Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has noted that his experience in the last seven years has prepared him to become Nigeria’s next president.
Prof Osinbajo stated this on Friday when he met members and delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and the businessmen for the Osinbajo support group in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
At the meeting, Osinbajo said he has been exposed to everything related to governance at the local and international levels which informed his intention to run for president.
He also noted that the time is right to reward all politicians and delegates of the party who worked for the success of the party, adding that “every politician deserves to be treated well and properly.”
He also added that his administration as president will create a partnership based on trust between the delegates and the political class for the reward of all.
“Let me begin by congratulating all of us on the very successful completion of our convention, the convention of our great partners, the all progressive Congress. I want to thank you for standing firm and strong so that you’re able to hold a peaceful convention. I also want to thank you for your support for President Muhammadu Buhari and our government in Abuja.
“On April 11 2022. I, your son, your brother, your friend, declared my intention to run for president of the Federal Republic. of Nigeria.
“I declared my intention to run with the greatest humility. I have served in the government of the federal government of Nigeria for the past seven years and in those seven years, I have been involved because the President considered it right to do and in his own generosity and his own and his openness gave me every opportunity to attend very sensitive international assignments.
“As you know, I also acted as president during certain periods when the President was away on medical vacation. Everything that I learned as vice president, and everything that I’ve learned as acting president has prepared me to run as president of our country and to function as president of our country.
“God does not make a mistake. God is deliberate in everything that he does. And by giving me all of those opportunities, I’ve had to see for myself, understand governance for myself at the highest level of our country’s governance, to be exposed to everything local and international at the highest levels of governance in our country.
“All of it was not just so that I will sit down and write my memoirs. No, it was to come in handy one day, and I believe the time has come. I believe that that time has come and I have the responsibility to my country, have the responsibility to you, to all our children. To give all of what I’ve learned, everything I’ve learned, all of the service I’ve given to be able to give it to our country and to serve our country faithfully, honestly and transparently. That is my intention.
“One advantage I will have is that, on day one, I can hit the ground running because I know what it takes for all of our politicians and for our delegates. I’m sure that you will say I haven’t spoken about the very important things that I want to do and I’m not going to talk about the economy. I’m not going to talk about security. There are so many things that we need to address for that task, not for today.
“Today, I just want to speak briefly to our politicians. Every politician is an important nation builder. Everybody who is in politics, everyone is important. There’s a reward for doing that.
“The reason why we’re in politics is to build our communities, to build our local governments, our states or a nation. And our desire is to make Nigeria truly the greatest country on the face of the earth.
“We can achieve it. But every politician deserves to be treated well and properly. When we go into politics, we expect to be rewarded. We expect that we will be rewarded with positions and with opportunities to serve which is why I am saying to you all who are seated here that as far as I’m concerned, you must be the priority.
“Whenever we’re making political appointments, you must be the priority. And I want to tell you that I am building a partnership with our political class, a partnership built on trust. I say that this is how we’re going to operate by the grace of God when I become president.
“We are going to work with all politicians and we are going to make sure that politicians receive adequate rewards for all their service. We cannot ask to be running around without a reward. So we are going to change our reward system. That is one thing that I want to say to you definitely and clearly.
“The other thing I want to mention to you is that in all the important decisions that we will make, we will make important decisions on the economy and important decisions on security. We will consult at every level. We’ll make sure that we’ll consult at every level. So you can be sure that we will consult with you,” the Vice President said.
Dignitaries at the event include Former Governor of Edo State, Oserheimen Osunbor; Oyo APC chairman, Isaac Omodewu; Senator Representing Oyo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin; Oyo APC chieftain, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); Special Adviser to the President Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and Senator Bulkachawa among others.
It was reported that the meeting was preceded by another meeting with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun at his Alarere Palace in the state.