Ahmed Lawan, Senate President

All Progressives Congress delegates were advised by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to do due diligence on aspirants’ past before voting for them, now that the presidential primary election is coming up next Monday.

He expressed this in a statement on Wednesday: “To all delegates across Nigeria, I beseech you to put pecuniary and monetary incentives aside and seriously consider what is ‘in the greater good.’ As you make your decision in picking the flag bearer of our party, I urge you to seek a leader and not a politician.

“I ask you to choose a person that will lead and not rule Nigerians; one that will be understanding, tolerant, fair, honest, and progressive. A leader that comes with absolutely ‘No-Baggage.’

“A vital component of any logical, efficient and authentic evaluation of a person involves assessing past behaviour. The key here is that one’s best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. If one has always done something a certain way, they are likely to do that same thing in the same manner in the future.

“The same goes for how one navigates or pillages in leadership. Thus, as you, the delegates, are determining the APC party presidential flag bearer, it is important to look at past behaviour to elicit what behaviours, avarice and rapacity candidates have exhibited in the past. You need to access all candidates along with this parameter.

Below is Lawan’s letter:

My Dear APC Party Delegates,

Compliments of the season. Permit me to write to you through this medium. As we converge at this great time, in this great party to begin the journey of determining the future of this great nation, we must be cognizant of the fact that the fate of Nigeria fluctuates.

While democracy asserts that the Nigerian voting public determines the person to emerge as President, however in advance of that, the party delegates are saddled with the task of nominating the flag bearers. This communication is an appeal to all APC delegates as the party prepares for its presidential primaries.

I am reaching out to every single one of you APC delegates to plead with you to put ‘Nigeria First’ and give thought to the future of 215,763,437 (million) Nigerians, a lot of whom will appreciate the sagacious determination you will make during this process. I am reaching out to you, with humility, to ask for your votes so that I can emerge as the APC Presidential flag bearer for the 2023 Nigerian Presidential election.

At this point, it is not lost on me that we must come together as one party and as one nation, for we have a great deal to mend, rehabilitate, reinstall and so much more to achieve. We have a unique chance to measure up to every expectation and show Nigeria and the world that Democracy triumphs. And that journey shall start during the APC Presidential Primary Election process.

To all delegates across Nigeria, I beseech you to put pecuniary and monetary incentives aside and seriously consider what is ‘in the greater good.’ As you make your decision in picking the flag bearer of our party, I urge you to seek a leader and not a politician. I ask you to choose a person that will lead and not rule Nigerians; one that will be understanding, tolerant, fair, honest, and progressive. A leader that comes with absolutely ‘No-Baggage.’

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A vital component of any logical, efficient and authentic evaluation of a person involves assessing past behaviour. The key here is that one’s best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. If one has always done something a certain way, they are likely to do that same thing in the same manner in the future. The same goes for how one navigates or pillages in leadership. Thus, as you, the delegates, are determining the APC party presidential flag bearer, it is important to look at past behaviour to elicit what behaviours, avarice and rapacity candidates have exhibited in the past. You need to access all candidates along with this parameter.

Dear delegates, look for a leader that will not buy your votes but one that is prepared to sell and deliver your dreams. I promise you that I will be that leader. I am prepared to offer you myself and my heart; my integrity, my dedication and my might. I want to offer you a dream of justice for all, a dream of uniting to fight the foes we face, a dream of unity under one single ideal, common purpose, common endeavour and resolve; a dream to right the wrongs of our past, a dream of work, employment, functioning safe schools, security, electricity, infrastructure, stable economy, compassion for the citizenry, technology, opportunity and so much more than Nigerians desire.

I will give you my all, thinking not of power, but possibility and the public good. I want you to take my hand so that together, we can show the Nigerian story of hope, unity, tolerance, healing, principle, greatness and goodness. I want you to take my hand so that together we can learn from history, embrace faith and find a way to unify Nigeria and take her into the future. We are at an extraordinary historic moment both in APC and in Nigeria and our unity is the path forward.

Dear delegates, I give you my word, I will defend the constitution. I’ll defend our democracy. I will defend Nigeria. I will defend every single Nigerian from every nook and cranny, across the length and breadth of the nation and from every corner. I commit to defending all 371 spectacular tribes existing in this brilliant, colourful, diverse and beautiful nation.

This and nothing more than this is what we owe to our forefathers, this is what we owe to each other and this is what we owe to the generations that will follow behind us; to our children and our children’s children.

Dear APC delegates, you have the sacred mission at this hour of history, during this hour of the decision of taking this country to a plain beyond. I urge you to assist me in uniting Nigeria in our common desire to move forward together.

We shall meet on the voting field as members of Africa’s largest party and as Nigerians united in our resolve to remain the most vibrant party in Africa and one of the greatest nations on earth. We shall meet on the voting field to tell the positive tale of Nigeria. While this is expected of every Nigerian, it starts with you, the APC delegates.