2027: Nigerians in diaspora applaud APC primaries, hail Tinubu’s economic reforms

…Back Donald Trump’s security operations in Nigeria

 

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Diaspora have applauded the party’s primaries, especially with the adoption of the Option A4 method, which they say promotes transparency in choosing the people’s representatives

Speaking on behalf of the team in Abuja, Pascal Mbawuike, one of the APC chieftains in the Diaspora, said their experience with the party primaries have so far proven that democracy is indeed, thriving in Nigeria.

He disclosed that the team undertook an extensive tour to assess governance and the reforms being implemented across the country, especially at the grassroots.

The Nigerian-American with decades of high level economic cum political influence, across the African continent, said the Diaspora team has been in Nigeria to monitor the political processes that will transit to another general election in 2027.

Read also: APC drifting from founding vision – Fayemi

“I must confess that we are indeed impressed with what we have seen across the country so far during the APC primaries, for the House of Representatives, the Senate and even the Governorship,” he said.

He disclosed that Nigerians in the Diaspora have put up a massive team of President Bola Tinubu’s supporters to ensure his re-election in 2027.

“Many of us have been apolitical for several decades, but we have seen sincerity in the reforms of President Tinubu, his commitment to taking Nigerians out of poverty, despite the challenges of insecurity.

“We are sincerely behind President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the security menace being perpetrated by the ISIS and Boko Haram. America will never allow Nigeria to be overrun by ISIS, ISWAP and other terror groups.

“We believe that the only way we can sustain the current global actions to rescue Nigeria from collapse is to back a peaceful and sustainable transition to ensure that Nigeria is stabilised, post 2027,” he told BusinessDay.

Mbawuike said he was prepared to now return to Nigeria to contribute to nation building.

“Some of my friends call me the “Mr. fix it”, but for others, I am simply “Paschal Okechukwu Mbawuike, the Mr. Wonderful”.

He is a major player in the power sector and a political lobbyist based in Washington, D.C.

For several decades, he acted as a bridge between Nigerians in the diaspora, political and business elites, as well as in the US-African policy circles.

He is also described as a “quiet rain-maker” and power-broker, particularly in dealings involving Africa-focused investment, diplomacy and infrastructure.

Mbawuike, who hails from Amaimo, Ikeduru in Imo State, Nigeria, carved a niche for himself, while working at the old National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) as a meter reader—an early connection with the power sector which later became one of his major interest areas.

In 1983 he emigrated to the United States (Boston initially) at the instance of an uncle. He studied at Chamberlain College then proceeded to Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he studied Political Science and Television Production.

He attributed his meteoric rise to the top at the then Cohen & Woods International, a Washington-based Africa-focused consulting firm which was founded by Ambassador Herman J. Cohen (former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa), to “hard work, focus, resilience and the Nigerian never-die spirit.”

He held the vice-presidential role (“Vice President Emeritus”) and senior business-development/strategy roles within the firm, at that time.

Like many other Nigerians in the United States, Mbawuike, for over 30 years, has continued to play the role of a very quiet “rain maker” from his Washington base.

Through Cohen & Woods, he was involved in connecting U.S. and African corporate interests, government policy, power/infrastructure projects, and diaspora engagement initiatives. For example, the firm had involvement via partnership in places like Nigeria and other African countries in the energy/power sector.

He was a strong associate of the renowned diplomat per excellence, Ambassador Herman J. Cohen, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, under former President George Bush 1, and also worked as a senior member of the national security council, under former President Ronald Reagan.

However, his love for his country, Nigeria, and in strict obedience to instruction of Ambassador Cohen, has agreed to return home at this critical time, to work for the re-election of President Tinubu. Ambassador Cohen himself, is a strong ally of President Tinubu.