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Tag: Nda-Isaiah

  • Why I want to be president – Nda Isaiah

    Why I want to be president – Nda Isaiah

    The All Progressive Congress presidential aspirant, Chief Sam Nda-Isaiah, said Tuesday in Abuja that he wants to be Nigeria’s President in order to change the course of history in the country.

    He promised that his government will be  “very harsh” on corruption.

    Nda-Isaiah told journalists shortly after he was screened by the presidential screening committee of the party that the only way to fight graft is to be harsh on corruption, adding that the anti- graft czar is the President himself.

    He said the body language of a President alone is enough to fight corruption, saying, “from your body language, people will decide whether to be corrupt or not. If your idea is to suspend the Central Bank governor for raising alarm about corruption, are you now surprise that there is corruption in the land?

    “I want to be President to change the course of history of this country. I did not leave what I was doing which I was enjoying to come and get harassed simply because I want to feel good about it.

    “I don’t believe that a President should come and tell us that he paid salaries or build roads or build boreholes. If you look at the issues that has changed the course of history of nations in this world, you will realize that big ideas changed the course of their history. It is not just coming to sit down and follow the normal course of events.
    “I have always said that when we take over in this country, we intend to unite the country as quickly as possible. Not the kind of unity you hear slogan about on television, but doing deliberate things to unite this country.

    “Nigeria is too divided to be called a nation and that is because we cannot develop with these quarrelsome people. If you see people like this, it is because that is how the leaders want them to be. It means that it is the leaders that are causing the problems.

    “First, if you want to unite people, there must be justice and fairness. All crimes must be punished, no matter how long it takes, no matter who commits the crimes. There are so many murder cases that we are told have been closed. No. We have to start running this country properly.

    “We cannot be Africa’s biggest economy as we claim to be and for 178 million people, we are struggling with 4000 megawatts of power. It does not make sense. From 1999 to date, we have spent $25 billion to achieve what we have achieved which is a change of name from NEPA to PHCN.

    “The biggest power station in the world which is the Three Gorges dam in China cost $26 billion and we have spent $25 billion to achieve 4000MW. So, you can know why it is not being done, because it is not about corruption. A President must really desire to leave legacies.”

  • APC presidential aspirant Nda-Isaiah’s dad dies

    APC presidential aspirant Nda-Isaiah’s dad dies

    a Clement Nda-Isaiah, the father of the publisher of LEADERSHIP Newspapers and a presidential aspirant of he All Progressives Congress (APC), Sam Nda-Isaiah, is dead.

    He was 80.

    The late Pa Nda-Isaiah died at his Kaduna home after a brief illness.

    His children said they were consoled by the fulfilling life their father had.

    Pa Clement was an outstanding newspaperman. He worked with The Nigerian Citizen and Gaskiya Corporation in Zaria before to The Mail, the political newspaper of the defunct Northern People’s Congress (NPC) in Kano.

    He was a pioneer worker at the New Nigerian in 1966, where he held several top positions.

    He was Sports Editor, News Editor, Chief Sub-Editor, Assistant Editor (North) and Associate Editor (North).

    His friend and renowned journalist, Dr. Haroun Adamu, poached him to The Triumph, the national newspaper published from Kano in the Second Republic. He was the Managing Editor at the newspaper and later its Acting Managing Director.

    In 1983, Governor Solomon Lar offered him the job of managing director of The Standard in Jos, but the Second Republic ended before the announcement of the appointment in January.

    The founder of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group and APC presidential aspirant, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, addressed reporters in Kaduna on his father’s death.

    The publisher described his late father as an upright man.

    He said: “My father lived a fulfilled life. He was very happy. He saw all his children grow and saw his grandchildren. He did not lose any of his children and grandchildren. My father died a happy and fulfil man.”

  • Nda-Isaiah picks APC nomination form

    Nda-Isaiah picks APC nomination form

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant Sam Nda-Isaiah picked the presidential nomination form yesterday at the party’s national secretariat.

    He said he was in the race to become the party’s flagbearer for the February presidential election.

    Nda-Isaiah, who is also the Publisher of Leadership, told reporters after collecting the N25 million form that the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was failing the country.

    He accused the government of operating under what he called small ideas, which, he noted, would not develop the country.

    The government, he added, lacks the big ideas needed to transform the country, assuring that the APC presidential candidate would emerge at the December 8 primaries without any rancour.

    The aspirant said the party’s presidential aspirants have agreed to support anyone who emerges as candidate.

    He said: “For a country of about 178 million people, the power generation today is between 2,000 and 4,000 megawatts and their own idea is 10,000 megawatts, which will never be attained. And a country that is a third of our size and second largest economy after us produces 45,000 megawatts.

    “Well, I don’t know why our own big idea should be compared to this one. And, of course, our party has been talking about unity. We need to unite the whole country to be able to implement these ideas that will transform this country into what it should be.

    “You will agree with me that this is not the kind of country you want to raise your kids and obviously things cannot continue this way. The country needs a new direction and by the grace of God, that will happen next year.”

    On the presidential primaries, Nda-Isaiah said: “We are doing it on the 8th of December and we have promised it is going to be rancour free. We will all support whoever eventually emerges. But I intend to win.”

    The aspirant, while receiving his nomination form from the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, assured the party’s leadership that all the aspirants had agreed to work together.

    “I still want to thank you for calling everybody to order and ensuring that all the aspirants work together  and doing everything you can to ensure that there is no rancour. Of course, in all human endeavour, there might be some form of rancor, but this chairman has spent every power at his disposal to ensure that everything comes out well.

    “We can assure you that we are going to work by the rules. We are going to ensure that it comes out well without any rancour in the interest of our party and this nation.”

    Odigie-Oyegun, who appreciated the courage displayed by the aspirant, said all the APC aspirants were capable of keeping the nation together as well as providing leadership that would inspire the people.

  • Nigeria is a failed state, says Nda-Isaiah

    Nigeria is a failed state, says Nda-Isaiah

    Leadership publisher and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Sam Nda Isaiah, has said Nigeria is a failed state and needs urgent revival.

    The publisher said his criticisms of the Federal Government were not against President Goodluck Jonathan but against the bad aspects of his administration, which were affecting the masses.

    Nda-Isaiah, who addressed reporters in Owerri, the Imo State capital, during his consultations with members of the Sam4Nigeria Presidential Campaign Organisation, said he had always supported past administrations.

    The politician explained that he usually withdraws such support the moment an administration derails from its promises to Nigerians.

    He said: “People accuse me of criticising President Jonathan. I am not half as critical of him as I was of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. When they came in, I supported them. But once they started doing things that were against the betterment of the masses, I withdrew my support. What I should even be accused of is not being critical of what is going on in the country.”

    Nda-Isaiah attributed the socio-economic problems in the country to the concentration of powers in the hands of those he called typical politicians.

    The publisher said such people were insensitive to the plight of the masses.

    He said: “I am not a typical politician; I am just bringing myself to serve Nigeria because of the change we want to bring. Politics is too serious to be left to typical politicians. You can see where that has led us to in the country.”

    The frontline journalist stressed that he was the best among APC aspirants because of his “big ideas”.

  • Nda-Isaiah declares interest in president

    Nda-Isaiah declares interest in president

    A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, the founder of the Leadership newspapers, will formally declare his intention to contest for the party’s ticket on October 28.

    According to a statement by his campaign group, Sam4Nigeria, the declaration will take place at the Idris Legbo Kutigi Conference Centre, Minna, Niger State, at 11am.

    The Executive Director, Public Affairs of Sam4Nigeria, Ibrahim Tukur, said after over one year of consultations with family and friends, stakeholders, groups, communities and leaders, it is time for Nda-Isaiah to step out.

    He said: “Our country has never been in greater need for a change. What came out loud and clear during our consultative tours were people telling us that they were tired of change as a slogan – they needed change as an action word.

    “For the first time in the history of Nigeria, our great party, the APC, offers change as an action word, a real possibility. The overwhelming feedback is that we also have an aspirant, Sam, who embodies the hopes and aspirations of the party and country.”

    Tukur added: “Nda-Isaiah stands for big ideas about the country’s future. At a time when the nation is divided, he offers a strong unifying message and generational connectedness. He is in touch.”

    The statement said the public declaration would offer delegates, members and the public the opportunity to deepen the conversation about the country’s future with Nda-Isaiah and be a part of the train for change.

    “It’s time for those who are fed up with 15 wasted years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stand up with Sam and be counted,” Tukur said.

  • Nda-Isaiah: my priority is to unite Nigeria

    Nda-Isaiah: my priority is to unite Nigeria

    Founder of the LEADERSHIP Group and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah has said he is in the race to unite the country.

    Nda-Isaiah spoke in his Abuja home at the weekend while hosting members of a think-tank group, called the Broom Initiative.

    He said he played a leading role in uniting the parties that formed the APC because he believed Nigeria was better together, adding that only a strong united platform could dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year.

    Nda-Isaiah lamented the insecurity in the country and the government’s inability to curb it.

    He said: “The first thing I intend to do as president is to unite Nigeria because Nigeria is so divided that it is not yet a nation. We are still a country of disparity and a quarrelsome people, who quarrel over whether someone is a Christian or a Muslim.

    “Unfortunately, our country has come to this state. I always ask my friends in the PDP: ‘Is this the Nigeria you want to leave behind for your children?’ Most of them just keep quiet. There are certain things that are beyond politics.”

    Nda-Isaiah urged the group to put all aspirants on the spot, adding that this was a time to be clear about the way forward.

    The leader of the delegation, Alhaji Saidu Malami, who stood in for the group’s Chairman, Yusuf Tuggar, said their visit was to interact with the aspirant

    Malami said the group was responsible for reconciliatory initiatives in the APC in order to foster unity among members.

    He said: “We have been consistent in policy contribution within the leadership of the party. This evening, you are third in our programme of visiting presidential aspirants. Our objective is very simple. It is to highlight the fact that for us to appreciate the precarious situation we are in, we have to understand that the bigger objective of rescuing Nigeria is bigger than all of us.”

  • Why Nigeria is failing, by Nda-Isaiah

    Nigeria is reeling due to corruption and bad governance, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Sam Nda- Isaiah, stated yesterday.

    Speaking on Kaduna- based Liberty Radio programme as guest of the week, Nda Isaiah said Nigeria is in urgent need of rescue.

    He pointed out that the country is exhibiting serious signs of a failed state such as lack of quality education and lack of quality health care.

    According to him: “Our country needs to be rescued quickly as a matter of fact. This is why I want to run for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    “What is happening is the consequences of corruption. This country has collapsed as a result of corruption and bad governance.

    “We are at a point in this country when our dear country needs to be rescued. Nigerians should actually be sorry that we didn’t do more than we talked.

    “We are at this point of rescue. This is not a time that we will lie to ourselves; we are about to lose a country that we all love. This is not a time to play with the sorry state of our country.”

    Speaking on the state of the nation, he said: “I don’t think there will be enough adjective to qualify what is happening to us now. All of us should be scared of what is happening to us as a nation.

    “We are tired because it is like Nigeria has become very hopeless. This is a classical definition of a failed state. The government is incapable of protecting it citizens, its children and the women.”

    He, however, expressed confidence that the situation is redeemable, saying “the good thing is that a failed state like Nigeria is reversible with quality leadership.

    “Our biggest problem to national security today is the incompetence of our leaders.”

    He insisted that there was no need for the country to spend so much money convening a National Conference.

    Nda-Isaiah argued: “I am critical about the national conference because it is very funny. They are discussing what the President should be doing and I think that they should pack their luggage and leave the stage.”

    The presidential aspirant opposed the creation of state police.

    He said: “I am against it because the state governors are going to use the police the same way the federal government is using the federal police today.

    “And if the governors use the state police the same the president use the federal police, then there would be a civil war between the state and federal police in the states. We are just not ready for state police.”