*  Ohuabunwa

by Tony Icheku

Entrepreneur, and  good governance advocate, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa says his vision to contest Nigeria's Presidency come 2023 is premised on his capacity to provide the missing factor in successive Nigerian leadership so far, having prepared adequately to offer leadership at that level

“We need leadership at the topmost level who understands what leadership is all about. It is sacrifice, influence and motivating people to achieve the desired goals, not to serve themselves but the community.

“Leadership at the national level is harnessing the resources that belong to the people and to do the best good for the majority of the people, not for a group or a section of the country. That is what I see that has been lacking", Mazi Ohuabunwa told a forum of top journalists, media practitioners and scholars from Abia State during a virtual interactive session

The former chief executive of Nigerian pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Neimeth, who later served as Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Council, NECA, respectively proffered that he was finally forced to embrace partisan politics as all his "writings, speaking, economic summits and conferences" advocating good governance and laudable  economic strategies had over the years been ignored.

“In my desire to express my views and to see if they would touch any hearts to do commonsensical things to repair our nation, I have done everything and gone to every length.

“But in 2019, it dawned on me that all the writings, speaking, economic summits and conferences will not cut the ice, thus I needed to get into the ring, to see if we can implement what we have been preaching, and put into practice our strategies captured in the Vision 2010 and Vision 2020 as well as all other economic and political recommendations made over the years, to see Nigeria fulfill its mandate and become a nation we can be proud of, and that which treats everyone equally, and give every citizen a sense of ownership and belonging – a country that works for all.

“That is my motivation. I, therefore, decided to step out and throw my hat in the ring, and offer myself to see if Nigerians are willing to give me the opportunity to seek the redemption of this country from the hands and clutches of wickedness and darkness, and bring the nation  to light, progress and prosperity.

“It is the motivation that made me to begin to lead a group – the New Nigeria Group – that will coordinate and recruit like-minded people to create a leadership cadre that can take Nigeria out of this chronic underdevelopment and poverty.

“I have decided, with the motivation from God and well meaning Nigerians, to offer myself to serve Nigeria in the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is where I am going to make the greatest impact.”

Ohuabunwa, currently the President,  Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), has in various capacities proposed economic strategies and blueprints for Nigerian economic emancipatiob including serving  as  former chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, as well as membership  of the Vision 2010 and Vision 2020 presidential committees.

Fielding questions from the panel, Ohuabunwa debunked insinuations that he lacks political party membership asserting that he had been a member of the PDP since 1998. He however quickly averred that he is yet to choose whose political party's flag he will fly in 2023 to realise his presidential ambition.

“What I am leading now is called The New Nigeria Group, which spells out the vision that, it is possible, within four years, to change this country and make it what we can all be proud of.

I am looking onto God and my people, and those who buy into my vision and believe that a new and better Nigeria is possible; that we can build a nation where corruption, insecurity, injustice and poverty can be dealt with.

“When people buy into this vision, with these believers in my mission, we shall move to the appropriate platform to seek power. It is either PDP or APC or a third force. There is no ideological difference between these main parties. Parties in Nigeria are just political platforms to seek office.

“So at the appropriate time, I will announce which party I am going to use, based on how I am led by God, and the supporters of my mission, who agree that together, we can go to a political party and use it as a platform in an effective manner. That is why I have not announced a political platform yet.”

Asked to assess the leadership in Abia where he hails from, Ohuabunwa asserted that successive leadership in the State has failed to put in place the required foundation to make Abia a modern State "There is no adequate planning, no strategic plans, no budget", he noted