The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has explained why he would not be campaigning for any presidential candidate for the February 25 election.
He said that Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) is his “brother” and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) were his “good friends”.
Ngige said this during a poverty alleviation programme in his community, Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Wednesday.
“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,” Ngige said.
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On his relationship with the four leading presidential candidates, the former Anambra governor 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.”
He added, “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.”