A former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has notified the Senate of his intention to contest for president in the 2023 general elections on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
Amosun is a known confidant of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as both of them were in the defunct All Nigerians Peoples Party, one of the legacy parties that formed the APC.
President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, read out Amosun’s notice at the opening of plenary on Wednesday.
Amosun presently represents Ogun Central Senatorial District after being governor for two terms between 2011 and 2019.
According to the notice addressed to Lawan, official declaration of his presidential bid is to hold on Thursday next week in Abuja.
The notice partly read, “I bring you warm greetings from my family, my constituents, the entire people of Ogun State, and my support groups across Nigeria.
“It is with the greatest respect that I write to notify you and my Distinguished Colleagues of my intention to contest for the Office of President of our dear country, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to respectfully invite you and my Distinguished Colleagues to the formal declaration ceremony.
“I have been blessed by God to serve as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 2003 and 2007 and as a two-term Governor of Ogun State between 2011 and 2019. I have also had the privilege to be elected a second time to the Senate of the Federal Republic in 2019 where I currently serve the good people of Ogun Central Senatorial District.
“My varied experience in private and public life has imbued me with requisite insights, experiences and network of relationships adequate to provide a leadership that will galvanize our dear country to achieve her manifest destiny as leader in Africa and of the black race.
“I will be honoured with your esteemed presence and that of my Distinguished Colleagues at the Declaration event which is scheduled as follows: Date: Thursday 05 May, 2022. Time: 11.00am. Venue: Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, CBD, Abuja, FCT.
“I seek the prayers of all of you for a successful declaration ceremony, victory at the party primaries and the 2023 presidential election.”