Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, a former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, and 15 other presidential aspirants have endorsed Fela Durotoye as their consensus presidential candidate.
Durotoye emerged as consensus candidate through a consensus arrangement of a coalition tagged, “Presidential Candidates Coming Together” (PACT).
Durotoye is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), while the former CBN deputy governor is of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
The presidential aspirants said they met in July and August to discuss a viable strategy and consensus-building to win the 2019 presidential elections.
A statement read out at the event Thursday said the highlight of the meetings was the unanimous agreement that PACT will present a single, sole consensus candidate to fly its flag in the 2019 presidential elections.
“It is in this regards that the 30th of August 2018 was chosen to elect the consensus candidate through a democratic process and due process.
Among the presidential aspirants that signed the Pact were, Mrs. Godstime Sydney Iroabuchi, Alistair Soyode, Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, Clement Jumbo, Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, Comrade Eragbe Anslem and Fela Durotoye.
Others include, Abubakar Alkali, Jaye Gaskia, Ahmed Buhari, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Elishama Ideh, Sina Fagbenro-Byron, Matthews B Trado, Victor Ani-Laju, Emmanuel Etim and Ayodele Favour Speaking at at meeting of the forum, which was attended by a former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, in Abuja Thursday, the aspirants said they had decided to subjugate their individual ambitions to the collective interest of the country.
In his speech, before the aspirants went into a closed-door session to decide who among them would be the group’s consensus candidate, Moghalu said the consensus arrangement was aimed at increasing the chances of members of the group in the forth coming presidential poll.
