2019 ELECTIONS: : Obi Ezekwesili joins presidential race, picks ACPN ticket

Former Minister of Education and co-founder of the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ movement, Dr. Obi Ezekwesili, has picked the Presidential ticket of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria to contest the February 2019 election.

Ezekwesili emerged as the party’s torch bearer at the party’s national convention held in Abuja, on Sunday.

This happened a few hours before the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission for the submission of names of candidates by political parties.

The two-time minister and activist whose nomination was ratified received the party’s flag from the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, whose tenure was also renewed at the event.

The former World Bank Vice President, expressed sadness that instead of making progress, Nigeria was retrogressing under the current administration.

She said Nigerian can simply not afford to continue under this atmosphere of “unsustainable failure” come 2019.

She described 2019 as a defining moment which provides an opportunity “to unite and galvanise the potential of the country to build a great nation”.

Ezekwesili who declared that her campaign mantra shall be “Project Rescue Nigeria” said, it was a great tragedy that Nigeria was heading steadily towards total economic collapse.

She promised equal opportunities for all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or gender to live to fulfill their full potential.

Ezekwesili said, “Enough is now enough, we have decided that Nigeria will no longer accept a leadership of mediocre which has kept it down and allowed wanton and senseless waste of innocent lives.

“I bring you a message of hope for you that I and millions of supporters will march in solidarity to ensure that Nigeria gets a new focused leadership in 2019.”

Earlier, the ACPN National Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, said, “We appreciate Mrs. Ezekwesili for pitching her tent with the party and we have resolved to work with her.

“We have also resolved with you towards the emancipation of Nigerians from the hands of bourgeoisie and hawks masquerading as Messiahs.”