Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The founder of BEN TV, Europe’s first ethnic media and satellite TV, Ali Soyode, on Monday, officially declared to contest the the 2019 presidential election, assuring that he is the right replacement for incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Although Soyode has not declared the platform he would contest the presidential election, he, however, was optimistic that he is better prepared than President Buhari to take Nigeria out of the woods.
The presidential aspirant, who is also the international mentoring Commandant of Youth Advancement and Development Projects, said he decided to run for the exalted office where ideal of “YES WE CAN” spirit will be implemented.
Fondly called the Bridge, Soyode is the initiator of Centenary Nigeria, an agriculturist, who was listed among the top 100 personalities in Africa as a global brand for Nigeria.
While making his declaration public yesterday in Abuja, Soyode said: “Personally, after meeting many of our youth leaders, elders, Trade Unions and NGOs from various walks of life, I have decided to run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where the Yeeeees ideals can and will be for every citizens of Nigeria.
“YE7S encapsulate our vision and mission with it being our manifesto lines to regain our unity and recapture the spirit of our nationhood we must all put aside our differences, and this will allow us to create a better and greater Nigeria.
“We have the youth and experience of our elders and both are needed to make Nigeria greater nation. We have the ability to meet our challenges because we have the most needed resources: human capital and our blessing of natural resources that are abound in the country plus millions of highly skilled Nigerians in the diaspora.”
“E in YE7S means our economy and we sincerely o need diversification, moving away from oil to manufacturing and services. Those running small to medium sized enterprises need our support to start and grow their business. The failings of the economy can be and will be transformed without delay,” he promised.
Earlier, spokesman of military head of state Ibrahim Babangida, Kassim Afegbua, told the gathering that as a member of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he and his family have made up their minds not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 because of his old age.
“If you talk, they would say that you are abusing an old man and a grand father, but the old man should also respect himself by going home to rest to avoid anybody abusing him,” he quipped.