Unite for progress: Boroffice tells Nigerians

By Haruna Salami

Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial district, Robert Ajayi Boroffice Saturday formally declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters in Abuja, he said the pre-colonial challenges were still facing Nigeria 61 years after independence, a development that was a disappointment, given to how he personally looked up a brighter future at that time.

He said: “It is quite unsettling to me, to you and indeed many Nigerians that 61 years after independence, Nigeria is still grappling with the basic problems that dogged the pre-independence era despite enormous human and natural resources.

“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 tongues may differ, in brotherhood, we stand.”

Boroffice, who is the Deputy Senate Leader recalled reciting the lyrics of Nigeria’s ‘National Anthem’ which was a sort of inspiration to him, but lamented the nebulous development that Nigerians have live with since independence.

He pointed out that citizens haven’t been living together and there wasn’t inter-ethnic cooperation, which he asserted was contributory to interruption of democracy for along time.

The lawmaker, however paid tributes to the heroes past and present who were committed to Nigeria’s development, particularly those who ensured that Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.

Speaking on his agenda, he revealed five core areas which his administration will gravitates to include security, economic development, education and human resources development, Anti-corruption crusade and Youth development and women inclusion.

The ranking senator  is a third timer in the upper legislative Chamber on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He is among the three Senators aspiring to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

According to him, “Nigeria needs a visionary leader, a leader with sterling records, a leader without baggage, a leader all Nigerians, irrespective of tribes, religions and gender, will be proud of, and a leader with the passion and energy to confront head-on the challenges of the country.

He said “ I possess the qualities and I represent who Nigeria needs at this point of our Nation’s history. I appeal to our party leaders, governors, my colleagues in the National Assembly, State Assembly members, all elected and appointed members of our party and “‘indeed, all registered members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support my aspiration and elect me as the presidential flagbearer of our party for the 2023 presidential election”.