A cross-section of youths in Akwa Ibom State has urged the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to contest the next presidential election in the country.
Marching on the platform of Akwa Ibom Coalition for Osinbajo 2023, and with the theme “ New Face of Hope”, on Saturday at Ibom Unity Park, Uyo, the youth group said they were calling on the vice president to throw his hat into the ring and contest the presidential election since according to them ,he is the best and the most qualified politician in the country at the moment to do so.
The coordinator of the group, Mr Edidiong Idiong, said marching at the park was to create awareness, sensitize the masses and then call on the vice president to contest the next presidential election.
“We are asking him to come out and contest for obvious reasons. We believe as many others that he is a man with Midas Touch. He is very articulate and he appeals to all demographic groups and I don’t see anybody who has the kind of experience as he has in the past six years” Idiong said.
Though admitting that the vice president has so far not officially indicated his interest to run, he said the rally was a way of encouraging him to come and contest the election by creating awareness and sending the message to the vice president.
One of the women leaders in the coalition, Mrs Eno Inyang, said the women were also routing for Osinbajo because he has the interest of women at heart as seen through the provision of soft loans to traders, and that she believed if the vice president eventually becomes the president of the country, women wi e relevant.
“He has the capacity and he has the heart for women. So we are very sure that if he agrees to run – as we are kind of begging him – women would smile.”
Another member of the group, Dr Sammy Williams, admitted that Nigerians are not happy with the performance of the Buhari/Osinbajo administration especially in the area of security; but he rationalized that no nation can provide absolute security to its citizens.
“Even in the United States of America, there is nothing like perfect security, But President Muhammadu Buhari has provided adequate security. As for the economy, Nigeria is a growing economy. President Muhammadu has put a solid foundation on the ground that the next administration can build on. The economy is not grown overnight. The economy is not grown in only four years.
“We have seen a number of Nigerians indicating their interests to contest the presidential election. It is their constitutional right. But we may also want to ask; ‘What is their antecedent? What is their disposition over burning issues in Nigeria? What is their take?
“Few months when president Buhari had reasons to travel and hand over the reins of power to Prof Yemi Osinbajo, you saw how he managed the situation; how he was able to reach out to people; how he was able to mix with people further promoting the good things that President Buhari is doing
“So among the candidates that have thrown their hat into the ring, I think Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s qualities stand very tall. He has the capacity to lead this country,” Williams said.
