The fate of some Presidential aspirants itching to contest for election in 2023 may be hanging going by suggestions put forward by Legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) who listed qualities that the next President of the country must possess, urging Nigerians to look out for these before voting for any candidate.
Babalola, who is also Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, in a three-page statement he personally signed, and made available to newsmen, charged political parties to search for the very best, without mundane considerations in picking their candidates.
In the statement titled, ‘The Presidency: When a Candidate Is or Not Qualified’, he said that such a candidate must not be too old and must be of sound health.
“The candidate must produce evidence that he possesses unquestionable means of livelihood.
“He should not just be seeking election as a means of securing employment or to offset outstanding indebtedness or use his position as the President to divert Government’s funds into his offshore accounts.
“The candidate must demonstrate that he is willing and prepared to serve the Nation without earning salaries, as it was the case between 1960 and Jan. 15, 1966.
“The sum total of the qualities those who deserve to be voted for as Nigeria’s President are age, health, education, sound knowledge of current affairs, work ethics, experience, human relations, vision and mission for Nigeria.
“Others are; belief in the need for a new Constitution, oratory power, kindness, friendliness and firmness, previous contributions to development, economic standing and readiness to serve as well as proven ability to solve problems,” Babalola said.
“The President should not be a person who will be looking for medical treatment from hospital to hospital around the world.
“He must be so healthy that he should be able to work for a minimum of 14 hours a day.
“It is normal that the aspirant for the post of Nigeria’s President must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, obtained from a reputable University.
“Sound knowledge of current affairs must also be considered.
“A person aspiring for the post of Nigeria’s President should possess a sound knowledge of Nigerian, African and world affairs for him to be able to speak and debate convincingly on any of them,” he said.
“I know, as a fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo worked for a minimum of 18 hours a day when he was at the saddle as Nigeria’s President without leaving any file till the next day.
“That is how anyone aspiring to be Nigeria’s next President should work.
“Concerning personal attributes, the aspirant should not be arrogant or opinionated. He should be a good listener, respectful and humble.
“He must be law-abiding and a respecter of the Rule of Law, vision and mission for Nigeria.
“The Aspirant must be someone who is totally detribalised and who appreciates that the country, Niger Area, now called Nigeria was brought together by Europeans during the 1884 Berlin Conference without consulting the locals and without their consent.
“He must appreciate that the over 400 ethnic Nationalities that make up Nigeria have their different languages, cultures, religions, customs and values.
“He must, therefore, demonstrate to the voters that he believes in the evolution of nation-Nigeria from these various ethnic nationalities.”
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