Our Mission Is To Rescue Nigeria, Not Push Any Aspirant To Succeed Buhari, Says Nduka, Imam-Led 2022 Committee

The Nduka Obaigbena and Kashim Ibrahim-Imam-led group of 100 political and business leaders has clarified that it has no business supporting any aspirant to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 but is rather interested in ensuring that quality leaders emerge at all levels in the next general elections.

The group which came together under the aegis of the ‘The 2022 Committee’, described attempts to link it to candidates or political parties as “unwarranted and unnecessary distraction”.

The committee said even though some of its members are former governors, senate presidents, and aspiring public office holders, the group is not a political party or partisan.

The committee said it intends to work with the federal and state governments to reach a “new consensus for national rebirth” and rescue the country from “all political, economic and security threats” ahead of the next general elections.

It stressed that “candidates are only chosen by political parties” and as such linking it to a particular candidate would be mischievous.

“All the 100 leading lights of the 2022 Committee have the capacity for national leadership; indeed, amongst the very active participants in the work of the Committee are over 7 persons, from 3 or more political parties, who have already publicly declared their aspiration to lead the country but are desirous of working with other patriots for non-partisan greater national goals. We must have a secure, peaceful and united nation before we can have candidates for political offices.

“The Committee believes that what Nigeria needs today is for all patriots to come together to rescue our nation from all political, economic and security threats, and promote the unity of Nigeria. We call on all patriotic volunteers, who are willing and able, to join this collective effort to stabilise the system so we can all build a new Nigeria we can all be proud of,” read the group’s statement signed by Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of ThisDay Group, and Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, the Board of Trustees Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that President Buhari had commended members of the committee for the initiative when he recently hosted them to a dinner at the State House, Abuja.

“This is the kind of spirit I have always advocated because it is what we need at this time as we seek to build our society for peace, security and prosperity through dialogue while narrowing the gap between rich and poor,” the president had told the committee.

Obaigbena had noted that the country was facing a “historic transition like no other” and the committee had set out to “defend the national interest.”

He said, “The 2022 Committee was put together to defend Nigeria in a time of crisis and in a time of transition, we must defend the national interest.”