LIVE UPDATES: Senator Ajayi Boroffice Declares For Presidency In Abuja
Senator Professor Ajayi Boroffice, like other aspirants on the platform of ruling the All Progressives Congress (APC), is making public his ambition to run for the presidency come the 2023 general elections.
Boroffice was elected into the 9th Senate where he was later announced by Senator Ahmad Lawan as one of the deputy majority leaders of the red chamber.
Following extensive consultation, Boroffice withdrew from the Deputy Senate presidency race in 2019.
Now he is aiming for the most coveted political seat in Nigeria: the presidency.
Yoruba community in FCT supports Boroffice
Oba Oyewole Abdulrazaq, Chairman of the Yoruba community in FCT said:
"All the southwest people in the FCT will support Professor Boroffice. He has shown that he can be trusted and he has our interests at heart."
Moreover, the Arewa Peoples Forum president joined other southwest stakeholders to support Boroffice.
Source: UGC
Deji of Akure endorses Boroffice
The representative of the Deji of Akure pledging undying support for the presidential hopeful, said:
"I have known Prof Boroffice for 15 years now. He is reliable and helps people a lot
On behalf of the Deji of Akure and the Ondo state council of Obas, we assure him of our total support."
Source: UGC
He added:
"We assure you of 100% support of Arewa Peoples Forum both at home and abroad.
"Professor Boroffice is a well-respected politician in Northern Nigeria. He has our support and in May 2023, Insha Allah, he will be sworn in as the president of Nigeria."
Oba of Arigidi in Ondo state speaks of Senator Boroffice
Oba of Arigidi in Ondo state said of Senator Boroffice:
"Boroffice is well educated. He will take Nigeria to the next level
"Senator Professor Ajayi Boroffice is not ready to steal money. I know him."
Also, all Obas in Akoko northwest in Ondo state have endorsed Professor Boroffice as the next president of Nigeria.
Senator Boroffice and his wife at the event
Senator Boroffice and his wife have arrived at the event in Abuja where he will officially declare his intention to run for the presidency.
Source: UGC
Before the politician mounted the stage for his opening address, a group of cultural dancers graced the occasion with some acrobatic displays.
Source: UGC
After the displays, Boroffice mounted the stage and gave his speech in which he declared to run for the presidency.
Part of his speech read:
My dear fellow Nigerians, it is with great sense of conviction and high sense of responsibility that I address you in this epochal period of our beloved Nation's history.
It is quite unsettling to me, to you and indeed, many Nigerians that 61years after independence, Nigeria is still grappling with the basic problems that dogged the pre-independence era despite enormous human and natural resources.
Myself and many Nigerians who were witnesses to Nigeria's independence had high hopes and strong
convictions that the Nigeria of our dreams would be actualised with the total transfer of leadership from colonial masters to indigenous leaders of our Nation.
As a young boy, I can still recall when I usually recite the beautiful lyrics of our National Anthem with utmost enthusiasm in 1960 and thereafter. I loved it and I lived it. Particularly, the line that says, "Though tribes and tongue may differ, In brotherhood we stand".
Furthermore, the lyrics: "O God of all creation, Grant this our one request, Help us to build a nation, Where no man is oppressed, And so with peace and plenty, Nigeria shall be blessed.", has remained a great inspiration.
However, it is neither hazy nor nebulous that as a Nation, we have not lived together and fostered inter-ethnic cooperation in line with the quoted line of the National Anthem that was adopted on October 1, 1960. Nigeria's journey was further derailed by unceasing Military interruption of democracy prior to the advent of Fourth Republic in 1999. The dual realities coupled with mind-boggling corruption are chiefly responsible for the state of development in Nigeria.
I pay great tributes to the heroes and heroines (both departed and living) of our Nationhood. I likewise acknowledge the contributions of Nigeria's past leaders to our Nationhood. Particularly, those who have had to navigate a United Nigeria through turbulences like civil war, economic recession, ethno-religious conflicts and terrorism.
President Muhammadu Buhari has earned special spot in the annals of Nigeria for leading our Country into steady economic growth and huge construction site despite pullback factors and contemporary challenges (like global recession and COVID-19 pandemic).
Some of the landmark achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration are procurement of massive equipments for the Military, electoral reforms, Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), construction and completion of Abuja-Kaduna rail line, construction of Lagos - Ibadan rail line, construction of 1.6km long Second Niger bridge from Asaba to Onitsha, robust National Social Investment Program and others too numerous to mention.
Yes, tremendous progress has been made to close the gap of infrastructural deficit in the Nation. Rather than treating the symptoms of problems as witnessed in the past, President Muhammadu Buhari has been treating the root causes. Yes, President Muhammadu Buhari has laid a very strong foundation for accelerated growth and rapid development.
However, there are still many challenges confronting our dear Nation. We are swimming against the tide of corruption, greed, indiscipline, religious bigotry and ethnic intolerance. Principally, insecurity issues and economic challenges. My perspective is that rather than looking at the issues in silos, a holistic approach is the best.
Watch the live video of the event here.
