Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo joins the presidential race on Sunday, after months of speculation and discussions, ahead of the All Progressives Congress primary next month.
At a dinner organized at the Presidential Villa for the breaking of the Ramadan fast (Iftar), Osinbajo informed the APC governors of his ambition to succeed his boss, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), whose term as President expires in 13 months.
The meeting was attended by no less than 12 APC governors out of a total of 23.
Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu are among the governors present (Lagos).
The Vice President of Nigeria became the newly added to the long list of politicians vying for the number one position of the country under the aegis of the ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC).
The declaration came less than 48hrs after the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi declared their intention to run for the same post, adding to the long queue of Southern aspirants under the APC platforms including his godfather and former governor of Lagos state Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
In his declaration speech, the Vice President reiterated continuity in governance, which he had been part and parcel of in the past 7 years, and promised to continue on the legacy of the past leaders most especially his predecessor President Buhari.
He spoke on the Imperative of unity as a drive-in fostering national unity in other to bridge the gap of differences between ordinary Nigerian citizens, where a man and woman from the different ethnic groups will see themselves as their brother’s keeper rather than the normal paradigm of socio-ethnic and religious difference.
While declaring, he urges Nigerians to join hands together with him on this mission of achieving greatness for Nigeria, as collective responsibility would prove decisively in achieving greatness.
During the past years, the Vice President had engaged himself in a grassroots movement, by moving around the nooks and crannies of the Nigerian streets.
Adding to his remark, he said, “have been part of you and have stood where you stand and sat where you all sit, I know our hopes, aspirations, and fears, and I believe that in those hopes and aspirations are the seed for the great Nigeria that we all desire”
In his closing remark, he said he will be willing to set the path for a greater Nigeria.
