An All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Dr SKC Ogbonnia, has welcomed the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to seek re-election but declared that the incumbent must be prepared to engage him in “a robust debate with the president on our respective visions to lead the country”.

Dr Ogbonnia stated this in a statement which he e-mailed to News Express from his US base on Wednesday. He said:

“The decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to seek re-election is a welcome development. The move has the potential to deepen internal democracy within the All Progressive Alliance (APC) towards effective leadership in Nigeria. To that end, I am looking forward to a robust debate with the president on our respective visions to lead the country.

“Any meaningful debate will crave for an answer on whether Nigeria wants to move backward or forward. The world will like to know whether Nigeria has the wisdom to emulate progressive nations and commit her future to a new generation of leaders, including the youth, who have the zeal and the competencies to cope with the demands of the 21st century or whether the country must rely on recycled politicians who have been part and parcel of national problems. The suffering masses are eager to know whether the region or religion of the next president is more important than electing a detribalised leader who has the messianic will to make Nigeria better for all.

“Any meaningful debate ought to consider whether Nigeria must stay the status quo or opt for a new breed politician who has the moral audacity to demonstrate consequences for bad behaviour in the country without minding whose ox is gored. Fellow Nigerians will be interested to learn from the debate whether the APC, as a party, would risk losing power back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or whether the ruling party can sagely tap on the prevailing thirst for generational change in leadership and produce a younger, visionary, and dynamic leader who has the requisite knowledge, preparations, and the capacity to unleash the abundant potential of Nigeria to greatness.”