John Anyim
Ahead of the national convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, a coalition of youth groups has called on the ruling party to give Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo right of first refusal for the party’s presidential ticket.
The group operating under the aegis of Save Tomorrow 4 Osinbajo 2023, said the emergence of Prof Osinbanjo as a consensus APC candidate will checkmate post-convention crisis in the party.
Addressing newsmen in a press conference, the convener of the group, Engr. Husseni Yusuff, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the party to, in the finest tradition of presidential succession, offer the privilege of Right of First Refusal to Osinbajo.
Appreciating Mr. President for influencing and inspiring the National Assembly to include Section 84 (9) that has to do with consensus candidature in the nomination of candidates by parties into the act, the Save Tomorrow 4 Osinbajo 2023 said there should be no argument, no second guessing as to the suitability of Vice President Osinbajo to succeed President Buhari as President in 2023.
“So far, the Vice President is well nurtured, best groomed and prepared to take charge on the day one.
“We are optimistic that President Buhari having inspired that section and in sticking with time honored tradition, the party will cause the emergence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,GCON, to become the consensus candidate of the party in the February 25th 2023 Presidential election.
“The presidential system is so designed to take care of the disadvantageous position the Vice President is placed, by making the Vice President the natural successor to the President in a seamless manner devoid of rancor.
“Giving Vice President Yemi Osinbajo the Right of First Refusal and making him the consensus candidate will strengthen the APC, heal it from its fractures and unite it in the face of mounting challenge by the opposition to wrestle power from the APC in 2023.”
Explaining how Osinbajo has been very loyal to President Buhari, the group said, “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo cannot be swayed by professional fault finders, his loyalty to his principal is unalloyed and unshakable and President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has acknowledged these sterling qualities and has further entrusted Sacred Presidential Duties on him on numerous occasions, never seen in the annals of our history.”
Highlighting some of the tasks performed by the Vice President, the group said that “it was the direct involvement of Professor Osinbajo that led to the dissolution of SARS and the encouragement of Community Policing system.”
The group also listed homegrown school feeding programme in 35 states, adding that the program me has fed 9.9 million children.
“He has been an active advocate and enabler of the Rule of Law in government. He has always stood for the rule of law in the interest of all Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Also, Osinbajo saved the party, APC, from litigation by suggesting APC EXCO members become caretakers.
“Furthermore, the National Livestock Transportation Plan is a creation of the National Economic Council chaired by VP Osinbajo and State Governors. The VP had publicly rejected RUGA and instead articulated the NLTP, which has six pillars through which it aims to transform the livestock production system in Nigeria, through several means, including ranching along a market-oriented value chain while ensuring an atmosphere of peace and justice,” the group said.