Luggage of cash received’t win 2023 presidency – Imumolen replies Afe Babalola

Accord Celebration (AP) presidential candidate, Professor Christopher Imumolen has condemned claims that solely candidates with luggage of cash are ok to win the presidential election.

Imumolen opposed the place of elder statesman, Chief Afe Babalola concerning the position cash would play in figuring out the winner.

The nation’s youngest presidential candidate issued a press release at weekend in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti capital.

“The 2023 presidential elections just isn’t going to be received by one who thinks he could make the distinction. Neither will it’s the individual with the precise age, well being, schooling or patriotism.

“Relatively, it is going to be the one who has made cash on this nation, the individual with the deepest pocket that may win the elections,” Babalola stated.

Reacting on Channels TV Talkshow, ‘Politics Right now’, Imumolen criticised Babalola’s claims, citing a number of cases to help his opinion.

“With all due respect, I disagree with our most discovered elder statesman, Afe Babalola on his claims that the individual with the deepest pocket on this yr’s presidential race will in the end win the elections.

“There are a number of cases, notably because the creation of the 4th Republic in 1999 the place cash was by no means the figuring out consider whom grew to become Nigeria’s president.

“Let’s begin with the 1999 presidential elections between Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP and Chief Olu Falae of the then AD.

“Obasanjo, if we’d recall, received that elections regardless of not having luggage of cash to throw round. Infact, he had simply returned from jail the place he had no cash or performed any lively politics earlier than the elections.

“Then, got here his successor Umar Yar’Adua. Yar’Adua, we additionally know had simply completed his tenure as Katsina State governor and wasn’t one you could possibly check with as somebody who may, solely on the power of his wealth, win the nation’s presidency.

“Even then, we had extra folks within the race who may have overwhelmed him arms down had been money the only determinant of who clinched the presidency. However on the finish, he received.

“By no means thoughts that he stated the system that ushered him into energy was flawed. The reality is that he received.

“Once more, let’s take a look at present president, Muhammadu Buhari. Everyone knows that if it got here to who had essentially the most money to throw round, it could have been Dr Goodluck Jonathan who was then the incumbent president.

“But, in opposition to all odds, Buhari stormed to victory and he’s nearly finishing his eight-year tenure as Nigeria’s president.

“So, these examples inform us that it’s not essentially the person with the deepest pocket who at all times finally ends up as Nigeria’s president.

“On this yr’s presidential race, I believe the folks’s real want to see a change from the previous methods of doing issues to a brand new one may show the figuring out issue, relatively than the now outdated methodology of attempting to purchase folks’s conscience via prodigal spending”, the AP flagbearer added.