Anambra State-born financial tactician and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Kingsley Moghalu, has formally announced that he will run for the presidency in 2019.
Giving graphic details on the factors he personally considered to declare his intentions to lead Nigeria come next year, he noted that time has come for technocrats, intellectuals and experienced people to take power from Nigeria’s career politicians who have failed to place the country on the real path to enviable growth and development in nearly 20 years of return to democracy.
Explaining more in an interview with Business Hilights Abuja Bureau Chief on Thursday, he said “The situation in Nigeria as you know is very bad today. I think we are in a season of anomie in this country, the country has been turned into a killing field, the security of life and property can no longer be guaranteed. And people are wondering which state will protect them? “The economy is in a very deep hole, poverty and unemployment are rife. What’s the future for our children? That’s why I declared to run for the presidency, to be able to offer a vision for the future of this country -a vision that can take us into the 21st century as a united country with a strong economy, able to restore our place in the comity of nations.
On what would be the difference between his administration and others before now, Moghalu averred that “I will run a competent and inclusive government from day one after my swearing in. There will be no waste of time because we would have used the time between our election victory and swearing in to form the government”.
Business Hilights recalls that it took the present administration six months to appoint ministers and inaugurate the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and up till now, more than three years on, several boards of MDAs are yet to be constituted even as next election is not too far away.
Continuing, the former apex bank second in command said “In our government, Nigerians are going to see a different type of economy in Nigeria under my presidency. We are going to reposition the economy to run on the basis of innovation and human capital. We are not going to run an oil based economy.
“Number three, we are going to embark on and achieve the constitutional restructuring of Nigeria within two years of my government. So these are just highlights.
Top agenda of his target is to pursue what he described as constitutional restructuring within two years of your administration and settling critical issues of religion and ethnicity, political interplay.
He said “I think a consensus in favor of restructuring for development and stability of our country has been formed among a majority of Nigerians. Nigeria is not working in its current form. So, yes there will be a process of consultation with all parts of the country. It is going to be an inclusive, participatory and consultative process.
On the party platform he will run, Prof Moghalu revealed that “The focus of my vision and of this announcement of my aspiration is on the people of Nigeria. I want Nigerian to assess my capability first before focusing on platforms. So it is a deliberate decision that I have made at this time not to declare the party on which I will contest. Obviously, I will run on the platform of a political party”.
“A number of parties have been talking to me to adopt their platform but we are having conversations and consultations. Within the next few weeks the movement I represent will make a final decision as to the platform on which we will contest for the presidency.
In his assessment of the Buhari administration, he said “My assessment is that this current administration has been a colossal failure. We are insecure in our homes and communities because of marauding herdsmen, kidnappings and Boko Haram. Our economy is in the dungeons. Transparency International has released a report showing that corruption has increased in Nigeria. My government will fight corruption with an approach of impartial accountability starting with the people around me as President, and closing the systemic loopholes such as budget padding and the process of awarding contracts”.
Waving away the unwritten conditionality around zoning of the presidency which speculations tend to argue that it is the turn of Igbos come 2023, he answered that “It is the turn of a competent Nigerian to come to the presidency. So, that is the basis on which I am seeking the opportunity to provide leadership that will take Nigeria into the 21st century. I am not an Igbo candidate for the presidency of Nigeria. I am a Nigerian candidate for the Nigerian presidency”.
