Presidency Not About Jumping, But Vision, Experience, Momodu Replies Makinde

The Deputy Director-General, Media and Communications of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign, Dele Momodu, has mentioned that presidential management requires imaginative and prescient, expertise, tolerance and the flexibility to handle individuals and sources, slightly than bodily power.

Momodu made the remarks on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday whereas reacting to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s feedback on the necessity for vitality and stamina in a presidential candidate forward of the 2027 normal election.

Makinde had mentioned he wouldn’t make age a difficulty within the presidential contest however would as a substitute assess candidates based mostly on their vitality ranges and talent to deal with the calls for of the workplace.

To display his level, the governor reportedly jumped off a stage and challenged different presidential candidates to do the identical.

“When they bring their presidential candidate, let the candidate come here and also jump down,” Makinde mentioned.

“If they can do that, vote for them.”

However, reacting to the governor’s feedback, Momodu argued that bodily agility shouldn’t be the first consideration when assessing a presidential candidate.

“The job of a president is to not be a excessive jumper or an extended jumper. It is to suppose. It is to have clear imaginative and prescient.

“It is to have expertise. It is to have publicity. And be tolerant.

“Leadership is about managing people and resources,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, talking in regards to the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, he described him as a candidate with in depth political expertise.

“Our candidate, the ADC presidential candidate, is one of the best you can find in Nigeria. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” he mentioned.

Explaining his help for Atiku, Momodu mentioned the previous vice-president had demonstrated political focus and restraint since he first emerged on the presidential scene in 1993.

“I’m not here to gaslight anybody. It’s just to make a statement of fact that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been the most deliberate, the most focused candidate I’ve known since he first appeared on the presidential scene in 1993,” he mentioned.

Momodu recalled that he first encountered Atiku on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) conference in Jos, the place the previous vice-president contested for the occasion’s presidential ticket towards Chief MKO Abiola and Alhaji Babagana Kingibe.

According to him, Atiku was persuaded to withdraw from the competition in favour of Abiola and did so with out inflicting a significant political disaster.

“And on that occasion, he was persuaded to step down for Chief Abiola. And he did, without setting the roof on fire,” Momodu mentioned.

He contrasted Atiku’s response to the expertise with that of unnamed politicians who, based on him, had remained dissatisfied after failing to safe presidential tickets in earlier contests.

“We know some people who did not get the candidacy four years ago until today. They are still inconsolable,” he mentioned.

Momodu additional described Atiku as a peaceful politician who had not prevented others from contesting towards him or acted as a dictator.

“He’s at all times been a person of cool males. He’s at all times as cool as a cucumber.

“He has never stopped anyone from contesting against him. He has never been a dictator. He left power in 2007. And he’s been managing his life. He does not control any state,” he added.

Momodu maintained that his evaluation of Atiku was based mostly on the previous vice-president’s political document and expertise.

He additionally claimed that President Bola Tinubu was conversant in Atiku’s political credentials, recalling that the 2 politicians had beforehand explored working collectively politically.

“And even the Bola Tinubu himself knows that. That’s why at the time he invited him and they joined hands for Atiku to run in the past,” Momodu mentioned.