Fight for 2023 presidential slot, Ngige tells Igbos

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has urged the people of the South-east to fight for the 2023 presidential slot.

The former Anambra governor was reacting to a revelation by Senate President Bukola Saraki that Bola Ahmed Tinubu was plotting to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Speaking to newsmen, the minister said there was nothing wrong in Tinubu aspiring to become the president of Nigeria.

Ngige said: “What Saraki was saying is a non-issue as far as I’m concerned. Asiwaju has the right to aspire. He is a human being. All of us have our ambitions. He’s my friend. He has the right to aspire. After all, he aspired to the post of vice president. You can’t kill people’s ambitions. We’re in politics to serve and if you feel you can serve in a very high office, you should aspire to go there.

“It is left for those who are politicking with you to also square up and do their own work if they feel it’s their turn, they should do their own work so that they will be more acceptable than yourself. Power is not served, you must struggle for it.

“So, on moral grounds, on basis of equity, it will be the turn of the South East. South East must step out to say it is our turn with enough punch and convincing reasons. Part of the reasons and the arguments will be that we are the only people that have not tasted it before and it will then touch people. But if you go into your bedrooms and stay and you are not in the party that makes the masquerade, I don’t know how you can come and say, ‘put the masquerade on me’.

“You must be there and that’s why we are saying, South Easterners must join our party in good numbers. South Easterners must vote for our party in good numbers to make Buhari president for a second time.”