Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, on Wednesday, declared his intention to run for the office of the president in the 2023 general election.
He also obtained copies of the nomination and expression of interest forms to vie for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nwajiuba, who has become the first of many aspirants in the current cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, however, said he would not resign his appointment as a minister until 30 days to the general election, as provided for in 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
He officially announced his intention to contest the election for the presidency in Abuja when a group of Nigerians, under the auspices of Project Nigeria Group (PNG), presented to him copies of the nomination and expression of interest forms which were purchased for him by the group.
The group was said to have pooled the N100 million fees, including N500 contribution from a student from one of the federal unity schools, to ensure Nwajiuba runs for the presidency.
“I now solemnly accept to run for us all and bear our party’s flag into the elections and become our next president.
“I do this recognising that in the last seven years, President Muhammadu Buhari has performed extraordinary feats in ensuring that our progressive ideas have been established; physical infrastructure of every type and inclusive policies reaching out to our poor and less privileged,” he said in his acceptance speech.
While fielding questions from newsmen, the minister said he would not resign his appointment until 30 days to the election.
He faulted Section 84(12) of the recently-signed Electoral Act 2022, adding that it could not override the provisions of the constitution which is the grundnorm of the country.
Apart from Nwajiuba, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and other presidential aides are currently vying for various offices at federal and state levels.
Nwajiuba said: “We are required to resign 30 days to any election you choose to contest, that is the position of the law. My position is that the law of the country rest on the grundnorm called the constitution. If you want to amend it, there are laid down guidelines that must be followed to amend those laws.
“I also thank President Muhammadu Buhari, who, in the course of the 20 years that I have been in his political household, has afforded me the opportunity to learn and proffered my little effort in the service of our fatherland, Nigeria.
“We all thank our party, its chairman, the NWC and the NEC that he leads as they build on the work many previous party officers started in coming together to present Nigerians with a progressive platform that is a congress for all shades.
“I thank with profound respect my fellow Nigerians, both those present here and those in all our nooks and cranny, whose desire for a regeneration by a forward generation and breed of political workers has led them to identify me as their chief recruit for the job of moulding Nigeria along the path of its collective dreams.
“They have gathered resources from every part of the country and purchased the form for which the APC will nominate a candidate to fly its flag in the presidential elections in February 2023 and they have now presented this to me.
“I now solemnly accept to run for us all and bear our party’s flag into the elections and become our next president.
“I do this recognising that in the last seven years, President Muhammadu Buhari has performed extraordinary feats in ensuring that our progressive ideas have been established; physical infrastructure of every type and inclusive policies reaching out to our poor and less privileged.
“As we strive to uplift Nigeria and Nigerians into a developed state, a lot still is outstanding and needs to be done. Many of our citizens are still outside, hungry, unemployed. Many more are threatened by unwarranted and unnecessary internal security and economic challenges.
“Our calling today invites me to take up a work path that builds on the solid foundations that have been laid thus far; provide different paradigms for new challenges and provide the platform for a vista that accommodates subject experts to pull together forces to meet our Nations challenges.
“This is the path I propose to thread, having been properly schooled, experienced and tested in the last 30 years of active politics.
“I, therefore, invite our dear party and its great men and women to forge that trust in me, as their new symbol of unity, growth and regeneration as we step into the future with renewed zeal and optimism.”
Dr Ndubuisi Ugochukwu, Director of Strategy, Project Nigeria Group, while presenting the nomination and expression of interest forms to the minister, said the group had pooled resources to purchase the forms so as to exert maximum pressure on Nwajiuba to run for the office of the president.
He said this was done after wide consultations across the country, saying the minister has not only discharged his duties creditably but represented the face of the youth with intellect, energy and vigour, as well as being a detribalised Nigerian that would work for unity and progress of the country.
