Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that he would be contesting for the office of the President on the platform of Young Progressive Party (YPP).
Moghalu made the announcement on Thursday at an event in Abuja. He said his decision to chose YPP is “because I want to inspire Nigerians to look to the future and not to the past”.
“The Young Progressive Party is a great dare, a tantalizing promise, a notice of evacuation to Nigeria’s recycled political class,” Moghalu said.
“I weighed the case against casting my lot with this party. I heard some cynicism: ‘it hasn’t been done before’. And then I heard this: ‘Politicians will not take you seriously’.
“As they will undoubtedly come to see, the cynics are on the wrong side of history. I want to be part of that army that proves our hopes right and our fears wrong. Great leaders often take their countries and their followers along uncharted waters. They arrive at successful transformations made possible by the will to believe in possibilities. That belief has to be backed by the courage to act on their convictions.”
I have chosen the Young Progressive Party as the platform in which to contest for the Presidency of this country. Join us @yppnational and let’s take this country back from those who think they own it. Become a member here! https://t.co/wNViS8gY28 pic.twitter.com/rzjjAfHDZE
— Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) May 24, 2018
Muoghalu was a former United Nations staff before becoming a deputy governor at the CBN. He is also a Professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA,
He is one of several persons, considered political neophytes, that have declared to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the presidency.
Others include Fela Durotoye, a business consultant and motivational speaker; Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters; Mathias Tsado, an Engineer and Jaiye Gaskiya, a civil society activist.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 16, while the Governorship and State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council elections will take place a week later.