Former Governor of Edo State, Adam Oshiomhole, on Wednesday made good his promise to join the presidential race for 2023.
NPO had earlier reported that the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress said few days ago he would declare his intention to run for presidency.
Addressing his supporters at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Abuja, the former labour leader expressed worry over some of the issues facing the country.
For instance, he lamented the ongoing industrial face off between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, adding that if elected, issues between varsity teachers and other tertiary institutions and the government would become a thing of the past.
He said, “I am not here to lament all the imperfections, I have come to have a conversation as to what I believe we need to do differently to reposition Nigeria on the path of sustainable growth and development.”
“I want to declare that I will do everything possible to engage not just ASUU, but all education stakeholders to ensure that the academic calendar is maintained.
“I stand here for one purpose, to formally declare that I Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, hereby declare with confidence my desire to contest for the office of the president of Nigeria on the platform of a party that we co-founded, APC.
“While we currently talk about insecurity, unemployment, poverty, access to electricity supply, solutions to address such issues should be the focus.
“What to do differently is to ensure that we stop lamenting and start engaging and organising to restore hope should be discussed.”
Saying that poverty, insecurity and unemployment were inter-related, Oshiomhole promised to give attention to the nation’s economy by fixing it and restoring hope to Nigerians.
He promised to ensure a new tax regime where the rich would pay more tax.
“One does not have to be a professor to know what poverty is,” Oshiomhole said.