Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday declared his intention to run for president on the party’s platform.
He joined the presidential race at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Area 10, Abuja.
The former governor had earlier declared to contest the Edo North Senatorial District election.
Mr Oshiomhole said despite the efforts of the President Buhari-led administration, the economy remains an unresolved issue.
The former NLC leader said poverty, insecurity and unemployment are interrelated, saying one does not have to be a professor to know poverty, unemployment breeds insecurity.
He said he will address the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) problem in order to maintain the academic calendar.
Oshiomhole said, “I want Nigeria to be described as the smartest country on the continent under my presidency,” he said.
“I believe many of you who are my age or 40 years and a little less than that will have memories of those days. We spoke truth to power about policies whether they were economic policies, social policies, healthcare policies among others,” he recounted.
There are over 15 persons who declared interest in the battle for the ticket of the APC.
They are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Rochas Okorocha; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and others.
There are also four governors in the race, namely Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, and Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru are expected to join the race soon.
