2023: Why am in presidential race -Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says improving the quality of education for young people and creating job opportunities are some of the reasons that made him to join the 2023 Presidential race.

Osinbajo said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaimanu, on Tuesday at his palace in Bauchi.

The vice president was in the state as part of his consultations with All Progressives Congress(APC) stakeholders, ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

“Our concern as a government has always been how to ensure that the common man is given a fair chance to be employed and to have a decent living which is why several of the projects that we have undertaken especially the Social Investment Programme, have been to better the lot of the people.

”But also, we have been concerned about young people; how we can improve not just the quality of the education of the young people but the opportunities for young people to get jobs, to be employed.

“And this may also explain why I am running for president of this country in 2023.

“I have served as vice president to President Muhammadu Buhari for the past seven years and God helping me, I will serve out that term by May 2023,” he said.

Osinbajo added:” And in that capacity, as your royal highness will know, I have been exposed to governance at the highest level, thanks very much to the openness and transparency of the President and I have learnt a lot.”

The vice president said that he was able to acquire different leadership skills and garner more experiences while acting at various times as the president of the country.

According to him, one of the critical things that one recognises is that a diverse country such as Nigeria – different religions and ethnicities– the people have different desires but we must treat everybody with fairness and justice.

“I believe that this is one of the reasons why it is important for us to bear in mind that the unity of this country is very critical, there is no point trying to govern a country that is not united and of course securable.

“These are issues that are important which we are trying to deal with presently,” he said.

Osinabajo recalled that in his last visit to the place, he was in the state for the rural electrification project of communities in Ningi Local Government Area in 2019.

The vice president said a Shared Facility for groundnut oil producers as part of the MSMEs clinics was also established in the state.

Osinbajo added that Bauchi state was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the N-Power programme.

Earlier in his remark, Sulaimanu, thanked the vice president for the visit and wished him well in his pursuit.

“Let me share my delight on behalf of the emirate for this important visit; I believe you are in Bauchi for political activities but you still found time to visit me at this material time. It shows the love you have for me and the people of Bauchi State.

“We believe that power belongs to God and he give power to who he wishes to give; by virtue of our position, we are not politicians; we don’t participate in politics but we advise wisely for whatever will be for success.

“We pray that whatever you are doing here on Bauchi State will be fruitful.

“We wish you and your entourage a peaceful and pleasant stay in Bauchi; peaceful deliberations and safe return back to Abuja,” he said.