A former senior officer in the Nigerian military, Colonel Hassan Stan-Labo has called on Nigerians to disregard religious and tribal sentiments while making the choice of a new competent leader for the country come February 2023 election.
Col Hassan said that there is hope for Nigeria to be great again if only the citizens will come to the realisation that they are one of the important stakeholders in making that aspiration a reality.
He vehemently decried the bad state of the nation where he said every aspect of governance including economy and security has suffered negligence and irresponsibility.
Speaking on Channels Television’s SunriseDaily monitored by 9News Nigeria political correspondent, Col Hassan urged Nigerians to ensure that they vote “Competence” in the coming February 25th 2023 presidential election. He said that the citizens should collect and use their PVC wisely in order to allow the emergence of a leader that will change the country for the better.
While responding to a question bordering on the hope that things may change for the better, Col Hassan said “Yes, things may change, I’m very optimistic about my country despite my ill feelings about what is happening.
Alright. And I have this belief that Nigeria is gonna be great some other day again. If I may just add this, Every Nigerian, every citizen out there, who sees himself as a stakeholder, should ensure by now that you have a PVC to effect the change you need.
Colonel Hassan said that Nigeria is so sick and at the brink of collapse to the point that we just need somebody that can save us irrespective of where the person comes from.
He, therefore, charged Nigerians that they must know who actually they are voting for because gone are the days of tribalism and religious bigotry.
He said: “Gone are the days of tribalism, gone are the days of religion. Nigeria is so sick and at the brink of collapse, to the point that we just need somebody that can save us. We don’t want to know where he is from anymore.”
Colonel Hassan added that the situation in Southern Kaduna which also reflects in some other parts of the country is a case whereby authorities are themselves trying to be a stumbling block on the path of the citizens to be able to exercise their franchise.
He said that the sporadic attacks ongoing in parts of the country, specifically, Southern Kaduna is clearly indicative of the fact that there is a government input to it.
He said “Be it at the sub-national level, be it at the national level. There is a deliberate attempt to ensure that people do not come out on the 25th of February and be able to elect a government that is interested in protecting them.”
“The status quo which these guys in power in the state are deliberately wanting to maintain is creating so much problems that today we continue to bury on daily basis,” Colonel Hassan Stan Labo added.
Report by Obinna Ejianya, 9News Nigeria Melbourne, Australian correspondent (Publisher)
