As political parties in the country begin the conduct of their primaries, a financial expert and one-time Chief Economic Adviser to Abia State government, Dr Agu Ojukwu, has tasked delegates in all the political parties to nominate technocrats to husband the Nigerian economy to world class plane.
Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, Ojukwu who is also a strategic manager and development expert, reminded delegates in the current party primaries that whoever they nominate will eventually be chosen by the electorates during the elections, warning that if they choose the wrong candidates, the electorates will also elect from that pool.
In his speech which he titled “Advocacy to Elect Candidates who are likely to use the Collective Wisdom of the People (not just theirs) to Lead”, the former Economic Adviser to the then administration of TA Orji, lamented that no administration in Nigeria has developed a concept for development since the collapse of the First Republic.
“As a crusader and advocate for rapid economic and social development, there comes a time in the life of the strategic management/organization development consultant and change agent when he must become activist or deepen his activism to raise the consciousness of the people to what is right to do.
“Nigeria is embarking on make or mar 2023 general elections. Presidential and gubernatorial aspirants are already talking about how they will fix the economy in four to eight years, a programme which successive administrations since the civil war ended undertook under various titles with limited success.
“This resulted in a steady emasculation of the economy and culminated in the negative synergy which Nigeria is experiencing and suffering today. There is no guarantee that any of these aspirants and candidates can turn the tide using his solo knowledge or that the electorate can elect the more capable of the lot with their present mindset, orientation, and gullibility, hence this press conference”, he argued.
Ojukwu therefore asked Nigerians to insist on voting those that will use the collective wisdom in leading, pointing out that that is the only way to change the status quo.
His word, “Collective wisdom refers to the best idea (approach, method, process, knowledge, skill and tool that emerges from competition of ideas conducted for the purpose.
“The national economy can be rapidly emancipated to start working effectively with three months to six months of starting the intellectual process”.
He added “This is guaranteed as long as the new President is willing to use the scientific means to tackle the real issues. The President and governors will have a lot of work to do than they have time for”.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
