As the Presidency of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari gradually inches towards inauguration, stakeholders in different camps in Nigeria’s political landscape are busy negotiating for places in the incoming administration. Various groups have ceaselessly besieged the President-elect to present their positions and lobby for political appointments. This seem like the old order; we urge the President-elect to look beyond this public show of solidarity, and seek out the true progressives who can work with him, add real value to his government and contribute to the real CHANGE that Nigerians earnestly yearn for.

This was re-echoed by the President-elect recently when he charged APC Governors- elect to submit only names of people with technical competence as Ministerial Nominees. Nigeria is now firmly in the hands of a progressive party; the APC. To move the country in the right direction, only progressive-minded individuals should be considered for any public or political position.

In this category and mould of high-level progressive minded APC party chieftains is Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu, an internationally acclaimed Engineer, researcher and Inventor who designed and manufactured the Z-600 motor car. Twice he has won the governorship of Imo state and twice he has been denied victory by political forces severely opposed to the progress of Imo state and its people. He is also a veteran progressive politician who, over the years, has massively contributed to the growth of progressive politics in Nigeria.

Dr. Izuogu worked very closely with the age-old Progressive stalwarts of the Nigerian Progressive establishment in early 1980s. He later rose to be the National Secretary of the People’s Solidarity Party (PSP), a melting point for progressive elements in the then Nigeria political architecture. His love for the Progressive Movement became so pronounced that his colleagues quickly made him the National Chairman of the Progressive Movement, which meets as often as possible to strategize for a better Nigeria. He was also a member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference.

In this dispensation that began in 1999, Dr. Izuogu has been in the engine room of the progressives. His intellectual contributions have immensely helped the All Progressive Congress (APC) to navigate the tortuous path of its incubation stage, and he continues to be a bulwark of the APC. Today, he is an esteemed member of the Board of Trustees of the party and member of its National Caucus.

In the just concluded Presidential and Gubernatorial elections, Dr. Izuogu delivered massive votes to his party in Imo State, especially, the Okigwe Senatorial Zone which has, over time, become his strong political support base. This goes to prove that he cares for his party and has mass support in his state. He is prepared to serve Nigeria in the other areas. We suggest that as the president-elect assembles his team, he should, please, look beyond the surface and for the best that is available.

After declining several offers in the past to serve as Federal Minister because he needed time to concentrate on his research, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu is now more than ready and willing to serve the Fatherland in public office.

Certainly, if the incoming Buhari’s Government is committed to transforming this beautiful country of ours, he needs disciplined, cerebral, progressive-minded and highly-exposed professionals like Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu and other selfless Nigerians to diligently serve in his cabinet to engender that CHANGE that Nigerians massively voted for.

•  Elder Emeka Asonye, The Eastern Support Group