2015: 68 Pressure Groups Urge Late Tafawa Balewa's Son to Run for President

Ahead of 2015 presidential elections, no fewer than 68 pressure groups have urged Abduljhalil Balewa, son of the former Prime Minister of Nigeria the late Tafawa Balewa, to contest for the office of the President.

Coordinator of the groups, Mr Dele Oluajo, told newsmen in Abuja on Sunday that they were working together under the auspices of Nigerians for Change (NFC) to draft Balewa junior into the race.

Oluajo, however, said they were yet to decide on the political party under which Balewa would contest the election. He said that they had given him 20-day ultimatum to declare his intention.

He said that a one-million-man-persuasion-march would be staged in Abuja at the expiration of the ultimatum on May 17, if Balewa failed to declare his intention to contest the election.

Oluajo said that the current security challenge in the country and the high level
of corruption in the system necessitated their call for leadership change.

"If we decide to just be onlookers, history and posterity will judge us guilty of inaction; this is the basis on which our quest for alternative leadership for the country predicates. For you to get a redeemer to head this onerous crusade of national redemption, you need a completely unadulterated new leader.

"Someone who know what it takes for developed countries to be where they are; somebody who has the intellectual pedigree and understanding of the socio-economic and political order of the 21st century. Somebody who has the root of his emergence as a human being in all the ethnic zones of Nigeria; these modest qualities are embodied in Abduljhalil Tafewa Balewa,’’ Oluajo said.

In his remark, Mr Mohammed Alkali, representing Nigerians in the Diaspora, said the country was under-utilising its workforce, especially medical doctors and scientists.

He noted that under-utilisation of these professionals had led to their exodus to other countries for their practice.

On his part, Mr Ukah Ebube, who represents National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said that the falling standard of education gave rise to the challenges being faced in the country.

He said that the current strike embarked upon by Polytechnic and Colleges of Education lecturers for about 11 months now portend serious danger for a developing country like Nigeria.

Ms Binta Ojoma, who represented Nigerian Youths, blamed the country’s numerous challenges on unemployment.

"The deaths recorded at the aptitude test recently organised for job seekers by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is a typical example of the rate of unemployment in Nigeria,’’ Ojoma said.

She therefore urged Nigerian youths to support the call to persuade Balewa to join the 2015 presidential race. Ojoma said that Balewa’s participation and anticipated victory would transform Nigeria for the good of its citizens.