TheCable

A coalition of 28 support groups has procured the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Adesina is, however, yet to declare his interest in contesting the presidency in the 2023 general election.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Ademola Babatunde of the Youth Arise Movement (YAM), who displayed an acknowledgement slip of the APC for the payment, said the forms would be collected on Sunday.

He listed some members of the coalition to include the One Nigeria Group, Prudent Youth Association of Nigeria, women groups, farmers, and persons with disabilities.

Babatunde, a former presidential candidate of the defunct Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP) in the 2019 presidential election, said the groups believe in Adesina’s capacity to fix the country’s challenges.

“We are 28 groups that came together after very serious consultations and deliberations on the way forward for a better and united Nigeria,” he told NAN.

“We unanimously decided that though the money is outrageous, if we truly want a better future for ourselves and our children, we must put our resources together to obtain the forms for Adesina.

“We are very much aware of the critical time that Nigerians and our country, Nigeria, are going through.

“If we fail to support a candidate of credible and worthy note like Adesina, we will eventually hand over this country to the mediocre, who will finally destroy our commonwealth.

“This is one of the supports we are fundamentally and passionately determined to render for ourselves by putting Adesina forward to Nigerians.”