MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has described the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi as his brother, saying he (Ngige) knows his capacity of leadership.
Ngige stated this on Tuesday, 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.
He said, “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.”
The minister 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.
Nigige, however, tackled former President Olusegun Obasanjo for criticising the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his controversial new Year letter to Nigerian Youths.
Meanwhile, Ngige said he decided to stay away from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential campaigns or any other political party because four frontrunners for the presidency are good candidates who have the requisite cognate experience in Government business at state and federal levels.
Recall that the Minister had indicated interest in contesting the APC Presidential primaries and was said to have purchased the Expression of Interest Form before he withdraw from the exercise.
Ngige in a statement issued by his Media Office said the Federal Government realised that things were difficult and requested ministers to go home and assist their people since last September.
Regarding his choice of presidential candidate, 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 1991as Speaker. We were in APC So, I know him.
“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.”
