Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has hailed himself as the best candidate to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari come 2023.
News360 Info understands that the likes of All Progressive Congress national leader and former Lagos governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Former Abia governor and serving senator, Orji Kalu, Former Imo governor and senator, Rochas Okorocha, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi among others have queued up to become APC flag bearer for next year’s presidential election.
However, Osinbajo, who has also made his intention known, said on Friday that his experience in the last seven years had prepared him to become Nigeria’s next president.
The Vice President said this while meeting with members and delegates of the APC and Osinbajo Support group earlier today.
Osinbajo said God didn’t make a mistake to make him a Vice President, and that he feels now is the time to put his experiences to work in the interest of Nigerians.
Vice-President said working with Buhari has exposed him to everything related to governance at the local and international levels which informed his intention to run for president.
According to him, it is time to reward all politicians and delegates of the party who worked for the success of the party, as he noted that “every politician deserves to be treated well and properly.”
Osinbajo also noted that his administration as president will create a partnership based on trust between the delegates and the political class for the reward of all.
“Let me begin by congratulating all of us on the very successful completion of our convention, the convention of our great partners, the all progressive Congress. I want to thank you for standing firm and strong so that you’re able to hold a peaceful convention. I also want to thank you for your support for President Muhammadu Buhari and our government in Abuja,” Tribune quoted the Vice President as saying.
Osinbajo added: “On April 11 2022. I, your son, your brother, your friend, declared my intention to run for president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I declared my intention to run with the greatest humility. I have served in the government of the federal government of Nigeria for the past seven years and in those seven years, ve been involved because the President considered it right to do and in his own generosity and his own and his openness gave me every opportunity to attend very sensitive international assignments.
“As you know, I also acted as president during certain periods when the President was away on medical vacation. Everything that I learned as vice president, and everything that I’ve learned as acting president has prepared me to run as president of our country and to function as president of our country.
“God does not make a mistake. God is deliberate in everything that he does. And by giving me all of those opportunities, I’ve had to see for myself, understand governance for myself at the highest level of our country’s governance, to be exposed to everything local and international at the highest levels of governance in our country.
“All of it was not just so that I will sit down and write my memoirs. No, it was to come in handy one day, and I believe the time has come. I believe that that time has come and I have the responsibility to my country, have the responsibility to you, to all our children. To give all of what I’ve learned, everything I’ve learned, all of the service I’ve given to be able to give it to our country and to serve our country faithfully, honestly and transparently. That is my intention.
“One advantage I will have is that, on day one, I can hit the ground running because I know what it takes for all of our politicians and our delegates. I’m sure that you will say I haven’t spoken about the very important things that I want to do and I’m not going to talk about the economy. I’m not going to talk about security. There are so many things that we need to address for that task, not for today.
“Today, I just want to speak briefly to our politicians. Every politician is an important nation builder. Everybody who is in politics, everyone is important. There’s a reward for doing that.”
Osinbajo reiterated that the only reason why people join politics is to build their communities and build local governments, the states and the nation at large.
“We can achieve it. But every politician deserves to be treated well and properly. When we go into politics, we expect to be rewarded. We expect that we will be rewarded with positions and with opportunities to serve which is why I am saying to you all who are seated here that as far as I’m concerned, you must be the priority,” Osinbajo said.
