2019: APGA gets presidential candidate; Mimiko clinches ZLP ticket

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Sunday elected a retired general, John Ogbor, as its presidential candidate for the 2019 elections.

APGA is arguably Nigeria’s third largest political party with a state governor (Anambra State) and some federal and state lawmakers as members.

The party, formed by the late Chukwuemka Ojukwu, is most popular among the Igbos of South-east Nigeria.

Mr Ogbor, who was elected during the party’s primary election in Abuja, has Jerry Chukwueke as his running mate.

He said he was contesting for president in order to restructure the country so that it could become a developed nation.

“I want to be your president so as to fix Nigeria. My government will be unequivocally committed to a unified and prosperous nation where no one and no place will be left behind.

“Right now, Nigeria is confronted with many challenges such as insecurity ,unemployment ,poverty and illiteracy.”

Mr Ogbor said that the time had come for Nigerians to feel the impact of leadership.

He said APGA would produce a leadership were all lives and property would be protected, adding that Nigerians needed not to despair because hope had come.

He said that he would transform Nigeria with his five point agenda of true federalism ,social reconstruction and security.

He also listed economic reconstruction, youth and women empowerment as part of the agenda.

The National Chairman of the party, Victor Oye, said Mr Ogbor had satisfied the requirement of APGA’s constitution

Mr Oye said that the party would strive to ensure his victory in 2019.

He urged Nigerians to vote for APGA for a paradigm shift in the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ogbor is a former Commandant of the Nigerian Army Education Corps.

Also, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) on Sunday elected former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, as its presidential candidate for the 2019 election.

Mr Mimiko was elected as a consensus candidate by members of the party in Abuja at its national convention.

The presidential hopeful said that he would leverage on the party’s social democratic ideological orientation to convince Nigerians to work with him.

He said that with the party’s pedigree and those of its leading lights, he would not have trouble convincing Nigerians why the party is the preferred option for them in the 2019 elections.

“As a social democratic party committed to the enduring principles of good governance, utilitarianism and a restructured federal system for Nigeria, ZLP is set to capture the imagination of Nigerians.

“The party will lead the process of renewing the Republic.

“I am resolutely committed to a programme of restructuring the Nigerian federation.

“This is with a view to affording every segment of the country the opportunity and privilege of development at its own pace.

“This will be done in such a manner that the age long beauty in competitive development will be fully tapped.”

Mr Mimiko said that he was persuaded beyond any doubt, that such restructuring would give vent to the spirit of Nigerians.

He added that the spirit of accomplishment, which had made stars of individual Nigerians all over the world, would be ignited again.

Mr Mimiko urged members of the party not to be intimidated by the big parties, but concentrate on the size and weight of ZLP ideas.

The former governor also urged the party to focus on the purity of its ideological commitment.

“We must focus on our compassion for the weak and the poor in society.

“We must focus on the clarity of vision and thought that we bring to the fore for Nigerians as we go into the elections.”

Mimiko said that it was with the confidence in the ability of Nigerians to make existential decision in the 2019 elections that he made a decision to serve.

He stressed that he was out to disrupt settled assumptions, by focusing on new ideological narratives that affected the people directly.

Mr Mimiko governed Ondo State between 2009 and 2016 under the platforms of Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively.

Mr Mimiko had earlier declared his presidential ambition under the Labour Party but later defected to the ZLP.

The Chief Returning Officer and Chairman of the party, Dan Nwanyanwu, said that Mr Mimiko fulfilled all the party’s requirements and obeyed the constitution of the party.

Mr Nwanyanwu reiterated the party’s support for Mimiko, adding that the ZLP would go all out to ensure victory for its presidential candidate.

Another party, the National Action Council (NAC) , on Sunday elected its National Chairman, Rabia Cengiz, as its presidential candidate for the 2019 general elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Cengiz emerged through a consensus vote by the delegates to the party’s National Convention held in Abuja.

Mrs Cengiz speaking with journalists shortly after her emergence said she was fully prepared to go into the next stage of consulting with Nigerians to achieve her vision of been the first Nigerian female president.

She said she was not afraid to face candidates of other political parties in the 2019 contest, especially men with money bag politics.

“The men may have the money but we women have the hearts. There is a saying that they are rich in the pockets buy their hearts are poor.

“Nigerians need mothers with good hearts that can build this country, the way we have built good men and women.”

Mrs Cengiz said she was ready to deliver quality leadership and real change that Nigerians had been waiting for, if elected in 2019.

“After 58 years our leaders are still promising to give basic infrastructure like road, education among others. I believe we should have passed that stage.

“We should have been at the state of inventing things and not promising things that should had been done years back.

“It is a shame for our leaders to still be promising health, electricity, infrastructure, agriculture and others.

“This time around I believe woman can do those things that were left undone. I am prepared to achieve them.”

Mrs Cengiz told NAN that she has the political structure and capacity to win 2019 Presidential election.

Johnson Omede, the party’s convention returning officer, who was also the Deputy Legal Adviser of the party, said that the convention followed the rules and guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and monitored by INEC National Commissioner.

Mr Omede said that the affirmation of Mrs Cengiz by all the delegates show she was a candidate to beat in 2019.

He said that arising from the convention monitored by INEC, the party was more than ready for the 2019 general elections .

“The cloud of supporters that we have across the nation had indicated their support and readiness to work for her victory to ensure that the road to Vila is overwhelmed.”

Mrs Cengiz is the founder and president of Rakad International School, Hotoro, Kano State, President, World Organisations for Early Child Education and also President and founder of Northern Women Political Enlistment Campaign.

(NAN)