By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
A large crowd of supporters led by a Northern Solidarity Group, on Monday, besieged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Towers to asked the Ministry of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to contest the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group also presented the expression of interest and nomination forms for the minister.
The large crowd also comprises women and youths groups.
Speaking after picking the forms, spokesman of the group, Suleiman Abdullahi, said the minister has better chances of winning both the ticket and the general elections, hence the need for the support.
Abdullahi said: “We picked this presidential nomination forms to surprise the Minister State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to contest for the presidency of this country, which we found him capable to do. We are his fans from the Northern part of Nigeria.
“Nigerians can see from his antecedent from the state level to the federal level that he has garnered necessary experience and he’s well acceptable across the country. So we know that his chances of win the ticket of the APC is brighter.”
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the entrance of the NNPC Towers, Chief Timipre Sylva expressed joy for the love shown to him by Nigerians from all walks of life.
“I feel very honoured and humbled for the show of love and this show of commitment not to me, but to Nigeria. I have tried my best since I was appointed by Mr President to this office to do my service to Nigeria.
“But to realise that my efforts have been noticed by you Nigerians and that you Nigerians by yourself will go and take the trouble of obtaining the nomination and the expression of interest forms for me is very humbling. And I must also say very shocking at the same time.
“But I’m very happy and pleased by this gesture. So what I will do now, I will not give you a straight answer right now. But I’m really thankful for what you have done because I need to consult my constituency and consult leaders of this country and then I’ll come back to you to let you know if I have taken the position also to run for this office.
“I thank you very much. So you’ll give me a very short time. I will start right away with the consultation. I will go to my leader, for example the Ijaw Leader, Sir SK Clark. I will talk to him.
“I will also consult other leaders of the country and I will get back to you,” he said.