Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said he was well equipped to lead the country due to the exposure he has had working with his current principal, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
File: Osinbajo, Buhari
He said working closely with Buhari had exposed him to critical decisions and programmes about Nigeria.
Osinbajo stated this at the palace of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II when he visited Edo State to meet with delegates of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the party’s presidential primary election.
“As the Vice President, I am well equipped to lead the country due to the exposure I have working with President Muhammadu Buhari, which has exposed me to critical decisions and programmes about Nigeria.
“I am here today on a political visit but for obvious reasons, I made sure I started from the palace. But I am here to consult with party members who are delegates in our forthcoming delegates’ convention.
“On April 11th, I formally declared to vie for the post of the president of this country. I have been exposed to many things in government. I commend the president who has been generous to ensure that I participate in every policy of the government. I have exposure to the highest level of government and the capacity to govern the country.
“I started teaching at the age of 24 and I have served in several capacities and I assure you that I will do the very best I can for the country if elected.”
In his response, the Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II said he had always been an admirer of the Vice President’s eloquence and commended him for his respect for culture and tradition.
Oba Ewuare II took a swipe at the political class which he accused of always abandoning the electorate after elections.
He said: “For the businessman, the customers are kings. In an election, the electorate are supposed to be kings but that is not what we have in Nigeria. We have leaders who get to the office and enrich themselves and forget that without the electorate, nobody can occupy any elected office. Some of these politicians use all kinds of tactics to get the votes of the electorate and at the end of the day, they abandon them.
“I want to appeal to the politicians to make this country great because Nigeria is blessed with great human and natural resources but Nigeria is still in a bad state.
“We want to be able to stay in Nigeria and enjoy the good things of life not in Dubai or in the US. Some Nigerians are even running to Ghana, we should change all these, Nigeria should be a destination point,” the monarch added.
He also commended the Buhari-led Federal Government for the role it is playing to ensure that stolen artefacts were returned to their original owners.
Osinbajo later had a closed-door meeting with APC leadership and delegates.
PUNCH
