BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
The Dr. Aliyu Kurfi-led Progressive Consolidation Group supporting the Presidential ambition of Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the All Progressives Congress platform has said that the declarations of interest by the duo of the National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State for presidency would pose no threat to the ambition of Osinbajo to fly the flag of the ruling party for the number one position in the country in the 2023 general election.
Kurfi said that the declaration of interest by the aspirants in the party was necessary for a robust democracy, stressing that a rich array of strong contenders would deepen the legitimacy of Osinbajo’s ticket and his eventual victory.
“As genuine democrats who believe in the progressive ideals that Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo stands for, we welcome others into the race because we strongly believe that a plurality of candidates and political parties only enhances the robustness of our democracy.
“As I once stated, every well-informed Nigerian knows that PCG is the very first 2023 support group to be formally recognised by our progressive party, APC, and we have never sought to prevent or discourage others from following in our footsteps because Vice-President Osinbajo will not subscribe to dirty political games that some typically desperate politicians play.
“We are mobilising for Prof Yemi Osinbajo, a man who believes in the rule of law, a man who is a democrat and a great progressive too. Nothing in his antecedents ever speaks of anti-democratic standards.
“Therefore, we do not only welcome the declaration by an aspirant; in fact, we anticipate having half a dozen more so that Osinbajo would emerge from a very rich array of choices offered to the nation by the APC.
“The nature of the political competition that we envisage shall be one characterised by politics without bitterness; to this end, all members of the pro-Osinbajo groups have been instructed to address other aspirants with courtesy and avoid getting drawn into the usual mudslinging that characterised Nigerian politics.
“As for the chances of success, we are very confident that Osinbajo would enter and win the race by virtue of his good qualities and citizens’ expectations to see him build on the foundation laid by President Muhammadu Buhari,” Kurfi stated.
Meanwhile, a group known as the Organized Private Sector for Osinbajo has said that the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, is better and intellectually equipped than any current presidential aspirant to lead Nigeria’s economic rejuvenation towards future greatness.
The group’s spokesman, Abdulrahman Farouk, said, “With Osinbajo, Nigeria’s organised private sector has much basis for optimism about post 2023 economic activities.”
Emphasising that Vice-President Osinbajo’s consistent focus and insider knowledge of the objectives and challenges related to the Buhari administration’s economic programmes were great advantages towards Nigeria’s economic rejuvenation, he stated that Osinbajo’s candidature offered hope for citizens with high expectations about job creation, increased earnings and growth.
“Even though an aspirant has informed Muhammadu Buhari about his 2023 ambition, the most credible option still appears to be Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and for the organised Private Sector as well as the citizenry, Osinbajo offers much fertile ground for hope to rapidly germinate.
