The Progressive Consolidation Group, a pro-democracy, has intensified their lobby for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest the 2023 presidential election, reaching out to critical stakeholders in the north.
The group which visited Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State urged the governor to back the move; they however, told Masari that they were not sent by the Vice-President.
Members of the group said they were canvassing for Osinbajo to become Nigeria’s President in 2023 because of his track record as a good party man, an administrator and someone they believed would leverage the good legacy of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to further develop Nigeria.
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The group’s National Coordinator, Ahmed Mohammed told Masari, “We have seen your good work in security, how you have been working tirelessly to keep the entire Katsina safe. We have seen your good work in the educational sector, with focus on the girl-child and Almajiri system, as well as the boost in the infrastructure and health care services by initiating an upgrade, and expansion of all General Hospitals, and other centres
“We started our awareness in the area of good governance in March 2019, with a collective resolve to promote our great party, the All Progressives Congress, so as to ensure that our party produces Nigeria’s next president come 2023.
“Looking at the extant developmental challenges the country is contending, it is only wise for the party to choose a most qualified and most acceptable candidate to sustain and improve on the positive gains, achievements and legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is in view of this development that we, at the PCG, feel convinced that an Osinbajo Presidency come 2023 will bring down tension, facilitate unity and stability as well as accelerate progress in all sectors of the economy.
“Therefore, we are here before you to seek your support, wise counsel and advice towards accelerating the possibilities of collective success.
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“Looking at his experience, capacity, eloquence, credibility and above all, the need for our party, and Nigeria to ensure focused continuity in power, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will make a great leader to fly our party and national flags very high.
“From within the system, we can extract elements to further enrich it and the nation at large. Prof Yemi Osinbajo is ably qualified to continue the policies and programmes of President Buhari, beyond 2023.”
The group said it wanted other parts of the country to join in its “mission of fielding the best among us come 2023 for a greater Nigeria in line with the dreams of our founding fathers and the aspirations of our people.”
Masari, in his response, advised that the APC needed to be marketed in such a way that the electorate would understand what the party had done so far and why it should be returned to power in 2023.
According to him, since the inception of the APC-led government, tremendous achievements have been recorded in various aspects of human endeavours despite the dwindling revenue generation.
Meanwhile, Osinbajo, in a recent statement by his aide, Laolu Akande, dissociated himself from groups championing his alleged presidential ambition.
In the statement titled, ‘2023 permutations a distraction, Osinbajo has not declared interest in presidential race,’ Akande said, “Prof. Osinbajo has not declared any interest whatsoever in the 2023 election, but he is rather focused on working in his capacity as Vice President in the current administration to address all the compelling issues in the country and concerns of Nigerians, including finding effective and lasting solutions to security challenges.”