Sam Nda-Isaiah, an APC chieftain and Presidential aspirant, is the founder and immediate past chairman, LEADERSHIP Newspapers. He is so far the new face among those who have indicated interest to contest for the presidency in Nigeria, both on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, platforms. In these days when the majority of Nigerians are yearning for a new face — an active and vibrant person — as in other climes, Nda-Isaiah, according to his supporters, is the only one among the major parties that appears to fit the bill.

Sam Nda-Isaiah

Nda-Isaiah who hails from Niger State was born in Minna in 1962. He had his primary and secondary education in Kaduna and got admitted to the University of Ife, Ile- Ife (as it was called) in 1979. He graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy (B.Pharm). He did his internship at the Minna General Hospital before proceeding to Ondo State for his National Youth Service. He served at both Ilare-Ekiti General Hospital and State Hospital, Ikere-Ekiti, in Ekiti State. He joined the Pfizer Products Ltd in 1985 and resigned in 1989 to delve into entrepreneurship.

He has been described by those who know him from childhood as completely detribalised and a bridge builder. Halima Abdullahi, who was classmates with Sam in the primary school, said: “Sam was not given to religious sentiments even at a very tender age. Samuel is one person who was always saying that there was nothing like being a Christian or a Muslim. Till now, he believes that all of us serve one God.”

Sam has wide range of friends cutting across social, regional and religious divides. He is close to Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubarkar, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senator Alli Modu Sheriff, Dr. Ogbonnanya Onu, all the APC governors and some PDP governors. Others are Sam Ohuabunwa (his former boss), Sen. Ken Nnamani, Sen. Chris Ngige, elder statesman Edwin Clark, Donald Duke, Tony Anenih (until recently after the public exchange of letters), Fafa Princewill, Joi Yowika and Princewill Otoks.

Each year, Nda-Isaiah has been the chief host of the LEADERSHIP Awards and Conferences that bring together former heads of governments and prominent politicians to review political and social issues that affect the country. The APC presidential aspirant is widely seen as the candidate that can unite Nigeria and heal the wounds currently tearing the country apart. The political calculation in some quarters is that, since religion has become such an issue for the 2015 presidential election, especially with the centrality of Boko Haram in the life of the country at the moment, it might be expedient for the APC to present a northern Christian as its presidential candidate.
A professor at the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, said: “Since Jonathan is already polarising the country through religion, the APC should get a northern Christian who is also acceptable to the Muslims if it wants to win. If they do that, it will be the end of the Jonathan regime.”

Speaking along the same line, a senior member of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, said that because Jonathan has divided the country along religious lines, the two major parties (PDP and APC) must present presidential candidates of the same religion in order to protect the country. Said he: “If Jonathan insists on contesting, then, the APC should present a northern Christian candidate, but if Jonathan does not contest or is defeated at the PDP primaries and a Muslim emerges as the PDP presidential candidate, the APC should present a Northern Muslim.

“This is the only way to save the country at the moment, considering the type of dangerous divisions that the Jonathan administration is creating.”

But Sam says he is not campaigning as a northerner or a Christian. “I am a Nigerian seeking the APC presidential ticket who just happens to be a northerner and a Christian,” he says. Asked his opinion about a recent newspaper story which stated that some people in his party were working for a Muslim-Muslim ticket, he replies: “Whether anyone is working towards a Muslim-Muslim ticket or a Christian-Christian ticket, or a Muslim-Christian ticket or a Christian-Muslim ticket, we intend to win the APC nomination and proceed to defeat President Jonathan next year, because we know how important this is to Nigeria.”

Some, especially from the old school, consider his lack of experience in government as a liability. But he and his associates do not think so. The kind of experience needed to move Nigeria into the comity of developed nations, he says, is the type he has: world outlook and exposure, entrepreneurship experience, ability to bring people together. Moreover, he insists he is not part of the “experienced” looters that have brought Nigeria to its current state. In his words: “You can’t have more experience than President Jonathan. He has been a deputy governor, then governor, then vice-president, acting president and then president. Is that the kind of experienced people we want?” The answer is obvious. He speaks to AYORINDE OLUOKUN

Some days ago, you clocked 52 years of age. Looking back and reflecting on your life, what are the fond memories you have of Nigeria in those days of growing up?

Almost everything. The Nigeria that we live in today is totally different from the Nigeria we had when we didn’t have this kind of money. Life was peaceful even during the civil war. I, for instance, have never paid school fees in my life. When we were in Government College, Kaduna, we got exercise books for free, we got amenities free, and we remember the quality of our teachers. And then, whenever there was an armed robbery operation, one needed to talk things over – it would be discussed for two to three months continuously.

It is not as if they were not there but they were not like what we are seeing today. Everything was different. That’s why it’s painful when, after we are supposed to have grown up, we make much more as a nation than we were making before and the country appears to be poorer and indigent. And that is the basis of all this bloodshed that we see in this country.

Is this why you have chosen to leave your comfort zone — you were doing well as a publisher, having crossed over from your initial profession as a pharmacist — and you are now going into the rumble and tumble world of politics? You know the cloak and dagger business of politics; why did you decide to take the plunge?

I thought I told you that I left the job by choice. There was no reason to leave, as I was enjoying it. I think it’s a good job especially because I have always said that it is not normal for you as a human being. That decision to want to be President of Nigeria — if you really know the burden, what it takes and what it is all about, it is actually like deciding whether you want to choose how to die. You know, being given an option to choose how to die. I don’t know how to explain it to make sense because at times it doesn’t make sense that I am doing what I’m doing. But I know that I did not just start this thing recklessly; it was not something I didn’t think through. It was not something that I am happy doing. I don’t know whether I am communicating but I know what I mean — I just don’t know whether I am passing it across.

I have always said, for instance, that the job of the president is not a good job. No, it is not a job for you to feel cool about or to have fun. If you are doing the job, there is no fun but of course, one thing led to the other and, well, I’m in it already and I’m in it to win. As a result, I have been making contacts and talking to people, not just party leaders. I had a town-hall meeting in Akure where I discussed with a quality gathering of the political, business, academic and professional entity of the state; it’s quite good. The quality of those that attended the meeting and the quality of the discussions was good. Yesterday, we were in Ado-Ekiti for the rally. So I’m in it; I’m already addicted to it.

When did you begin to nurse this idea that you should go for it; that is, saying to yourself maybe I can also be a part of this redemption of the country?