I’m Most Prepared Presidential Aspirant – Osinbajo

BY EDMOND ODOK – Looking at the emerging field of aspirants for 2023 presidential contest, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has declared that he remains the most prepared of all aspirants by experience and exigencies of the time.

Vice President Osinbajo said given his current office and worldview of Nigeria, he possesses the requisite experience and capacity to handle the country’s affairs going forward.

Speaking in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital during a courtesy visit on the State Council of Traditional Rulers in continuation of his consultations ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, Prof Osinbajo said; “The chief objective of my coming is to formally let you know, in a domain where I am a chief, of my intention to run for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I made the formal declaration on April 11. All of us are aware, I have served as the Vice President and God helping us, I will serve until May 29, 2023 in that capacity.

“It is my desire that come that day, I will succeed our current president as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Canvassing his position as the most prepared aspirants in the race, Osinbajo told the royal fathers; “As Vice President, I have served under a president that has given me the opportunity to see for myself and observe at very close quarters, all that is required to run this very complex, very diverse nation, Nigeria.

“I have also served on many occasions as Acting President when the president was away. All of that have given me more than an insider view of how to effectively run the affairs of this country with its various challenges.

“I will say of all the contestants, and I will say so most humbly, clearly that I am the most prepared to hit the ground running.”

Further assuring the people that his aspiration is putting on the table for all Nigerians “visionary, focused and people-oriented leadership”, the Vice President said; “I will be ready on the first day of the assignment because I have seven years training; I have the experience.”

According to him, with the acquisition of eight years experience as Vice President in no distant time, his belief is that God gave him the opportunity in order to offer such services to the country when most required.

“And I believe that those services are required even now. I ask for your prayers and your support; I know that I have your good wishes already,’’ the vice-president said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council of Bayelsa State, King Bubaraye Dakolo, while welcoming the Vice President, acknowledged his place as a traditional title holder in the state and wished him well in pursuit of the presidential aspiration.

King Dakolo, who presented a book he authored – The Riddle of the Oil Thief – to Prof Osinbajo said; “We have before us here the Vice President on a brief visit; as you all know; he is the ‘Ebidou Owei 1’ of Izon Land, our own chief.”

On the Vice President’s visit, the monarch said; “Your other mission is well known; it is season for politicking; so, I won’t go into that but I will wish you the best in your endeavour.

“Just to underscore the fact that Bayelsa is an oil hub; it has been producing oil for the past 70 years. We have all kinds of issues about oil exploration and production.

“I am not going to say much about it because I am presenting a book to you on that subject; it shall be of great interest to you, Mr Vice President.”