The Convener of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), Umar Ardo, has clarified that the group’s mission is not about seizing political power for its own sake, but about rescuing Nigeria from deepening decline.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Ardo stated that the LND is not a political party, nor is its agenda simply to unseat the current administration. Instead, he says, the group’s ultimate goal is national transformation.
“Our agenda is to re-fix our country,” he said. “To at least give Nigeria a shot at becoming a fully developed nation-state.”
Ardo explained that while the LND itself won’t be contesting for office, it aims to support and help build a broader coalition capable of taking over political power. According to him, it’s the only way to redirect the country towards progress.
“We want to be part of a coalition that can successfully challenge and displace incumbency,” he noted. “Not because of power itself, but because we need to fix Nigeria. The country is drained. We are a fully black nation, and we are supposed to be the mirror of the black man across the world. We have the people that can do it. We only fail to have the government that can do it.”
When asked if President Bola Tinubu has failed, Ardo responded diplomatically, saying: “I won’t say he has failed, but he hasn’t met expectations.”
Pressed on whether Tinubu should be allowed to complete his term, Ardo stressed that time isn’t the issue. “It’s not time. So the president is barely half of his time in office. And we have not seen a shift in policies and implementation.”