Group, youths back Osinbajo, Bello for presidency

A group, Plateau Friends of Osinbajo, has called on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to declare his interest and contest the 2023 presidential election.

The group made the call on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State, in a communiqué at the end of a meeting with the theme, ‘Beyond Partisan Politics: Towards A Working Nigeria’ and signed by the Convener, Mr Tony Ngwen.

© Xinhua News Agency FILE - OGUN, Nov. 10, 2019 -- Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the country's first rolling stock assembly plant in Kajola, Ogun state, Nigeria, Nov. 9, 2019. Chinese construction giant the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation will build a rolling stock assembly plant in Nigeria to promote the country's railway modernization project. (Photo by Guo Jun/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/Guo Jun via Getty Images)Ngwen said the call was based on Osinbajo’s sterling leadership qualities and in furtherance of the advocacy for good governance in Nigeria, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.

“This is evidenced by his record of performance especially with the social intervention programmes which have impacted the lives of many Nigerians in tremendous proportions. He has demonstrated uncommon competence, character, courage, credibility and compassion in discharging his responsibilities and duties as the Chairman of the National Economic Council,” he said.

The statement quoted the Vice Chancellor, Karlkum University Vom, Prof Audu Gambo, as commending the group for the constructive engagement towards shaping the choices of the people for 2023.

“Singapore, for example, does not have the resources that we have but is one of the most developed countries in the world because of strategic leadership. The capacity, competence and promises of a leader should be the main consideration,” he stated.

Meanwhile, youths in Gombe have vowed to support the presidential ambition of the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

Speaking during the launch of the Rescue Nigeria Mission project on Saturday, they promised to support the governor with their numerical strength in the 2023 presidential election.

The National Coordinator of the group, Abdullahi Damat, who led other youth leaders across the North-East, said they had resolved to shun money politics and use their numerical strength to vote for their preferred candidate.

While commending Bello for his achievements in the state, Damat said the governor had shown the capacity to take Nigeria to the desired destination.

“We will go from house to house, door to door, to canvass support. The politicians can do theirs. But we are ready. Let people bring their money, we will collect, but we will put Governor Bello there with our collective will. The youth population in Nigeria is massive but we are assuring the governor that with our efforts, we will mobilise 30 million conservative voters. It will surely be more than that,” he added.

In his remark, the Chief of Staff to the governor, Abdulkareem Asuku, who was a special guest at the event, called on Nigerian youths to look inward and support one of them who had shown capacity in governance, if Nigeria must get it right this time.

Asuku was quoted as saying, “Anyone like Governor Yahaya Bello who has given women and young people the platform to be the drivers in their own affairs will perform well if elected into a higher office.”