From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
An umbrella support group for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, The Progressive Project (TPP), has indicated readiness to mobilise funds to purchase the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to actualize his presidential ambition.
Interestingly, Osinbajo’s aspiration is gaining more support with former Kano State governor and chairman Senate committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Kabiru Kaya, identifying with him.
Addressing newsmen at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, Gaya, who resumed as the Chairman of the Pro-Osinbajo umbrella body of all support groups, revealed that some former Presidents of Nigeria are among those supporting the presidential ambition of the Vice President.
Although the Senator refused to reveal the names of the former presidents backing the Vice President when asked, he said the gesture towards Osinbajo speaks volume of the depth of acceptability of Osinbajo among Nigerians.
While reacting to allegations of betrayal, nepotism levelled against the Vice President, Gaya responded that the campaign group will not join issue with certain individuals.
“What we are saying is we respect every Nigerian, our elders that is what I said in my speech; there are even others that are supporting this Osibanjo team and some of them are even former Presidents.
“So, we have a lot of people supporting him and we want to make all these groups come together to come and form a formidable campaign team for Osibanjo. In the next few days he will be the candidate of the party insha Allah,” he assured.
Gaya spoke on the 100 million nomination forms for Osinbajo, noting: “Even an internal issue of the price of our party’s nomination forms is being deliberately misinterpreted in some circles when we feel confident that unlike moneybags, our truly populist candidate is popular enough to pool supporters’ token donations and raise such money with ease.
“Just one youth group with TPP, the Progressive Group alone say that they can raise N100m with rough voluntary contributions of N10, 000 each by 10, 000 of their supporters who are keen about seeing a better future.
“Our populist mathematics is flawless and very strong; moneybags within or outside APC will only lose their dollars in any contest against the people’s will. Unlike the history of some other political parties, records show that neither APC presidential ticket nor its VP slot had ever been won by throwing money around but by populist endorsement from North and South,” he argued.
Speaking further, he noted: “we will not descend low to play gutter politics and we have continued to warn our supporters against involvement in insults and vilification. We are democrats, we believe in uniting people and in submitting ourselves and competing ideas to the people’s evaluation and decisions through the ballot box.
“For us at TPP, the unity of Nigeria as well as the unity of all Progressives remain paramount. We are not unaware that a band of very few pessimists who try to deceive themselves and their sponsors about their lower chances are equally disseminating false narratives in a futile effort to demarket Yemi Osinbajo.
“Some have said that some opposition elements probably have a hand in it, out of fear APC’s much-improved prospects of victory with Osinbajo as presidential candidate.
“Let it be emphasized once again that all the populist forces behind Professor Yemi Osinbajo fear no foe and hate no one; we are focused without compromise on the unity, progress and development of Nigeria and we shall not descend into gutter fights with any person or group.
“Like hundreds of our support groups and like millions of Nigerians who called upon him to come out and contest, I have totally confidence that by the power of the Almighty and the electoral power of millions of Nigerian citizens across the six geo-political zone, Yemi Osinbajo will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari on May 20, 2023,” Gaya said, contending that Osinbajo stand out as the most competent aspirant to succeed President Buhari in May 2023.