Some youths in Ogun State have on Friday called on the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to throw his hat into the ring for the 2023 presidential race.
The group wants Osinbajo to contest the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regardless of whether or not the National Leader of the party, Chief Bola Tinubu, is gunning for the same ticket.
Tinubu, who is considered as a political benefactor of the Vice President, is being rumoured to be eyeing the presidential seat.
The group, under the aegis of Ogun Youth Network, noted that Osinbajo, having worked closely with President Muhammadu Buhari in the last six years, remains the best candidate to succeed Buhari, in order to carry on with the policies of the administration.
At a press conference addressed at the Ogun NUJ Secretariat in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Chairman of the youth group, Oluwagbenga Odumosu, in the company of other members of the association, noted that Osinbajo, who hails from Ikenne in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, has what it takes to govern Nigeria because of his “competence, experience, fairness, youth friendliness and open-mindedness.”
He said the group had zeroed in on Osinbajo after a critical review of the present state of the nation and those vying for the presidential seat.
Odumosu opined that the positive changes the nation had witnessed when Osinbajo acted in Buhari’s presence testified to the Vice President’s capacity.
He said, “The diligence and exceptional transformation we always experience in the country whenever the President Mohammed Buhari is not around and his been given privilege to act as the President showed he is capable to transform this nation if given the chance. His rich profile isn’t just make-up but one with a high pedigree and as such considering that he’s more qualified.
“There is no doubt that we need someone who has what it takes to calm the tribal and religious crises we are experiencing in the country. One man who has shown that he has the capacity is Prof Yemi Osinbajo because he has proved over the years that he is neither tribal bigotry nor a religious fanatic. He is always open to all sides without any sentiment which is borne out of his profession. Despite being a pastor he had continually promoted religious tolerance and harmony in the country.
“The points highlighted are few out of many reasons we are calling on the vice president Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to please throw his hat into the ring to contest for the President come 2023. As we do not need a soothsayer to tell us that Prof Yemi Osinbajo is the beacon of hope for the Nigeria future.”
He alleged that some political jobbers “are trying to tarnish the image of the VP because they know it won’t be business as usual if he emerges as President.”
The Chairman said, “We must sound a note of warning to some perpetual political jobbers in the South West who are planning to defame the vice president despite his unblemished antecedents, we can only warn then to desist as it won’t be business as usual for them as the progressive Youths in the country won’t stop at nothing to fight l and stop them.”
Asked if the group wants Osinbajo to contest the ticket of the APC with Tinubu, Odumosu said the ticket of the APC is still open for all, adding that “even Tinubu knows the ability of Osinbajo before recommending him to be Buhari’s running mate in 2015.”
