From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, took his presidential aspiration a step further when he obtained the All Progressives Congress (APC) N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms, to contest the ticket of the ruling party for the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking through the former governor of Kano State, Senator Kabiru Gaya, the Vice President insisted that equity demands that the Southern part of the country should be allowed to produce the party’s candidate for the 2023 presidential poll.
Asked his views about zoning, in view of Northern presidential aspirants joining the race, he said: “I have been in politics for many years and I understand at certain level how politics should be played.
I believe it is a game of give and take. We have served for the president in this country for eight years under the leadership of president Muhammadu Buhari so therefore the presidency should go to the South and that is why we said the best person to handle this matter is somebody who has been in the system.
“If he is sworn-in today at the Eagles square, by tomorrow morning he can pick up because he is already in the system. I was a governor I know what it takes when you are sworn-in. It takes time for you to learn and move forward. But when you are in the system, you don’t have that problem, it is going to improve because they have now draw a plan and which you could have peace, stability and better economy. He is going to improve on that new plan we have to develop the economy to a better Nigeria and for Nigerians to be better,” Senator Gaya quipped.
Asked if he is worried by the number of aspirants, he said: “Well, democracy is a game of number, every aspirant that is contesting is qualified. Nobody is not qualified to contest election, but we are saying that we should look along the line and see who’s the best material and I am sure if we put them together, all of them together, they will pick Osinbajo as candidate.
On the mode of primary he will prefer, he said: “It is left for the party and if the aspirants say this is what they want I believe it will be direct primary where delegates will come to Abuja and will elect a candidate. Maybe when you do indirect, it may be more bogous and take more time. I believe that whatever the party agrees with the aspirants is what we will do. The electoral act is very clear, it says either consensus, or even direct primary or indirect.
“Even when consensus is done and all candidates agree that is fair. We just had a share of that when we came to the primaries of the national chairman there was general consensus. All aspirants wrote a letter supporting Abdullahi Adamu and Abdullahi Adamu is the national chairman. So, we just hope that that kind of thing may happen by God’s grace,” he said.