmopolitan Nigerian, Mustapha has traveled far and wide, dinning and winning with big wigs, political stakeholders as well as downtrodden in all parts of country and such noble gesture has continued to register his name in the minds of all Nigerians and by implication boosts his political fortunes.
Mustapha is an innovative person who also opens his windows to useful ideas, innovation that can completely be the paradigm shift of Nigeria’s political sphere for the better.
Turaki of Ilorin is a strong advocate of justice, fairness and good conscience, who has continue to advocate a principle where Nigerians will be a strong and indivisible stakeholders in the Nigeria’s project.
Apart from being a candidate who has risen to garner national political prominence, his relationship with his state governor has been very cordial, Mustapha has full support of his governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, it becomes incumbent on the Kwara state governor to rally support for his own more importantly, that they are both of the CPC folks.
Above all, the factor of APC Governors remains sacrosanct in who becomes the National chairman of the ruling party. This has placed a huge task on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara state to do the needful to ensure that one of his own gets the party topmost seat. There is no better time than now for Governor the Kwara state governor to proof to all Kwarans that the interest of any Kwarans remains the interests of all Kwarans.
Saliu Mustapha may not have the muscular power of money like other former governors who are still answering one question or the other with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well as other graft agencies but his pedigree interms of experience, probity and integrity are much more make him to stand a better chance than money.
It would be recalled that, APC rode on integrity and pedigree of President Muhammdu Buhari to emerge the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015, history they said repeats itself as all eyes are on the ruling party to make probity and integrity their brand in the choice of their National Chairman of the ruling party. That has already been found in person of Malam Saliu Mustapha the Turaki of Ilorin.