Prof. Pat Utomi, a political economist, says Nigeria needs a selfless, pan-Nigerian nationalist and intellectual leader to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Utomi, a former presidential candidate on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, the coalition that will change Nigeria in 2023 is already on ground and will soon be made known to the people.

“Nigerians need a person of competence and compassion, someone who is very selfless and a pan-Nigerian nationalist with a track record of a life service.

“Not somebody who spends his life just thinking about himself and suddenly decides that okay I have enough money I can now lead them.

“We need a true Nigerian accepted in all parts of the country, exposed to all parts of the country in the reality of his life not in talks and the person must have friends in every part of Nigeria.

“We need a person, who is interested in collegial leadership,” he said.

Utomi said that the coalition that would change Nigeria would include the youths, women and professionals.

“The prospect of a coalition that will change Nigeria, which I envisage, and is being put together as we speak, is a coalition of the youth, the women, the intellectuals and the professionals,” he added.

He said that some announcements about the coalition would be made soon.

Utomi, founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), told NAN that the time has come for intellect in public life.

He said that Ghanaians had outplayed Nigeria several times over, probably because almost all the leaders of Ghana are intellectuals.

According to him, a writer on leadership says the intellectual has moral authority and the discipline of his education enables a more sober reflection based on the knowledge that he has.

On the list of aspirants for the office of the President in the 2023 general elections, Utomi said that people had the right to express their desires and that should not be a problem.

He said that people could keep expressing their presidential aspirations but when the poll is full, Nigerians should look at those who have the qualities and judge them.

When asked of his plan for 2023, the political economist said his plan is to be a Nigerian citizen passionately committed to making Nigeria better.

On whether he had the desire to contest for the office of the president, Utomi said: “It is not a criminal offence. We will cross that bridge when we get there.

“Our commitment is to a better society. I don’t need a title to make a contribution to the betterment of my country.

“If it then turnouts that a title drops itself in, well, so be it, but I don’t need a title to make a difference to my country’s history.

“I think people are obsessed with titles. Let us first build a great country and history will remember those who it will remember with or without titles,” he said.

Utomi said how Nigeria would be led in the next republic would determine where it would be in the comity of nations.

On the youths, the professor said: “My heart goes out to the youths of Nigeria, they have been most abused by politicians.

“My heart goes out to the youths of this country because in spite of everything this country has done to them, the promise remains very high and the possibilities of the demographic dividends coming to Nigeria from our intelligent youths is very high,” he said.

On the conduct of the 2023 elections, Utomi urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be extremely careful, saying “history is going to come with fury and fire”.

NAN reports that the list of presidential aspirants ahead of 2023 general elections has continued to increase.