After claiming he was spoken to by God to join the contest for the seat of the President under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC ahead of the 2023 election, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige has pulled out from the race.

About a month ago, the Minister told his supporters that God had spoken to him to declare his intention to run for president in 2023.

He said, “I want to assure you that the period of lent, we ended it last night. And during this period, we communed with God; we did our fasting; we talked to God and the angels and God spoke back to us. God has spoken to me,” he had said.

“Resurrection morning is tomorrow. I want to assure you that I will also not disappoint you. I will speak to you in the language you will understand and the language you will like. It will be very soon — either Tuesday or Wednesday before I go back to Abuja.”

Few days later, Ngige formally declared his intention to contest for the number one office in the land.

But in a dramatic turn of event which is akin to abandoning the acclaimed directive from God and angles, the Minister, Friday announced his withdrawal from the race.

This time around, Ngige said he only consulted with ‘family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers’ to withdraw his interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President.

He also said he had an audience with the President ‘as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11th May, 2022’.

No where in the withdrawal letter dated 13th of May, 2022 personally signed with the Minister did he revealed that he consulted the angels and God to make the decision.

The minister said he took the “momentous decision” in the interest of the nation and to enable him to concentrate on his job.

His withdrawal came less than two days after President Muhammadu Buhari directed all members of his cabinet seeking elective offices in the 2023 elections to resign on or before May 16 and few hours after Ngige joined other cabinet members who had shown interest to contest one political office or the other in a valedictory session with the President. 

- Ngige (Second right) with other departing Ministers during a veladictory session with President Muhmmadu Buhari earlier on Friday 

Announcing his withdrawal in a press statement obtained by HorizonTimes, the minister said: “Today, 13th May 2022, I had an audience with the president, Muhammadu Buhari, as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11th May 2022.

“Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the president in the 2023 general election.

“As a result of this, I will NOT be participating in any of the internal party processes of the said election, starting with the primary. 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.”

Ngige added that he has communicated his decision to the president and Boss Mustapha, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

He said although he has received the expression of interest/nomination forms from his supporters, they are yet to be filled and submitted.

 

See Ngige's letter below