2019: Every Nigerian should run for president –Presidential aspirant

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Tope Fasua has said that with Nigeria’s level of underdevelopment, every Nigerian should feel a great sense of urgency prompting a presidential run.

Fasua made the comment Tuesday during an interactive session with our team at the Ripples Nigeria office in Lagos where he discussed his plans to fix Nigeria’s problems.

The interactive session is part of a series of engagement of presidential aspirants ahead of the 2019 elections on the Ripples Nigeria platform.

Fasua criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for his lack of personal integrity, non-engaging and non-communicative leadership style, and his mismanagement of the economy.

He said though he supported President Buhari in 2015, he withdrew his support for the president when he reneged on his promises beginning with his failure to declare his assets publicly as promised.

He said both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have nothing to offer Nigeria and should not be supported.

Fasua said his plan for Nigeria was innovative and unconventional, arguing that only far-reaching measures which he intends to implement could salvage the country.

Read also: No Vacancy! Presidency confirms Osinbajo will be Buhari’s running mate in 2019

Raising Nigeria’s budget to N20 trillion, making government the dominant employer of labour and massive investment in human capital development, he argued, would form the thrust of his unconventional plan.

The ANRP aspirant also backed restructuring, pledging to review the revenue sharing formula in favour of the states and local government, with the federal government earning less than the other tiers. Under his proposal, the local government will earn the highest at 40%, while the state will be next with 35%, and the federal government with the least at 25%.

Fasua also called for unicameral legislature, advocating for measures to cut costs and save more money for development purposes.

On the viability of his candidacy, he sounded a realistic note, saying his limited chances notwithstanding, his chief goal was to advance and popularise his ideas so other Nigerians can adopt them and push for a better development model.

 

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