‘Why I’m Running For President And Not Local Government Chairman …’ – Fela Durotoye

Business consultant, leadership expert, and motivational speaker, Adetokunbo Olufela Durotoye, popularly known as Fela Durotoye, was on Your View TVC on Monday, December 3, 2018 to enlighten us on Nation Building.

Earlier in February this year, the 47 year old Youth Convener declared his intention to run for the office of the Nigerian President in the forthcoming 2019 elections under the new Political Party Alliance for New Nigeria. He spoke to the ladies of Your View on the strategies and plans he has in place to ensure that A New Nigeria is born.

Responding to the first question by Tope on if Nigerians are ready for a Change and if they are not likely to trade their votes for money, Fela admitted that almost every Nigerian he has met, is tired of the way the country is and they are even more upset knowing that things can be better. But the challenge is that they feel helpless and this is what makes them accept stipends from Political aspirants, who offer them empty promises.

According to him, beyond having political skills, what Nigerians need the most is Leadership skills. Leadership is the ability to make things, people and places better. Political Experience is what makes people try to acquire power for themselves, by denying power from others and hurting them. He then asserted that Political Experience makes life bitter while Leadership experience makes life better; hence, it is what we need!

He further explained that the most sustainable way to develop is to get the people to build the Nation that they want to give to their Children.

‘Now, the Nation Building we are talking about is to set up an Alternative Political System, the one that would be different from the way we’ve always known it. The one that would not encourage the activities of hoodlums and political thugs, and would frown at attacking people, badmouthing people or involving in Character assassination. Yes, we are in an emergency and that is why we don’t have the time to say we don’t want to vote or waste our votes. Now is the time to stand up, change our Nation and use this opportunity to vote for values.’

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Fela, who understands that one man cannot be Nigeria’s savior, has encouraged his entire generation to come out and run at different levels. He used the opportunity to answer the popular question of why he didn’t contest for a lower position, such as House of Assembly or Local Government Chairman. (24:35 in the Youtube video). He said:

“If I am a Local Government Chairman, I probably would not be able to inspire someone to run for House of Assembly or Governor. If I was a Governor, maybe I can inspire House of Assembly or Local Government Chairman but I might not be able to inspire someone to run for Senate. But running for President gives me the capacity to inspire everybody to run for other offices.”

Speaking on sponsorship for his Presidential Campaign and his run for a New Nigeria, Fela Durotoye revealed that his party, Alliance for New Nigeria, has no godfather nor cabals, whatsoever. He explained how people have been encouraging him with cash gifts with which he has been running his campaign.

He has promised that a new legislature will be brought in, to ensure that the existing ones do not continue with their practices.

He further agreed with a certain caller on the show that it is important for all the young candidates to agree and have a common face, in order to make Nigeria better. (31:28 in the Youtube video). He assured that right now, conversations are going on to ensure a coalition because of the order he believes in: ‘NIGERIA FIRST, NIGERIANS NEXT, MYSELF LAST’.