Nigeria’s Philanthropist and Academician, Professor Christopher Imumolen on Wednesday, joined the presidential race under the platform of the Accord party
Professor Imumolen who owns three universities in Africa, South America and North America gave the indication in Abuja on Wednesday after picking the expression of interest form from the party secretariat in Abuja.
Imumolen expressed worry over the deplorable state of the country; saying neither the road, air nor railway is safe anymore due to rising insecurity.
He decried the recent killing and abduction of Nigerians in the Kaduna train attack, the abduction of school children in Adamawa amongst others
According to him, his decision to join the race was borne out of the need to give Nigerians hope, adding that with his wealth of experience and success as a young Nigerian, his style of governance will ensure that Nigeria is digitalised, agriculture revitalised, food and security prioritised, among several other areas.
In his words, “I am here to pick my ‘expression of interest form’ under our great party, the Accord party because I believe so much that the Accord Party is the party that will produce the next president come 2023.
“I am not just saying this because I want to motivate Nigerians, but because we see that Nigerians are currently tired of what is currently happening, Nigerians are looking for alternatives, Nigerians are looking for those who have genuine minds, young Nigerians who have succeeded privately, and that is what we represent.
“We represent the face of hope to Nigeria, we represent the birth of a new beginning. Nigeria needs hope, not just hope, Nigeria needs to be resuscitated because Nigeria as a nation is almost gone.
“But there is hope because the Accord party will be coming fully to make sure that 2023 becomes a new beginning for Nigeria.
“Just yesterday we watched the news and we saw that many people were killed in Jos. A few weeks ago some persons were killed on the Kaduna train; Nigeria is no longer safe. We cannot travel by road, air or railway. Our children can no longer go to school.
“Just yesterday again some students in Adamawa were kidnapped from school. We now live in a society whereby even when you are rich you are afraid to showcase your wealth, it is so terrible and those who are poor are getting poorer every day.
“God has blessed us, we want to ensure that the country becomes blessed. We are tired of retrogressive leadership. Now we need forward-thinking leadership; that is what we are going to present – the security of the country, we are going to look at it, we have to look at education, we have to look at ensuring that the economy is digitalised.
“We have to look at welfare for the people, we have to look at food and security as a county. There are so many things.”
“A lot of people have been asking us what our agenda is, we said we have over 200 agenda points because Nigeria has so many problems and we need to start fixing them.
“We believe by the grace of God, come 2023, with the help of Nigerians who are tired of what is ongoing, we will emerge president of this country.”
He stressed the need to look beyond the regular faces out there who are interested in dwindling the economy while urging the youth to participate by getting their PVCs and ensuring to vote wisely as they constitute over 60 percent of Nigeria’s population.
The National Chairman of the Accord party, Hon Muhammad Nalado earlier in his remark while handing the interest form to the aspirant, assured him of the party’s unflinching support as it will ensure it produces a youthful president.
He indicated that Nigeria’s independence was fought for by the youth and the leaders who led Nigeria at the time were all youths, adding that most of the developments in the nation’s capital were done by leaders who were youths.
He, therefore, encouraged more youths to come out and use their thumbs in taking power through democratic means; by voting into power, people they know will represent their ages, rather than expecting power to be given to them.
“Work hard and take governance by using your thumb on Election Day,” he said.
On the party’s decision on the fee for purchase of ‘expression of interest form’ for women and People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), he said the party in the past elections had rolled out a zero-fee policy for women and PLWDs, but it had a low turnout.
He however asserted, “I want People Living With Disabilities, the youth and women to feel free to come to parties like Accord. Any one of them that comes here, we are ready to give him a very good discount that will encourage him.”