THESHIELD Garkuwa
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By IMRANA ABDULLAHI
Members of The Progressive Project (TPP) have expressed the readiness to procure the N100 million worth All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination forms for the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo in pursuit of his presidential ambition.
TPP’s chairman, Senator Kabiru Gaya who made this known to reporters Thursday in Abuja, explained that the gesture speaks volume of the depth of acceptability of Osinbajo among Nigerians.
Gaya who chairs the Senate committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), maintained that Osinbajo would not be intimidated by his adversaries to drop his presidential ambition.
The Kano-born politician contended that Osinbajo stands out as the most competent aspirant to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari after his tenure in May 2023.
According to him: “Even an internal issue of the price of our party’s nomination form is being deliberately misinterpreted in some circles when we feel confident that unlike moneybags, our truly populist candidate is popular enough to pool supporters’ token donations and raise such money with ease.
” Just one youth group with TPP, the Progressive Group alone say that they can raise N100m with rough voluntary contributions of N10, 000 each by 10, 000 of their supporters who are keen about seeing a better future.
“Our populist Mathematics is flawless and very strong; moneybags within or outside APC will only lose their dollars in any contest against the people’s will.
Unlike the history of some other political parties, records show that neither APC presidential ticket nor its VP slot had ever been won by throwing money around but by populist endorsement from North and South.”
Continuing, he noted: “We will not descend low to play gutter politics and we have continued to warn our supporters against involvement in insults and vilification. We are democrats, we believe in uniting people and in submitting ourselves and competing ideas to the people’s evaluation and decisions through the ballot box.
“For us at TPP, the unity of Nigeria as well as the unity of all Progressives remain paramount.
“We are not unaware that a band of very few pessimists who try to deceive themselves and their sponsors about their lower chances are equally disseminating false narratives in a futile effort to demarket Yemi Osinbajo.
“Some have said that some opposition elements probably have a hand in it, out of fear APC’s much-improved prospects of victory with Osinbajo as presidential candidate.
“Let it be emphasized once again that all the populist forces behind Professor Yemi Osinbajo fear no foe and hate no one; we are focused without compromise on the unity, progress and development of Nigeria and we shall not descend into gutter fights with any person or group.
“Like hundreds of our support groups and like millions of Nigerians who called upon him to come out and contest, I have totally confidence that by the power of the Almighty and the electoral power of millions of Nigerian citizens across the six geo-political zone, Yemi Osinbajo will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari on May 20, 2023.”
