From Victor Osula, Abuja
Minister for Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige has withdrawn his presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Minister who had on Tuesday, April 19 publicly declared his interest to contest the office of the president on Thursday, May 13 issued a statement on Thursday, May 13 announcing the withdrawal of his presidential ambition.
Curiously, he did so hours after a valedictory session was held for him alongside six other Ministers who had expressed presidential and governorship ambitions, in the presidential villa on Thursday. They are Minister of state for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silver; Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Ngige; Minster of Women Affairs, Paullen Tallen; Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amechi and Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonaya Onu.
According to Ngige in a statement titled, “Withdrawal of My Presidential Aspiration,” his decision withdraw from the presidential race came after ” Today, 13th May, 2022, I had an audience with the President Muhammadu Buhari as a follow-up to the one I had earlier had with him on May 11, 2022″… and after consulting widely with his constituents, friends, family, supporters and well-wishers.
“I took this momentous decision firstly in the overall interest of the nation, in order to enable me concentrate on my job and assist the President and the Government weather the difficult last lap in the life of the administration and secondly for other family reasons.”
