From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A group under the auspices of Progressive Consolidation Group (PCG), has drummed support for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest the 2023 presidential election, pleading with the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to shelve his ambition.
The group argued that for the purpose of re-strategization priorities of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, enhancing progressive reforms and national unity, Osinbajo is a good candidate for presidency in 2023.
“Both President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo must reach an accord for timely preparation of a more vibrant successor administration to be headed by the current Vice President while Tinubu should reconsider his ambition,” the group noted.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja with members drawn from the six geo-political zones, PCG’s National Coordinator, Ahmed Mohammed and National Secretary, Dr Eberechukwu Eli Dibia, pledged the group’s preparedness to begin mobilization and sensitization visits to various media outfits across the federation.
“Very soon, our group will enlist the support of leaders of thought to drive home our points nationwide; we are aware of the insecurity, economic worries and other issues confronting citizens, but planlessness is not a virtue and we advocate that after two years into its second term, this administration must begin serious plans for the years ahead.
“We are aware that some aides of Osinbajo describe calls for the learned gentleman’s involvement in the 2023 race as ‘mere distraction’ and we are also aware of the views of thoughtful Nigerians including the Emir of Gombe, Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III who commends Osinbajo’s loyalty to President Buhari and the spearheading of important reforms towards enhancing ease of doing business, enhancing ICT innovation, as well as economic policies to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“President Buhari can optimally utilize what is currently within the administration now to build a better future by convincing the not-so-political Professor of Law to run in 2023; his candidature would be far more appealing to Nigerian youths, discerning elders and various sectors of the population.
Expressing what they described as ‘patriotic concerns’ over various national challenges including rising insecurity, separatist agitations, unemployment and other economic issues, the PCG which stated that its membership includes ‘APC loyalists, patriots from other parties and numerous apolitical patriots’ also urged Nigerians not to give in to undue anxiety as the situation is not beyond redemption.
“The rather pessimistic views of Ambassador John Campbell and others have energized anxieties but by going back to the drawing table and preparing for the future with our best eleven, including the likes of Osinbajo, Nigeria can be united and made to rise exponentially in the comity of nations.
“Nigeria is not a failed state; today’s challenges are rooted in errors of the past and some misjudgments of the present time but if we re-strategize, we can drastically curb our difficulties and give our people greater basis for hope.
“President Buhari has tried his best over the past six years but much more needs to be done and an Osinbajo successor administration would be in a vantage position to marshal the energies of youth and the visionary experience to transform this great nation,” the group emphasized.