Labour and Productivity Minister Chris Ngige confirmed yesterday in Enugu that he would formally announce on Tuesday his decision to contest in the All Progressives Congress presidential primaries.
Ngige told members of the APC Southeast Progressive Forum at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, that he had concluded his consultation on the matter and God had given him the green light to proceed.
“I have said before now that after the spiritual season of Lent, I will talk. This is to enable me consult my God, angels and archangels,” he said.
He added: “Easter is tomorrow and Easter is the resurrection day. We shall rise with the resurrection. And after Easter Monday, I will make a declaration on my journey to the presidency.
“So, we have done the consultations with the mortal and immortal beings. And we’re going to speak on Tuesday in my home town, Alor in Anambra State.
“God has spoken to me. We are now going to wait for resurrection morning which starts this midnight. I want to assure you people that I won’t disappoint you. I’ll speak with you in the language you’ll understand and like.
“You’ve sent me on errand before. You sent be to be the governor of the state for 34 months. But what we did in 34 months, those who stayed eight years have not done them.
“When they compare me with Obi or Obiano, they’re making a mistake. I used the 34 months to lay the foundation for New Anambra. I didn’t only lay the foundation, I also built houses, edifices, roads, schools, pension paid, agriculture, restored hospitals.
“So I want to go and be your ambassador in Nigeria. We’ll work the way we did in Anambra, Senate and Minister of Labour, labouring in the labour room if Nigerians give us the chance.”
He said while the APC had zoned the Presidency to the South, the PDP remained undecided.
His words: “Make no mistake about it. It is us the Southern part of Nigeria that the presidency is due. It is also a truism that of all the three zones in Southern Nigeria, it is only the Southeast that has not tasted the presidency. That gives much weight to the demand you are making now.
“In PDP, they are still doing whether it will be North or South. But in APC, as gentlemen, we have said it is going to the South.
“In a family of six, where we have six pieces of meat, what causes a problem is when one person takes two pieces of meat thereby denying a member of the family the meat.”
He said the issue of option had not arisen in the APC.
“The issue of consensus candidate has not arisen now. You have to wait until when all the declarations have been made. Not only the declaration, the buying of forms, when the forms have been bought and expression of interest. That is the official first step on declaration.
“So, after declaration of interest the people will buy the forms and fill. Some people will buy form for some people too. But that’s when the question for consensus will arise. So until we get to that bridge, we will cross it.”
