Uduegbunam Chukwujama
After several months of speculations regarding his ambition, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday morning declared his intention to run for the office of Nigeria’s President in the 2023 general elections.
A statement he posted on his verified Twitter handle said: ”I am today, with utmost humility formally declaring my intention to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the APC.”
VP Osinbajo, in follow-up tweets, said he is qualified for the country’s number one office because he was properly groomed for it. ”At the direction of Mr. President (Muhammadu Buhari),” Osinbajo said, ”I have represented our country in several international engagements. I have been in markets, factories, schools, and farms. I have visited our gallant troops in the North-East and our (displaced) brothers and sisters in the IDP camps.
” I believe that the very reason why the Almighty God gave me these experiences, these insights and these opportunities, is that they must be put to the use of our country and its great peoples.”
Reactions immediately followed the Vice President’s official declaration on social media. Twitter user @unclemide replying to VP Osinbajo’s tweet said: ”Congratulations on making a good choice to run, Prof. We can now function properly with our respective lives because we’ve been patiently waiting for you to declare. But by God’s unfailing grace, you will NOT win.”
Another user @itz_charlie said: ”You have mind o. Like despite the numerous failures your government can be linked to, you still deemed it fit to run for President. Run na, shebi na here we dey??,” the Twitter user said.
”No mind him, bro, he’s only seeking for shelter bcos he knows he failed the people,” another user replied.
Recall that former governor of Lagos State and APC chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seen by many as Osinbajo’s political mentor because he (Osinbajo) served in his cabinet as commissioner had since declared to run for the same office under the same ruling All Progressives Congress.
So, they mean that the same set of people will continue to rule this country. Won’t they give others chance? Let’s watch and see how it goes.