I am still contesting for President – Moghalu

Kingsley MoghaluFormer Central Bank deputy governor Kingsley Moghalu has stated that he will still contest for President in the 2019 elections.

Despite Fela Durotoye emerging as the consensus candidate of Presidential Aspirants Coming Together (PACT), Moghalu has said that he is ‘pressing ahead’ with his plan to run for president in 2019.

The former United Nations official said the outcome of the consensus candidate of PACT has ‘left many Nigerians expressing surprise and disappointment.’

Young presidential aspirants including Moghalu came together to form a coalition to field a sole candidate for the Presidential election in 2019. The candidate was elected after a two-staged voting process that saw Durotoye score 4 votes and Kingsley Moghalu, 3 Votes.

However, Moghalu has claimed dissatisfaction with the election process  citing the withdrawal of candidates from the process as his reason for pulling out of the PACT.

“Only seven aspirants participated in the final voting out of the original 18 aspirants, mainly because many of the aspirants had withdrawn from the process.”

He further stated that PACT did not produce a truly consensus candidate because more candidates pulled out during the voting process. 

“Four candidates who were present in the meeting this morning withdrew from the process even while the voting process was ongoing.”

The list of PACT aspirants include Moghalu, Durotoye, Yele Sowore, Dr Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, Ahmed Buhari, Tope Fasua, Sina Fagbenro-Byron, Eragbe Anslem, Jaye Gaskia, Mathias Tsado, Victor Ani-Laju, Alistair Soyode, Godstime Sidney Iroabuchi, Clement Jimbo, Elishama Ideh amongst others.

The lawyer referred to a clause in the PACT Memorandum of Understanding that gives him the constitutional right to pursue his political ambition.

The Young Progressive Party (YPP) presidential aspirant emphasised the need to unite Nigeria, wage war against poverty and unemployment, and the  restoration of respect for Nigeria in the society of nations as his ideals. 

Moghalu concluded that he will pursue his vision in ‘deference to the overwhelming outpouring of support’ for his candidacy from all over Nigeria.