Why Udom Emmanuel is most suitable for presidency in 2023, by Suswan

A serving Senator and Chairman of Udom Emmanuel Campaign Council, Gabriel Suswan has described Governor Udom Emmanuel as the most suitable candidate for the presidency in 2023.

Suswan said the point where Nigeria is at the moment demands a capable hand that can urgently pull it out going by the individual’s track record of achievements.

According to him, “His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel is the man.”

Suswan, a former governor of Benue State, who spoke to senior editors in Lagos Saturday on the presidential aspiration of Governor Emmanuel, said that Nigeria urgently needed someone with good understanding of how the economy works and essentially, how to create money.

“His Excellency’s campaign will revolve around revamping the economy of this country that is in a shambles. It will revolve around infrastructure- the need to improve the power situation in the country; road and rail travel and generally fix the infrastructure deficit in the country.

“The campaign will revolve around resolving the insecurity situation in the country. Bandits and terrorists have taken over the country and not even one of them is being arrested. But in Akwa Ibom State governed by Emmanuel, there is nothing like insecurity,” he said.

The Chairman of the Campaign organisation further said that focus would also be on Foreign Policy, job creation, and giving women and the youth their pride of place in government and society.

Read also: 2023: Suswan heads Udom’s campaign council

Suswan, who decried the state of affairs under the current government and administration, strongly believes that returning Nigeria to a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government and enthroning an Emmanuel administration would fix the nation.

“We are talking about a man who has done a lot to improve the economy of his state. Whereas Nigeria as a country does not have a national carrier, Akwa Ibom today has a functional airline that is first class in terms of operation and management. He creates money by the kinds of projects he does.

“It takes competence, intellect for someone to do what he does. Apart from South Africa, the biggest syringe company in Africa is in Akwa Ibom State. I can also confirm to you that some other companies are concluding arrangements to bring in their money to establish big businesses in the state. That is possible because they see a viable economy in the state and a secured environment,” he said.

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On the need for a clear-cut, robust foreign policy for Nigeria, the Chairman said: “It is unfortunate that as a country, we do not have a clear-cut foreign policy.

Can you tell me Nigeria’s stand on any issue relating to how we handle issues with other countries; our stand on international issues? Even smaller countries around us have great foreign policies. His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel is ready to give Nigeria a foreign policy that would attract deserved respect for Nigeria.”

On the issues of zoning and consensus dominating discourse in the polity and in the PDP, Suswan said what Nigeria needed at the moment was someone that is competent and understands all the nuances around the nation’s politics.

“His Excellency is contesting as someone who has what it takes to lead the country. We must not be contesting elections today on the basis of primordial sentiments- ‘oh, it is our own turn; it is their turn’- No. Our focus should be on who can move Nigeria forward; not who can take us from ‘top to bottom’.

“Our principal has the pedigree and the antecedent to take the country from where it is now to where Nigerians want it to be.We have placed high premium on where we come from that we have left the country to degenerate to a point where things are terrible.

“I have been in the system for so long to ascertain who can do the job. Presidential campaign is based on the plan for the economy. When the economy is set, every other thing will be built on it,” he said.

According to him, “Issues that touch Nigerians, even babies that are born today, are what he wants to address. It is a project that will change our lives positively. It will not take us from top to bottom.”

On consensus method of selecting a candidate in the PDP, Suswan said it was as faulty as zoning as a wrong person could emerge from such a process.

“I am one person who believes in individual capability, not zoning. ‘It is our turn’ is no longer the issue today. In developed societies, father and son can become president back to back provided the people find them competent. So, consensus to who, or for what? If it revolves around a credible candidate that understands the problems of this country and ready to do the job, it makes sense,” he said.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State is among the presidential aspirants seeking the ticket of the PDP for the 2023 general election.

The party has fixed its presidential primary on May 29.

Suswan addressed the briefing accompanied by Bola Bolawole, spokesperson of the Campaign organisation; Ini EmemObong, commissioner for Information and Strategy, Akwa Ibom State and member of the organisation; Moshood Fayemiwo, member, and Obong Paul Ekpo, former PDP chairman, Akwa Ibom State and ex-officio member of the party.