Sani, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said the integrity of President Buhari, around which the party built its government, was not enough to govern a plural country like Nigeria.

The lawmaker said there was a need for the emergence of a new political party, peopled mainly by the intellectuals, adding that the ruling party and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, cannot move Nigeria forward.

The Senator was one of the guest speakers at a symposium organised by the Magodo Associates, with the theme “Nigeria: Which way forward?”

It was held at the Afe Babalola Auditorium, University of Lagos.

He said, “What we have here is one man whose major asset is integrity but how many within that camp can also beat their chests and say they are as credible as he is?

“We are talking about building a nation and moving it forward, but can just the integrity of the President move the nation to the Promised Land?

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“When we are talking about the qualities of leadership, if only integrity and credibility is what you need to be in public office… integrity or credibility is just one of so many things a leader needs, especially in a troublesome country like Nigeria; there as lot of things a leader needs.

“We need a leader that can give every person the confidence that he is going to be fair and just. We also need a leader who is visionary, who can move the country from where it is to where it should be.

“The intellectuals need to move forward; you need not be scared of the political terrain. Most people you see in political offices, outside they say they are representing the people, but they represent an individual, a certain power broker.

“The existing dominant political parties cannot lead us to the Promised Land; there is a need for a progressive political class to come together, reach out to the academics, the intelligentsia, the working class, come out together with a party that is run on a certain ideology.”(DP)