The 2015 presidential race is off and in full swing, following the release of the elections timetable by the Independant National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Some politicians are already putting the wheels of their ambition in motion, as signified by the announcement by the Publisher of Leadership Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah of his intentions to vie in the 2015 elections.
The pharmacist turned publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah is the founder and publisher of Leadership Newspaper. Nda-Isaiah has thus become the first person to formally kick-start his campaign under the banner of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nda-Isaiah made his declaration on Tuesday January 28 2015 during a courtesy visit to ThisDay Newspapers’ Lagos Headquarters to intimate the management of his presidential ambition.
Yesterday in Lagos, Nda-Isaiah said that he was ready to contest in 2015 against his political mentor, if need be. He is believed to be a protege of the founder of the now defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and one of the leaders of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
“I told him (Buhari) tactically that I am in the race. And he said it was politically correct. I went round all those close to him. I have gone far into the race. So, if he decides to contest, I’m going to contest. I will contest against him. I will try everything to make sure that the relationship remains the same. But I wish it would not happen”, he said
Nda-Isaiah said that he was in the race “to arrest the regressive spate of development Nigeria is experiencing in spite of its ability to join the league of developed countries and his desire to make a difference.”
“It is now we should start doing very big things. We should have the biggest airports and the biggest seaports. Look at the things we achieved when there was no oil. Go to the universities now and compare what they did 20 years ago. We need new direction. I don’t believe that there is a magic to it. I believe it is possible to make the difference.”
Speaking further, he said “The most important thing is to bring people together. We are too divided over small issues. If any leader is sincere, it is the very thing to do. I will not say we are going to fight corruption because that is part of governance,” he said.
Born on May 1, 1962, Nda-Isaiah attended Government College, Kaduna. He went on to the then University of Ife, Ile-Ife, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy. He was the national editor-in-chief of the Pharmacy students’ magazine, Student Pharmacist.
Nda-Isaiah became a member of the Daily Trust Editorial Board as well as a member of the committee appointed by the Kano State Government to revive The Triumph, the state-owned newspaper.
The Publisher of Leadership Newspapers is also a member of the Institute of Directors, a member of the Vienna-based International Press Institute, a member of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), and an executive member of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
