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Ahead of Presidential Primary, Osinbajo Begins Second Nationwide Consultation, to meet with party delegates 

°Gaya emerges support groups’ DG

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The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is expected to begin his second round nationwide consultation ahead of the presidential primary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) slated for June 1, 2022, THISDAY gathered yesterday.

The move, according to the source in the vice president’s camp, was designed to cement efforts already put in place by Osinbajo in a bid to fortify his chances of clinching the party’s presidential ticket.

He said the vice president would be meeting with APC delegates in the all the local governments across the country and might start this weekend in Oyo State.

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“Consultations are already in progress across the country and yes we might be intensifying the engagements very soon, the sources told THISDAY.

Osinbajo who had after a recent nationwide consultation, declared intention to succeed Buhari, is expected to meet with APC delegates from his home state, Ogun.

Meanwhile former governor of Kano State and senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Senator Kabiru Gaya, has been appointed the Chairman of The Progressive Project (TPP), an umbrella body of various support groups of Vice President Osinbajo across the 36 states and the FCT.

The Kano State federal lawmaker who was at the headquarters of the TPP yesterday, to address Osinbajo’s supporters, assured them that the vice president would succeed Buhari next year.

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Gaya described TPP as a mass-based, citizen-driven project and that he decided to take the responsibility to lead a process of recalibrating all pro-Osinbajo populist forces towards electoral victory under the banner of APC.

He said: “Our duty is the coordination of all support groups: this is not the Campaign Council.

For Professor Yemi Osinbajo, this race is not about personal ambition but about a positive response to populist call from a citizen-driven mobilisation that began without input from him or his office.

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“Note that people from other parties and even millions of non-partisan citizens who do not belong to any political party have strong interest and involvement with this campaign for Osinbajo’s candidature.

“Without an iota of doubt, I am certain that all the knowledgeable people here can attest to the qualities and competence of Professor Yemi Osinbajo. You will also agree with me that his chosen method redefines presidential declarations in Nigeria; he has clearly signaled that noble citizens have no need to descend into gutters – no touts were hired by anyone and his message effectively reverberated across the entire country and the Diaspora.”

On fund to obtain the vice president’s nomination form, he said: “We feel confident that unlike moneybags, our truly populist candidate is popular enough to pool supporters’ token donations and raise such money with ease.

“Just one youth group with TPP, the Progressive Group alone say that they can raise N100m with rough voluntary contributions of N10, 000 each by 10, 000 of their supporters who are keen about seeing a better future.

“Our populist Mathematics is flawless and very strong; moneybags within or outside APC will only lose their dollars in any contest against the people’s will.

“Unlike the history of some other political parties, records show that neither APC presidential ticket nor its VP slot had ever been won by throwing money around but by populist endorsement from north and south.”

(Thisday)