A former governor of Kano State, Musa Kwankwaso on Tuesday joined forces with his associates, former political opponents and those he described as “progressives” to seize power from the All Progressives Congress in 2023.
He also pledged to restructure the country, describing it as “possible.”
Kwankwaso, also a former Minister of Defence, bared his mind during the inauguration of Third Force under the aegis of The National Movement convened by him to actualise his political mandate.
The formation of the Third Force with the slogan: ‘Save Nigeria, Rescue the Nation’, came a day after Kwankwaso said the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party have nothing new to offer Nigerians.
Some prominent Nigerians who attended the event include elder statesman and nationalist, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai; Buhari’s ally-turned fiercest critic, Buba Galadima; former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung; a former Senator from Kaduna State, Suleiman Hunkuyi; former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Alhaji Ari Gwaska, Senator Grace Folashade-Bent; Chief Solomon Edoda; Senator Umale Shittu; Ibrahim Ringim; Chief Paul Okala; Rufai Hanga; Idris Wada; Alhaji Ali Gwaska; Prince Nweze Onu; Prof. Rufai Ahmed and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Oba Abduraheem, among others.
Speaking at the inauguration, Kwankwaso, who is currently a member of the PDP said it was the collective desire of the movement to rescue Nigeria from the socio-economic quagmire the country is currently going through.
“The mission of The National Movement is to ensure that Nigeria shall be a land of justice, freedom and equal opportunities where all citizens shall aspire to achieve their lifetime goals and ambitions, to live in peace, prosperity, and happiness.
“Today (Tuesday) is a special day in the history of Nigeria, a special day in the life of our great nation and a special day for all those of us who are desirous of working together collectively to redeem our nation.
“For too long, Nigerians have been waiting for this moment. For too long, Nigerians have been asking for a way out of our current severe economic and political predicament. For too long Friends of Nigeria both at home and abroad have been looking forward to the day Nigeria shall rise again.
“I am pleased to say, the place is here and the time is today and now. Today, 22-02-2022, being both an ambigram and a palindrome, is consciously chosen as a historic day on which we the people of Nigeria, cutting across all social, political, religious and ethnic backgrounds and affiliations, are assembled here to launch this extraordinary National Movement,” he stated.
While blaming corruption for the challenges in the country, he promised a ‘Marshall Plan’ to tackle corruption and rescue Nigeria from its socio-economic challenges.
He said, “No aspect of our national development will progress without finding a final solution to the issue of corruption, nepotism, and lack of national spread in the allocation of resources and representation at all levels of government.”
Kwankwaso, who said that the movement was hatched during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, also pledged that the principles of federal character would be observed and fully respected in all the movement’s policies and programmes.
He said, “For too long, nepotism and crass nepotistic insensitivities and elite selfishness have robbed Nigeria of the talents, capacities and opportunities of its citizens. TNM will resolutely take all necessary measures to ensure that hard work and talent are fully recognized and rewarded.”
According to him, the movement which has the aim of salvaging Nigeria from poverty, insecurity, wasted resources and untapped potential, amongst others, cuts across all Nigerians irrespective of social, ethnic and regions affiliations, adding that “It is our collective resolve to rescue our nation from this difficult situation.”
The former defence minister added, “We resolved that there must be a Nigeria first before politics. While some of us will want to contest, we must work together to rescue the country.
“Agitations of many sections of our beloved country for restructuring and realignment and resource control. We believe that the voice of the people is sacred, the voice of all our people, together, is the voice of God.
“Therefore, restructuring the corporate units of our great country is possible and doable. As vowed democrats, we are ready and prepared to act in concert with the wishes and desires comprehensively of all our people.”
Other speakers, including Alhali, Galadima and Dalung who apologised to Nigerians and sought their forgiveness for leading the campaign for APC, told Nigerians to rise to the challenge of bringing about positive change in 2023.
Galadima said he was forced to apologize to Nigerians because during the campaign they did not promise that a bag of rice would be N35,000 and that Nigerians were not promised that they would be raped and killed in their houses.
