2023: Anyim, Bala Mohammed, Tambuwal Pick Presidential Nomination Forms

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Governor of  Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and his Bauchi State counterpart  Bala Mohammed yesterday paid N40 million each for the presidential nomination forms.

The Anyim presidential nomination form was paid for by over 400 support groups consisting of women, youths and professional groups.

The Anyim groups  proceeded to his campaign office in Garki Abuja where they handed over the   presidential nomination form to him.

The former senate president while receiving the presidential nomination form said that his pedigree equipped him to contest for the office of the president as his experience has put him above all to right the ship of Nigeria and berth it to right of place in terms of economic development 

Anyim told the gathering that God has placed him in a better position for challenges ahead and assured Nigerians of better days ahead  

Speaking later, the leader of the Anyim support group, Comrade Mayor Samuel said: “We did not obtain the forms on behalf of Sen. Anyim, we purchased the forms for Sen. Anyim to demonstrate our unshaken confidence in his capacity and suitability to lead Nigeria at this point in our history.” 

“If by 2023, Nigeria fails to get the leadership question right, the future will be very bleak. We have therefore, decided to throw our hats in the ring by getting directly involved in the process of choosing who will be the candidate of the PDP, the Party Nigerians are hanging their hopes on for a secure, peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria come 29th of May 2023,” he added.

According to  Samuel, in order to ensure Nigeria gets it right this time, that they  have decided to lead other support groups and partners of Sen. Anyim to purchase the forms for him to contest in the PDP presidential primary election. 

“We took this step because we are convinced that Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, has the capacity, competence, experience, exposure, temperament and humility to provide the quality of leadership Nigeria needs now to pull our country back from the brinks. 

“Sen. Anyim understands Nigeria, the peculiar challenges we are presently facing and has the capacity to find solutions to those challenges. 

“We are glad that he has offered to lead the charge to rebuild, reunite and reposition Nigeria. We therefore call on all Nigerians of goodwill to rise to the challenge and join hands together to ensure that Sen. Anyim wins the presidential primary of the PDP and ultimately becomes the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the 29th of May, 2023 by the special grace of God”, he said.

Also a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) led by  Olumuyiwa Akinboro purchased the N40 million for Tambuwal. 

Akinboro  said that Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other professionals purchased Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Governor of Sokoto State, .Aminu Tambuwal, to contest the 2023 Presidential Election on the platform of the PDP.

Speaking on behalf of the group,  Akinboro said the group is made up of concerned Nigerians who are worried about where Nigeria is headed and as such, they want Governor Tambuwal not only to lead but unify Nigeria.

“Tambuwal is someone we have all known for 30 years and nothing has changed about him. He’s humble, focused and intelligent. People ask if he has the money to pursue this ambition. That is why we are here to buy this form for him. He’s not aware but we as professional and apolitical, we want him to lead,” he said.

“As regards zoning, we believe Tambuwal is a native of Nigeria and this is someone who is at home in all parts of the nation. Just look at us, we have Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio, and we are saying, PDP, put your best foot forward. You can see there is no money bags here, but the little we have, we will use it for him.

He noted that PDP has the best chance of winning the 2023 presidential election if it presents governor Tambuwal as the party’s flagbearer.

“PDP, you have a good chance to win this election. This election will be decided by simple Nigerians and we are part of that simple Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, the  Bala Mohammed Vanguard (BMV) bought the N40 million presidential nomination form the Bauchi State governor.

The group after purchasing the forms  proceeded to the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge Asokoro, Abuja to present the forms to Monhammed.

Director-General of BMV, Mohammed Jibo , presenting the form to the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, urged him to accept the challenge of rescuing Nigeria from the leadership deficit.

Speaking at the presentation of the forms, one of the leaders of the group, Emeka Uzor, said that the form was a confirmation of the yearning of Nigerians across the country demanding that Mohammed should run.

He said that Nigerians believed that the country needed a detrabalised person who believed in unity of the country and the empowerment of youth and women to be the next president.

“In January last year, the group met you (Gov. Bala Mohammed) in Bauchi to let you know that Nigerians needed you. We told you we wanted you to contest for the Office of President but you told us you were consulting.

“Today, we have bought the form for you and we are here to present the gift to you. By the grace of God, you will emerge victorious because you are the President Nigerians need,” he said.

Uzor said that in settling for  Mohammed, the group took into cognizance the core leadership skills Nigerians want in their next President.

“We need someone that is detribalized, someone that sees everyone as his own, someone that loves people more than money, someone that recognizes the power of women and youths.

“We know that we need a candidate that the youths will stand for, someone who will go ahead and win the election.

“The format he used in ruling this city of Abuja is still being used today. Many people who had no connections got land under his leadership and are today landlords in this city that is very expensive to live in,” he said.

Uzor added that wherever the group went to canvass for support, people provided free drinks on hearing that the man they stood for, is Bala Mohammed.

“When he gets to Aso Rock, he must train new leaders. He has done it in Bauchi and he will do it again,” he assured.

Also speaking, Charity Anthony, Women leader of the group, extolled the leadership qualities of Senator Bala Mohammed which made the group picked him from the pack of 2023 Presidential aspirants.

“Today, BMV has honoured you because we see you as a leader with passion for humanity. We consulted widely and we found out that you are the potential this country needs. You are destined to rule this country. We will vote and defend our votes and our leaders are ready to work for you.

Responding, Mohammed, who described the day moment as “auspicious” saying it has given him energy to take up the task.

Mohammed said that with the presentation of the form he had accepted to offer himself to run to give Nigeria the needed leadership.

“On my own, I may not have come out but what BMV has done for me today has given me the impetus to offer myself to serve.

“If given the opportunity, I will not let you down. I am not going to be a President of a zone, I will be the President of Nigeria. Nigeria has the resources and with the right leadership, we can become an important member of the global community.

“The leader we need is one who does not believe in winner takes all but someone who believes in ‘live, let live.” We are ready for business, we are ready to work.

“With this energy and impetuous, I have accepted these forms. They will be filled with the required information and I will do my best to start this journey.”

The event was attended by renowned academic, Prof. Udenta Udenta and former Director General of the Nigeria Orientation Agency, (NOA), Mike Omeri among others.