The United Progressive Party (UPP) has endorsed Prof. Kingsley Muoghalu who recently announced his intention to contest for the President of Nigeria in the forthcoming presidential election.
In a press release, National Chairman of UPP, Chief Okorie commended him for his courage and noble intention.
Part of the statement read: Prof. Muoghalu is eminently qualified and endowed with both the intellectual capacity and international connections to undertake the project of contesting to be Nigerian President in 2019.
“He is within the age bracket preferred for such enormous national project and sufficiently detribalized to take Nigeria to a greater height. We believe that time is ripe for Nigerians to put forward a President that the World Community will respect and be prepared to do political business with. We believe also that Prof. Muoghalu will bring tremendous value to bear on the contest for the 2019 presidential election.
“With Prof. Muoghalu on the ballot for the 2019 presidential election Nigerians will be presented with a credible alternative option.
“Although Prof. Kingsley Muoghalu in his statement said that he is still consulting widely, we in UPP do not hesitate to encourage him to increase the tempo of his consultations. In the same token, without any reservation, extend our hand of fellowship and collaboration to the new entrant to the presidential race for the 2019 presidential election.
“We wish to recall that when the present leadership of UPP founded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in June 2002, the party directed its presidential focus to the South East geopolitical Zone to encourage eligible presidential aspirants from the zone to contest the presidential election of 2003. The party took steps to offer the platform to about 6 eminently qualified persons on the APGA platform to contest the presidential election. But they declined the offer one after the other on reasons that bothered on lack of courage. When it was about two weeks to the close of nomination of presidential candidates the leadership of the party practically conscripted the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu who was before that time a member of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). It was by this singular initiative of the party leadership that resulted in his contesting the 2003 presidential election on the platform of APGA.
“Unfortunately in subsequent presidential in June 2017, in a well-attended non-elective National Convention of the party held at Awka, Anambra State, the party reaffirmed its policy of seeking for a credible presidential candidate from the South East geopolitical zone. The party, UPP, similarly ratified its updated manifesto which included the Self Determination of Nigerian Ethnic Nationalities, Restructuring, Referendum, Unconditional Release of Prisoners.”