Amid the ongoing public discourse on the declaration of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to contest for president in 2023, national convener, Osinbajo Grassroots Organisation (OGO), Sylvanus Foluso Ojo speaks with SEYI SOKOYA on the build-up to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, chances of the contestants, among other issues:
2023 is around the corner, how do you foresee the political landscape?
Yes, there are fears that certain development will not allow elections to hold but I can tell you that elections will hold peacefully as the government will do everything possible to curb the insecurity in the nation before that time; and I’m sure that if other tiers of government from the state to local governments will work together, a lot will be done to achieve this. There will be crisis-free election and winners will emerge; Nigeria will have a new president on May 29, 2023, by the grace of God.
We will continue to have challenges as a nation, that is the essence of government, but the 2023 general election is going to give us another opportunity to elect leaders at different tiers of government, so all of us must be looking towards a better governed nation from the leaders from whom we can demand accountability. Let us identify them and elect them.
Those saying the election will not hold are not the friends of this country. Our mandate is to scrutinise from among those coming up daily to be president, governors, national parliamentarians, state legislators and others, and see who among them is best for us. We cannot be obsessed with our challenges without thinking of how to get out of them. Our people’s attention must be shifted away from dole outs and tokenism to the future of this country.
Do you remember that his leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, is consulting; don’t you think there will be a clash of interest?
We have heard this for some time and we heard this theory of betrayal and clash of interest, depending on who you are talking to. Well, if you are saying that the vice president’s interest to become the president of Nigeria is going to be a clash of interest, then it is as good as saying Asiwaju that we all know does not believe in democracy. He has been a leader who worked with people in close contact and these persons are becoming the best in what they do.
If these individuals have honed their skills and ability to possess those qualities that are needed to serve the country in any capacity to be compared with what he can offer, I think Asiwaju should feel proud and honoured that these people that once passed through him have delivered and served creditably well and that their services are needed in capacity where he’s showing interest. Sincerely, he should sit back and bless them.
Regardless, there’s nothing stopping the national leader of the APC or the vice president from seeking to become anything they are constitutionally qualified for in Nigeria. Professor Osinbajo, having worked with the president for this far, has received needed experience to succeed his boss.
And besides, if you’re talking about convention, as a sitting vice president, you don’t think he deserves the right-of-first refusal as it’s done in other democracies.
Some still cannot comprehend why Osinbajo going for the same interest?
Is the vice president equating himself to be the president? He is loyal to his principal and they have no record of dispute. He doesn’t rate himself higher than his leaders, either spiritual, political or even in his career. He will rather partner than rub shoulders with NBA and he has not called himself the national leader of his party, so, I’m not sure that anybody is being undermined. Instead, we should be saying things about the future of this country at this point. I am happy that among those calling him names, no one has faulted his capacity to lead this country; they even christened him the ‘Star Boy’. So, he’s not a failure. We should face the reality about who has the capacity to manage this Nigeria today, how to put our country in a better state, ways to stimulate the economy to reduce insecurity and to get the nation working. If you are talking about these ones, I think the peddlers of outshining somebody will look the other way. We’re not talking of recruiting a monarch; we are talking of a public servant who is going to give direction of Nigeria. To us, we believe that Professor Osinbajo possesses those attributes and capacity. That is not outshining the leader; this is about Nigeria.
What has been the experience coming up with the Osinbajo grassroots mobilisation group?
We started propagating the activities of the Osinbajo Grassroots Organisation (OGO) three years ago and we are targeting the grassroots people. When we started, some people thought it was a child’s play when we started calling on the vice president to run for the office of the president.
Firstly, let me start by saying, I am the happiest person in this country, because I have been vindicated. Vindicated in the sense that, when I started the call for Osinbajo presidency, I faced a lot of challenges. Lots of antagonists, people called me different names. Some people would call me personally, some people would send me messages. Even some people working directly with the vice president were so uncomfortable then. And I wouldn’t blame them. Anytime I bring out something about Osinbajo presidency, it gets back to their table, it gives them extra task to defend and let people know Osinbajo is not doing this.
They will just tell me, are you the one to tell Osinbajo to contest? But I kept on doing what I believe in. Today, the voices of those abusing me then are now louder than mine in asking for the Osinbajo presidency. All of them are on this project. All of us are now doing it together. I believe very soon, the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo will declare.
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“Absolutely, When we came with the Buhari government in 2015 I became the minister. We were committed to a roadmap to establish a National Carrier, to concession the airports, to set up a leasing company, to establish cargo facilities and we have been doing that.”
On why the Buhari government wanted a national carrier, the minister responded: “Nigeria is situated at the centre of Africa, equidistant from all locations in Africa. 30.4 million square kilometres miles, 1.5 billion people, very green land. If Central and Eastern Africa is the belt of the continent, then Nigeria is the buckle. 200 million people and rising middle class, propensity to fly is high. Nigeria is a candidate for National Carrier.”
Sirika who insisted that the coming national carrier will be private sector driven added; “Private. Yes. 5 per cent government and no government stepping right in that company, no government control, no membership of government on board. Totally private and committed.
“Whatever we say we will do as a government since 2015, it has happened. that is why Tim Clark of Emirates, Qatar Airways and all of them are looking to go into Nigeria in multiple frequencies and multiple landing points because Nigeria is the right place for the airline business.
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