By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has said that he will not support any of frontline presidential candidates in the February 25, 2023 general elections because they are his allies.

Speaking at his country home of Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, Ngige listed the frontline presidential candidates as Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), and Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

He urged Nigerians to take a look at the candidates and their manifestos and vote for what would be right for Nigeria.

He said: “My advice to my people is to vote right. They should vote for the right candidate that will be able to work for them. The four frontline candidates; the frontrunners are good and well known to me. They are my friends, having worked with them in one way or the other.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Vice President (former) Federal Republic of Nigeria was the man who was in helm of affairs when I was ‘kidnapped’ – when I was shoved out of office.

“He was standing in for Mr President, Obasanjo who was in Maputo, and he Atiku ordered the Inspector General of Police then, the late Tafa Balogun, to reinstate me to office. I also worked with him in the economic team – National Economic Council – as the Vice President. So, I know him, and he is a friend of mine, and we also formed AC together.

“Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my friend – again supportive. During trying times; we formed AC together. I became the known opposition Senator in the Eastern Region under the auspices and platform of the ACN. So, he is not somebody I don’t know.

“Peter Obi, my brother, my successor and my everything, I know him too and he is a friend. So, how do I campaign against any of them?

“Malam Kwankwaso is my friend, I know him too as deputy speaker when he was deputizing Agunwa Anekwe, one of our party’s strong men.

“I don’t think I will go around campaigning for Mr A, Mr B or Mr C. I won’t do that; it’s not my stock-in-trade. I don’t jump from party to party; but besides, I have some conscience; I need to protect my conscience and make sure I don’t hurt.”

On his opinion of who may win the presidential election, Ngige said he would not also predict, but rather called on Nigerian people to vote right considering the candidates’ manifestos.

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