Ramadan Mubarak / Ramadan Shereef!

Every Ramadan that comes and goes is an an opportunity for all of us. It is a chance for us to renew our intentions and to pursue change in our hearts and our habits.
My sincere advice is do not let Ramadan pass without making an effort to improve yourself because we can all stand to become better people and better Muslims. If you haven't prayed Tahajjud in the past, please try to start praying. If you haven't opened the Quran in years, start with 1 line a day. It is the effort and the intention that matters.
May all of us recognize the opportunity that we have before us and may we all take that first step toward whatever change we strive to make inshallah!

If there is anything I have ever said or done to offend or anger any of you in the past, please do forgive me and please remember my family and I in your duaa in sha Allah, d Muslim ummah in general and of course I will in sha Allah do the same!
Let not Ramadan come to change our schedules but to Change our hearts n attitudes positively. May Allah make it easy for us . May He preserve and increase our Imaan till and after the month.
May we and our family be beneficiaries of his blessings and mercies .

Ameen

Aminu Ndakkpoto is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, Ndakkpoto speaks on the state of the nation and the just concluded National Assembly election. Anayo Okolie presents the excerpts:

Nigeria witnessed the first defeat of a president in an election and the first civilian-to-civilian transition. Are there lessons to be learnt by leaders from the outcome of the March 28 presidential election?


The success recorded by APC in the March 28 presidential election in Nigeria simply defines democracy as the government of the people by the people and for the people. The defeat suffered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the then ruling party was an indication that the social contract within the state and citizen is not respected and for the first time in history of African Politics, collectively the populace voted the ruling party out, given room for the time in history of a change of baton ruling party to opposition party. What we witnessed was not just the handover from a civilian-to-civilian but ruling party to opposition, the lesson derived is that the mandate belongs to the people.

Despite the successful outing of your party in the last general elections, the Senate Presidency and Speakership elections seems to be a potential crisis for APC. What do you think should be done to prevent the looming crisis?
The aspiration of different members of our party for leadership of Senate and House of Representatives to me is indeed a welcome development. If you study carefully those that vied for Senate President and Speakership positions, you will see clearly that indeed APC is serious about change. I will like to focus mainly on the Senate Presidency as an example.
The beauty of democracy is for interested and qualified candidate to be able to contest and seek for votes. Both leading contenders for the position of the Senate President are qualified and I will break the analysis of the two candidates down. Senator Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki who is political leader with high net worth of contacts globally, a welfares and a mentor to many young Nigerians as myself, has an enormous qualification having led Kwara State meritoriously for 8 years, and also as chairman of Nigeria Governor Forum where he transformed the forum to ban effective organisation for a seamless working relationship with federal and state. Saraki has both executive and legislative wealth of experiences. Also, as Senator, he is credited with raising people friendly bills and also having an open communication channel with Nigerians.


Also, Senator Lawan is also one with qualities that are worth mentioning, he is from the North East, a zone that produced some of the good votes in the last election. He has been in the National Assembly for a combined 16 years this are indeed qualities that set both apart and was considered by the majority of their colleagues when on Tuesday when the election of the senate took place.


Looking at the beginning of this democratic dispensation since 1999, one will see that there has been different Senate President and analyst have said the reason why Senate Presidents never last is mainly because of lack of democracy in the emergence of the Senate President. As the National Assembly election has come and gone, I personally urge our leaders to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari on neutrality so that change can be delivered to the populace. We need to build internal democracy so that we can deliver dividend of democracy to Nigerians. In my earlier interview before national Assembly election, I warned against party taken position on candidacy of Lawan and as political scientist, we see beyond personal interest. Objectively, we at party level need to support the Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki collectively now so that we wont fail Nigerians populace. African Politics has come of age and today Dr. Bukola Saraki has redefine political landscape in Nigeria.

What do you think are the greatest problems of Nigeria and what solution do you recommend?
Every nation has its set of problems. Corruption is at the apex of Nigeria’s many problems. Corruption in this country has taken many forms and has spreads it tentacles to all political and economic agencies. Transparency International remarked that Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Crime and terrorism have given Nigeria a bad image, terrorist activities are on the rise in Nigeria. Bombings, kidnappings, and others violent activities of Boko Haram have make Nigerians to live in fear. It is a known fact that unemployment is a key issue in Nigeria and many Nigerians especially the youth are frustrated.
Unemployment in Nigeria is like AIDs whose cure is yet to be found.
As we all know that, there is monumental corruption in the education sector particularly in the universities, lecturers are known to collect money from students in exchange for good grade. Some are of the view that the sector is underfunded. The county is characterised with infrastructural decadence. Do you think a country can develop without a reliable power supply? The power sector is corrupt and mismanaged. Our major roads are not motorable. Business suffers without a dependable road system.


Similarly, issues of inadequacy and corruption can be seen in the water resources and railway sector. Environmental and health standard are in deplorable state. To be candid, you will agree with me that the problems are numerous. To every problem, there is a solution says an aphorism. The solution to Nigeria’s problems is myriad but the most important panaceas are as follows. The need to enthrone good leaders that are focused who will sanitise our countries devoid of scavengers, a government that will liberate the mass from the shackles of oppression.


Our government must ensure adequate provisions of basis social amenities of life such as good road, standard education, employment, modern hospital, and adequate security, to mention but a few.  You will agree with me that the government must fundamentally respect the constitution and ensure the freedom of the press and the judiciary. I will like to reiterate the fact that corruption, the monster living with us must be exterminated and Nigerians should cultivate the habit of being patient. As we all know that many of our people in this country are corrupt because they are impatient and want to make quick money.


We must put all hands on deck to ensure a society where people are treated not base on their social stratification but by merit and character. We must ordain a country where citizens emulate the ideals of equity and justice. We, Nigerians have to commit ourselves and everything we have to the struggle for a new and moral community far from being helpless victims of terror

It could be local Eye lash tin

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