Senator Chris Ngige has disclosed why he won’t campaign for any of the presidential candidates, including his party flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his “brother”, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, as well as Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The Minister of Labour and Employment made the disclosure at his hometown, Alor, Idemili South local government area, Anambra State, during the annual distribution of Christmas largesse by his Chris Ngige Foundation to APC members, the indigent, widows and aged persons, a Vanguard report said.
The former governor of Anambra State said, “For me, let the Nigerian people vote right. Let Nigerians look at them and their manifestos and vote, according to what is right for the country. I don’t think I will go around campaigning for candidate A or B or C. I won’t do that. It is not my stock in trade. I don’t jump from party to party. But besides, I have some conscience and I am going to protect my conscience and make sure that I don’t hurt it.”
Confirming his capacity, the minister said he (Ngige) knows the leadership capacity of Peter Obi while describing him as a brother.
“Peter Obi of Labour Party is my brother; his Local Government is next to mine here my successor and everything. I know him too well. I know his capacity.”
He, however, advised Nigerians to vote for the right candidate who should be able to work for them after a critical evaluation of their manifestos and antecedents.
He said, “the four frontrunners are good candidates with cognate experience in governance at the federal and state levels.
“They are my friends and they are well known to me. They have worked with me in one way or the other before now.
“Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was at the helm of affairs in the country when I was kidnapped as a sitting governor. He was Acting for Mr. President who was away in Maputo at that time. He ordered my reinstatement. We sat together in the National Economic Council which he is the Chairman. We formed the Action Congress (AC) with Asiwaju.”
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu of APC is also my good friend and political ally. He was very supportive during our trying times as Governor. We formed AC together. We worked together in ACN and I became the lone opposition Senator in the Eastern Region under the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He is not somebody I don’t know.
“Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of NNPP is my friend too. I knew him as Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives under Agunwa Anaekwe in 1991 as Speaker. We were in APC So, I know him,” he said.