The National Publicity Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Rex Elanu, has described the party’s presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, as the most qualified candidate to lead Nigeria, citing his vision, capacity and record of developing organisations.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday, Elanu said the qualities required to lead Nigeria go beyond previous political offices held by candidates, stressing that leadership requires vision, capacity and the political courage to implement programmes.
“What should make anybody qualified to be a leader, especially in a country like ours that has a dysfunctional system? It is someone who has vision, someone who has the capacity and understanding of how systems work, someone who has the political courage and ability to implement these people’s programmes,” he said.
Elanu argued that previous experience in government does not necessarily translate into effective leadership, saying political leaders with access to technocrats and professionals have often lacked the political will to implement solutions.
“But even the dumbest of them have access to the best materials around, brains, you know, technocrats, professionals that can sort out things, bring ideas and implement them. But what is often lacking is the political will to implement these ideas,” he said.
He therefore declared that Sowore’s record and vision made him the strongest candidate to lead the country.
“So if there’s anybody that is most qualified to contest this election or to be the president of Nigeria, it’s undoubtedly Omoyele Sowore,” Elanu said.
He also highlighted Sowore’s record of building organisations and political movements, arguing that his political platform had created opportunities for Nigerians to participate in politics irrespective of their financial status or previous political positions.
“He has experience in building organisations. He builds our reporters from a laptop. Look at where it is today,” he said.
“Sowore introduced and brought up a movement that has given Nigerians an opportunity to hold government responsible. That’s the movement.”
According to Elanu, Sowore’s vision is centred on policies aimed at reducing poverty and expanding access to basic services, particularly education, healthcare and improved wages.
“So if there’s anybody most qualified, it’s the one who has vision, who is giving ideas that can bring people out of poverty,” he said.
He cited the AAC’s proposed policies, including a ₦500,000 minimum wage, study grants and free education for children from primary to secondary school, as examples of the candidate’s focus on improving the welfare of Nigerians.
“Look at the workers. Nobody’s talking about minimum wage for them. We are proposing $500 minimum wage. Look at the students. They are giving them no-fund loans and expecting them to celebrate on air and we are offering them study grants, besides free education for children from primary to secondary school,” Elanu said.
He added that the party had plans for affordable healthcare and expanded access to higher education.
“We are the ones really having comprehensive plans about affordable and accessible healthcare all around. Even the education we are talking about, we are the ones proposing having a university in all the 774 local governments.”
Elanu maintained that the proposed policies reflected Sowore’s broader vision of empowering Nigerians and building their capacity.
“So, if we have 774 local universities in all our local governments, what that does is it creates an environment where you are able to empower your people, empower them, build their capacities, and in turn, make your country richer and more wealthier.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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