As observed by Governance Today Nigeria
A presidential aspirant and diaspora-based Nigerian, Mr. Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), signaling his departure from the Labour Party (LP).
In a statement addressed to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora and also delivered during press briefing in NUJ FCT Council Secretariat yesterday, Joseph said his decision was driven by what he described as an urgent “national rescue mission” to confront worsening economic hardship, deepening insecurity, and declining global confidence in Nigeria.
Governance Today Nigeria observed that Joseph anchored his declaration on a strong appeal to Nigeria’s founding ideals, lamenting what he termed a steady drift from the vision of leaders such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and Obafemi Awolowo.
According to him, the founding fathers envisioned a republic built on dignity, prosperity, unity, and moral leadership — ideals he argued are now severely eroded.
“Our founding fathers fought for a republic where government would be kind to its people, where life would be dignified, food affordable, and citizens safe in their own land.
What we have today is a far cry from that vision,” Joseph stated.
He decried rising poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity, and the continued depreciation of the naira, warning that Nigeria’s security challenges now compare unfavorably with some nations officially at war.
He also pointed to the declining global standing of the Nigerian passport and the accelerating wave of youth emigration as signs of national distress.
“How did we descend to a point where citizens flee daily as if escaping a war zone?” he asked, attributing the crisis to decades of systemic corruption, policy inconsistency, and leadership failure.
Reflecting on the 2023 general election, Joseph disclosed that he stepped down his presidential ambition to support Peter Obi of the Labour Party in what he described as a gesture of national unity.
However, he alleged that the party has since been “hijacked by entrenched interests,” prompting his realignment with the NRM ahead of 2027.
Governance Today Nigeria reports that Joseph described the NRM’s symbol — the honeybee — as emblematic of industry, collective effort, and shared prosperity, saying his mission is to return Nigeria to its “honey days.”
Unveiling his campaign slogan, “People’s First; Nation’s First,” the presidential hopeful pledged to prioritize citizens’ welfare while harnessing Nigeria’s human capital and natural resources for sustainable growth.
“This movement will unite the best of Nigeria abroad with the best at home to build a new Nigeria — stronger, fairer, and more just,” he said.
He concluded by urging Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious divides to unite in what he described as a collective rebuilding effort, expressing confidence that the country can reclaim its rightful place among leading nations of the world.
