Senate president and presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ahmad Lawan has said that he is confident of winning the party primaries and has garnered the support of members from the South East of the country.

Lawan stated this yesterday while canvassing for votes from the delegates of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Lawan who rolled out his ‘Nigerian Stability Project 2023,’ said he has all that it takes to emerge the next president of Nigeria.

“I have all it takes to be president. In 2019, when we constituted the committees in the Senate, there were complaints as to why other people in the PDP were getting such committees. But I believe our diversity must be used as our strength.

“I’ve gotten the support of the South East including the governors. I am not ethnic, or geopolitical candidate. Because I am from the North should not make me think that someone from another part of the country cannot contest to be president,” Lawan said while asking for the votes of the FCT delegates.

“I have the network and the requisite experience to be the next president. Let this contest be for the people and I can serve better. I am a little bit young and old. Because I am a young old man, and an old young man.

“Today, I am working with the president very closely and we interact for the development of our people. We have done so because the executive and legislative arm of governments are the same APC and we are expected to support the president to deliver services to the people,” Lawan said, adding that he wants to start from where Buhari stops.

“I want to start from where Buhari stops. I want to continue with the work and services that President Muhammadu Buhari is doing to Nigeria.

“For the ones that are successful, we need to build on them. For those programmes that are not as successful as expected, we need to work on how we can do better.

“I am a product of this party and I will ensure that this party continues to win. Give me your votes to improve security, economy, and turn the agricultural sector around. Your votes will reform the education sector of the country. We still have challenges but by the grace of God we shall overcome, “ Lawan added.

The All Progressives Congress said it will hold its postponed presidential screening on Tuesday, with some of the aspirants who have dropped off, making a showing.

The screening was initially scheduled for Monday, but was postponed Sunday night.

APC National Organising Secretary, Dr. Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu said the screening is now certain to begin tomorrow 24 May at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

He also revealed that none of the 28 presidential aspirants who submitted their forms have withdrawn from the race.

This means former President Goodluck Jonathan, along with the AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina, are being expected.

Both have publicly said they were not in the race.

Other aspirants, who Argungu said will be screened are Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.

Ngige declined to leave the cabinet, just like Emefiele refused to resign his position at the CBN, in conformity with President Buhari’s advice.

Both said they have shelved the presidential ambitions.

Although the nomination forms were obtained for the four, they never submitted the forms to the party before the close of submission.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) female presidential aspirant, Uju Ken-Ohanenye says Nigeria is due for a female president that will bring in a mother’s touch to address the country`s challenges according to Premium Times.

She said the country needed a woman in a position of authority to drive her to greater heights.

Mrs Ken-Ohanenye, a legal practitioner, is the only APC female presidential aspirant for the 2023 General Election.

“The touch of a woman is lacking in the governance of this country, and the earlier the men dropped their ego and admit this fact, the better for us all.

“I will take Nigeria as my child, the country wants a mother and that is why I am in the race to bring in that mother’s touch that the country needs at this time.

“I have no godfather, all I have is Nigerians and am not going to back out of the race because of men, for I know I have the Nigerian electorate as my backbone.

“I am confident that Nigerians are tired of men being in positions of authority and they want female to take over come 2023,’’ Mrs Ken-Ohanenye said.

She added that she was ready to drive her points across to men and fight to the end as far as she had the permission of Nigerians.

She said it was time for women to be at the helm of affairs in the country, noting that men had been in control of governance for over 40 years without achieving much.

“We cannot continue that way, a woman should be given a chance, we need a mother; that is what the country had been lacking,’’ she said.

Mrs Ken-Ohanenye said if elected president in 2023, she would give 60 per cent political appointments to women and 40 per cent to men.

This, she said, was because men had given their best which was not good enough.

The presidential aspirant promised to give the youth priority in her administration if given the mandate, adding that she would create enabling environment for businesses to flourish and skills acquisition centres for youths.

She noted that the involvement of youth in governance would go a long way in addressing restiveness and banditry in the country.

“I need a chance to prove how education and how important every Nigerian is, and I cannot get that chance without all of you.

“I believe that if you are shown how important you are by getting you involved in governance, and giving you an enabling environment to achieve your dreams, the sky would be our limit in this country and banditry and other illegalities will gradually come to an end,’’ she said.

According to her, if all Nigerians are given equal rights and justice and everyone is recognised irrespective of religion and tribal sentiments, the country will be a better place.

Mrs Ken-Ohanenye, however, said the starting point was for youth to get registered to enable them to vote their preferred candidates into positions of authority in the coming elections.

She charged youth not to be induced by the stipends politicians may offer them to get their votes, saying that it was time to vote rightly.

She said there was a need for all to shun selfishness and greed if the country must move forward, adding that the 2023 general election was critical as its outcome would determine the country`s future.

It was reported that Odua Youths Parliament, National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students and West African Students Union endorsed Mrs Ken-Ohanenye as their preferred 2023 presidential aspirant at the event.

Abdulmageed Oyeniyi, Speaker Odua Youths Parliament, said the parliament would organise a 10 million man-match for Mrs Ken-Ohanenye and also contribute funds to her campaign