2023 Elections: Nigeria deserves the best – VP Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has interacted with stakeholders and delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa, with the presidential aspirant insisting that the country deserves the best.

Osinbajo’s visit to Jigawa was in continuation of his nationwide consultations with APC stakeholders and delegates ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

The thrust of the vice president’s message in Dutse, the Jigawa State Capital, was that decisions on the 2023 elections should be based on Nigeria’s best interest.

The Vice President was received by a crowd of supporters at the airport and on the streets, APC chieftains and senior state government officials led by Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdulkadir Adamu, who represented  Gov. Badaru Abubakar who was out of the state.

At the town hall style meeting with the delegates, the vice president restated his view that decisions about the 2023 elections should be based on what should be the best for the country.

” We should make a decision based on the future of our children… we can make progress; we can move on.

” All I ask you to do is what is in the best interest of Nigeria; vote in the interest of our children,” he said.

He also restated how his training and experience in governance serving as vice president under President Muhammadu Buhari would help him to lead the country effectively as president on the APC platform.

“As vice president, the president has given me an opportunity that I do not think any other vice president has been given,” he added.

Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, Osinbajo said that he was happy with the interactions with the Jigawa delegates.

“Obviously, all the issues that we discussed are issues that concern the country very significantly.

” We talked about agriculture, we talked about youth empowerment, education, technology and a wide variety of issues.

“I think it was extremely fruitful, and at least we all understand where we are coming from and where we ought to be in the few years ahead.

” All of us are very happy that we were able to have this engagement,” he said.

Delegates, who spoke during the interactive session, included members of the state House of Assembly, local government officials as well as grassroots politicians and women leaders.

Most of the delegates spoke about the successes of the Social Investment Programme, especially the National Homegrown School Feeding programme, which the delegates recalled offered first time jobs for several women.

They also commended the contributions of the Vice President to the initiative, while citing other achievements of the Buhari administration such as the efforts to make fertiliser available and affordable as witnessed in the state.

Others at the interactive session highlighted the reputation of the vice president as “a man of proven integrity and fear of God,” in addition to his “excellent track record, loyalty and support of Mr President.”

Several delegates also called for the expansion of the Social Investment Programme should Osinbajo emerge president in 2023 while providing federal support to the state’s agrarian economy.

NAN/Nnenna.O