Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has stated that Osinbajo’s decision to run for President was in the best interest of the people.
He noted that Osinbajo is a selfless leader who has always placed the interests of Nigerians first.
According to Akande, who was responding to questions as a guest on Channels TV on Friday, Osinbajo’s focus has always been on improving the lives of Nigerians and creating a brighter future for the country.
Osinbajo’s choice to run for president sparked widespread public interest and commentary.
When asked why his principal opted to fight the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries on Friday, Akande stated that people regard Osinbajo as a symbol of a new Nigeria.
He added that the VP ran for the position because he possesses the attributes required for the presidency.
He said; “What is important is that you take the step you want to take in the best interest of the people. Public interest is the overriding factor,” he said.
“You couldn’t have been vice-president for eight years, and the kind of vice-president that he has been, and how much work that has been done.
“The level of understanding that you have acquired in terms of what has to be done and the capacity he has demonstrated when he had the opportunity to act for the president.
“And he has inspired tens and scores of millions of Nigerians with his leadership style. People see him as a representation of a new Nigeria. All of these can’t be in place and he just walks away.
“He did what he needed to do and the party made the decision and he just has to move on after doing the right thing.”
Osinbajo’s record of public service speaks for itself. He has served as a professor of law, attorney-general of Lagos State, and is currently the Vice President of Nigeria. He has also been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians, such as the TraderMoni scheme, which provides small loans to traders and artisans.