Our Nigerians First Journey Has Started

Today marks another defining moment in our collective journey to build the Nigerians First Vision. It is with profound gratitude to God and an abiding sense of duty to our nation that I formally congratulate  Hajja Bintu Konto as my Vice Presidential Candidate for the 2027 General Elections following her selection and ratification by the leadership our great Party, the Labour Party.

This decision was guided by only one consideration: the best interests of Nigeria and the Nigerian people. It is entirely consistent with the Labour Party’s enduring commitment to competence, integrity, inclusion, social justice, and transformational leadership.

Hajja Bintu Konto is a renowned nurse, accomplished public health specialist, humanitarian, development expert, and compassionate mother whose distinguished career has been devoted to improving lives, strengthening communities, and advancing human dignity. Her impeccable credentials, exceptional expertise, and remarkable accomplishments in public health management, humanitarian response, and development leadership made this decision both compelling and timely.

I have absolutely no doubt that she would bring extraordinary value, strategic, and compassionate  insight to our presidential ticket and, by the grace of God, to the governance of our dear country.

Our campaign is built on a simple but profound philosophy: Nigerians First. This is more than a campaign slogan; it is a governing philosophy that places the welfare, security, dignity, and prosperity of every Nigerian above every other consideration. It demands that leadership decisions be guided not by sentiment, patronage, ethnicity, religion, or gender, but by best interest of the Nigerian people and by competence, character, capacity, and the ability to deliver measurable results for our people.

The choice of Hajja Bintu Konto reflects this philosophy. She was not selected because she is a woman. She was selected because she is exceptionally qualified, eminently capable, and fully prepared to serve Nigeria with distinction as Vice President. This  demonstrates our conviction that when merit is allowed to flourish, capable women will naturally occupy their rightful place at the highest levels of leadership.

As a party firmly rooted in the principles of equal opportunity and social justice, the Labour Party believes that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable national development while excluding or underutilising half of its population. Mainstreaming women into leadership is not an act of political correctness or tokenism; it is a strategic imperative for national development. Nations that maximise the talents, creativity, and leadership of both men and women consistently build stronger institutions, more resilient economies, healthier communities, and more inclusive democracies.

Women are not peripheral stakeholders in national development; they are indispensable partners in building the Nigeria of our dreams. Leaving women behind is like attempting to clap with one hand, it weakens our national capacity and limits our collective progress.

It is therefore both my personal conviction and the corporate conviction of the Labour Party that Nigeria must become a nation where women have every opportunity to thrive, lead, innovate, and attain the highest levels of their potential, not because of charity or political convenience, but because of their proven competence, merit, and capacity.