Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
A coalition of 57 youth groups and students have endorsed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the 2023 presidency. Its National Coordinator, Mr. Festus Ofume, while reading the communique on behalf of the 57 groups under the aegis of National Coalition of Youth and Students (NACOYS) after their meeting with officials of The Progressive Project (TPP), the sole coordinating body for pro-Osinbajo groups, stated their resolve to mobilise at least five million youth across Nigeria to support Osinbajo if he finally decides to run for the presidency in 2023.
He said Nigerian youth cannot afford to remain indifferent to the nation’s political process and its future.
The coalition said: “At our enlarged meeting held at Abuja on the 10” day of January, 2022, we unanimously endorse Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as our candidate for the top job of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the 2023 general elections. We came to this conclusion after due consultation nationwide and after a thorough assessment of all he has done over the past seven years.
“For the future of Nigeria, we firmly believe that the man Yemi Osinbajo is the best qualified for the office of the President, especially with his intellectual accomplishment, empathy for the younger generation, understanding of the economy and the fact that he has the experience of being an acting President and Vice President with uncompromised passion to consolidate on the achievements of the last seven years.”
“Being the most viable candidate for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we shall, in the best of today’s youth and coming generations, strive towards the election of Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023.”
The coalition noted that Osinbajo was not only the best qualified among all the names being mentioned as potential aspirants, he is also the most qualified in terms of practical potential towards redressing issues of deep concern such as the rule of law and unemployment.
It noted that Osinbajo has consistently demonstrated deep passion for impactful economic policies and we all know a bit about his roles in the Economic Recovery and Growth Project (ERGP) and other policies targeting macro-economic stability and restoration of economic growth.
The coalition further emphasized the necessity for a power shift from North to South and the need to pick an experienced and competent person from the north as a running mate towards ensuring further consolidation of Nigeria’s unity.
It added: “We, members of NACOYS and other stakeholders have resolved that Yemi Osinbajo who is a Southerner should succeed President Buhari as the tide is set for the presidency to rotate to the south. In this regard, we know that Mr. Yemi Osinbajo will select his running mate from the North to balance the political equation and ensure effective representation of the North but for the national interest and the interest of future generations.”
The coalition noted that after scrutinizing the current challenges of the country and the pertinent efforts and roles played by Osinbajo towards containing these challenges, it is firmly confident about his capacity to address all the challenges the country is currently facing, if given the chance to serve.
It stressed that after due consideration and a nationwide sampling of opinions among the youths and students across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, it came to the firm conclusion that Osinbajo is a well-liked and highly acceptable figure to people across the country.
It said: “We are in no doubt that he is best qualified to foster national unity and quench the incessant aggressive quest for self-determination and demarcation of Nigeria.”
