BY Dyepkazah Shibayan
The Progressive Consolidation Group (PCG), a political initiative, has asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to contest in the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ahmed Mohammed and Eberechukwu Eli Dibia, PCG’s coordinator and secretary, asked Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to reconsider his ambition if he plans to run for the highest office in the country.
“Both President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo must reach an accord for timely preparation of a more vibrant successor administration to be headed by the current Vice President, while APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should reconsider his ambition,” the group said.
“We are aware that some aides of VP Osinbajo describe calls for the learned gentleman’s involvement in the 2023 race as ‘mere distraction’ and we are also aware of the views of thoughtful Nigerians, including the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, who commends Osinbajo’s loyalty to President Buhari and the spearheading of important reforms towards enhancing ease of doing business, enhancing ICT innovation, as well as economic policies to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“President Buhari can optimally utilise what is currently within the administration now to build a better future by convincing the not-so-political Professor of Law to run in 2023; his candidature would be far more appealing to Nigerian youth, discerning elders and various sectors of the population.
“As for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he is a great war general but with chinks in his armour such that opponents may easily exploit his Achilles heels to make things very difficult for the ruling party if he becomes presidential candidate in 2023; there is no need to expatiate on what baggages constitute such vulnerabilities at the moment.”
The PCG said Osinbajo would be able to harness the energy of the youth for the development of the country.
“President Buhari has tried his best over the past six years but more needs to be done and an Osinbajo successor administration would be in a vantage position to marshal the energies of youth and the visionary experience to transform this great nation,” it said.
Tinubu and Osinbajo have not declared bids to run for the presidency in 2023.
However, this is not the first time a group will ask Osinbajo to run for the office of president.
In May, Laolu Akande, the vice-president’s spokesman, said Osinbajo had not declared any intention to run for office.
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