After weeks of denials, Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Monday picked the N100 million presidential forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lawan is the 24^th person to have picked the APC presidential forms.

Former ambassador, Chief Sam Nkire, led 15 other senators to purchase forms for Lawan at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The Senate President had earlier described his presidential aspiration as speculative.

The presidential primaries of the APC hold on May 30.

While receiving the form, Lawan said: “Today is a special day and this moment is a very memorable and very historic moment.

“Over the last seven years, we have been participants in the administration of our country at the national level.

“The APC-led administration, our President, Muhammadu Buhari will be completing his tenure on May 29, 2023. I want to pay special tribute to what the President and the APC administration have done so far, in developing our country.

“I have listened to various calls from all parts of our dear country, Nigeria for me to show interest to run for the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I took my time to pray to Almighty God to guide me; I took my time to consult very widely, to consult Nigerians from all parts of the country.

“This is to ensure that I get the understanding of the citizens of this country on whose behalf, we will by the grace of God, win the election and run the administration.”

He said that Nigeria needed to be taken to the next level saying: “We know what we have achieved as an administration and as a political party.

“And we know where we are supposed to take this level to eventually.

“I want to commit myself to this call and to this movement of Nigerians from all walks of life; rich, poor, North, South, East and West.

“This is not my journey, this is our journey. This is our journey because every hand must be on deck for us to achieve exactly, what we need to achieve.

“I’m joining late. The field is already full of other aspirants. I want to assure Nigerians that the APC is a very beautiful bride that is why we have many aspirants.”

The senate president further said he would play the game by the rules, adding that he won’t circumvent any rule.

“I will go door to door to ensure that I get the vote when the national convention to elect the presidential candidate of our party will hold.

“I place my trust fully, totally and completely with the Almighty God. That God will bless this journey.

“I also appeal to all Nigerians that we are seriously committed to taking Nigeria to the next level from where it will be on May 29, 2023.”

Earlier, Nkire said that Nigerians needed a stabilising personality as the senate president.

“Nigerians looked round and said Lawan is the man for the presidency. We have seen your service to the country; how you have conducted the affairs of the Senate, the economy and security,” he said.

Lawan had spent the last 23 years in the National Assembly. First as member of the House of Representatives as opposition member. He later on moved to the upper chamber and became the Majority Leader and now the Senate President.

The Yobe lawmaker is an ally of one of the presidential aspirants, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The Star