Vice President Osinbajo’s presidential declaration speech

Fellow Nigerians, a few moments ago, I met with President Muhammadu Buhari. I informed him that I wanted to succeed him as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Though it is not my life-long ambition, it has become imperative that to rescue Nigeria, we need someone to build on the achievements of President Buhari. I have looked around; I do not see anyone better suited to carry on that solemn assignment than my humble self.

As a great father of the nation, which Buhari is, he wished me well.

I took this bold step after a wide-ranging consultation with Nigerians of various ethnic, religious, and economic hues. I listened to market women and men, I sat down with the young and old, I heard from students and intellectuals, I broke bread with the unemployed and the underemployed, I accepted the counsel of traditional rulers and kingmakers across Nigeria, and more importantly, I weighed in the opinion of my wife and children. All the signals that I got were positive. Go PYO.

Unlike all those who want to rule you as their subjects, I offer myself to serve our great country, Nigeria, with utmost humility. Growing up in Lagos, I did not know that I would be where I am today — one heartbeat away from the presidency of this great country. Having been here, having seen all parts of Nigeria from…