By Tunde Opalana
As permutations among politicians continue ahead of the 2023 presidential race, a group of progressives have trump up the name of Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo as a good successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The body, Progressive Consolidation Group (PCG) reasoned that Osinbajo will be a choice candidate from the Muhammadu Buhari presidency and the All-Progressives Congress (APC) to enhancing progressive reforms and national unity.
Consequently, the group implore the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider his presidential ambition to pave way for a total support for the Vice President.
“Both President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo must reach an accord for timely preparation of a more vibrant successor administration to be headed by the current Vice President while APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should reconsider his ambition,” the group asserted.
Addressing reporters in Abuja on behalf of members drawn from the six geo-political zones, PCG’s National Coordinator, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed and National Secretary, Dr Eberechukwu Eli Dibia pledged the group’s preparedness to begin mobilization and sensitization visits to various media houses across the federation.
“Very soon, our group will enlist the support of leaders of thought to drive home our points nationwide. We are aware of the insecurity, economic worries and other issues confronting citizens but planlessness is not a virtue and we advocate that after two years into its second term, this administration must begin serious plans for the years ahead.
“We are aware that some aides of VP Osinbajo describe calls for the learned gentleman’s involvement in the 2023 race as ‘mere distraction’ and we are also aware of the views of thoughtful Nigerians including the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III who commends Osinbajo’s loyalty to President Buhari and the spearheading of important reforms towards enhancing ease of doing business, enhancing ICT innovation, as well as economic policies to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“President Buhari can optimally utilize what is currently within the administration now to build a better future by convincing the not-so-political Professor of Law to run in 2023. His candidature would be far more appealing to Nigerian youth, discerning elders and various sectors of the population.
“As for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he is a great war general but with chinks in his armour such that opponents may easily exploit his Achilles heels to make things very difficult for the ruling party if he becomes presidential candidate in 2023; there is no need to expatiate on what baggages constitute such vulnerabilities at the moment,” they stated.
Expressing what they described as ‘patriotic concerns’ over various national challenges including rising insecurity, separatist agitations, unemployment and other economic issues, the PCG which stated that its membership includes ‘APC loyalists, patriots from other parties and numerous apolitical patriots’ also urged Nigerians not to give into undue anxiety as the situation is not beyond redemption.
“The rather pessimistic views of Ambassador John Campbell and others have energized anxieties but by going back to the drawing table and preparing for the future with our best eleven, including the likes of Osinbajo, Nigeria can be united and made to rise exponentially in the comity of nations.
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“Nigeria is not a failed state; today’s challenges are rooted in errors of the past and some misjudgements of the present time but if we re-strategize, we can drastically curb our difficulties and give our people greater basis for hope.
“President Buhari has tried his best over the past six years but much more needs to be done and an Osinbajo successor administration would be in a vantage position to marshal the energies of youth and the visionary experience to transform this great nation,” the Progressive Consolidation Group emphasized.
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