By YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE

A Lagos-based socio-political activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has been urged the federal government to put in place, the necessary process that would make it mandatory for presidential candidates of all the political parties in the country to undergo holistic capacity, health and competency tests before the 2023 general elections.

Onitiri made the call on Sunday said this would help the country to forestall any disaster in the nearest future as Nigeria cannot afford a leader that would be battling health challenges throughout his stay in office.

Onitiri warned that “if we must salvage our country from total collapse and looming disaster, Nigeria needs a world class administrator and visionary leader now, more than ever before. We earnestly need a good, agile and healthy president that can rescue us from imminent calamity. “

“Therefore our next prospective leader to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari next year should first and foremost undergo drug test which must be conducted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to ascertain his mental health and if he is free from drug and substance use,” Onitiri emphasised.

He also recommended that Nigeria’s next president should undergo medical fitness to ascertain his physical ability and mental alertness to withstand the rigours and enormous stress the job entails while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), should conduct a diligent integrity test on all intending political office holders to ensure Nigerians do not vote in fantastically corrupt individuals and worsen our already deplorable economic situation.

“Nigeria needs a selfless, detribalised, non-nepotic, religiously liberal and tolerant leader and not a greedy undertaker and looter as president. Our incoming leaders should address us on their manifestos and how they intend to salvage our country from imminent calamity. Above all, they must sign indemnity with the people of Nigeria to be loyal and to protect lives and property of citizens within a year of ascension to power, failing which a referendum should be conducted to remove them from power.

“They should sign a pact with Nigerians to discard within two years, the obnoxious 1999 constitution and inaugurate the 2014 constitutional review reports. Alternatively, he should take us back to the 1964 regional structure,” Onitiri stated.

He further called for restructuring of the country in view of the “lopsidedness of the present warped constitution that could not guarantee justice, equity and fair play to the various tribes that make up Nigeria, causing the loud agitations and clamour for self-determination.”

He concluded that “the year 2023 elections must be absolutely for service to the nation. We must get it right this time around, as we cannot afford to fail our heroes past and our children yet unborn. We have no other country we can call our own. No more politics of stomach infrastructure. We urge all Nigerians to carefully select their leaders in 2023. No more money politics. We must eradicate poverty in our land; no selling of votes and don’t stay aloof.”