The Publisher of Ovation International Magazine, Dele Momodu has bought the letter of intent and nomination form that will enable him to contest the primaries for the 2023 Presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP).
The media entrepreneur, who disclosed that he picked up the form on Friday, described the huge price tag as a sacrifice that must be paid to save the country from its dwindling state.
“N40 million is a lot of money in any currency but it is the big sacrifice we must make for the sake of this generation and generations unborn in our great country.
“Nigeria has been effectively hijacked by a political class that cares only about itself and almost nothing about unity, development and progress of the nation and the good people of our dear beloved country,” he said.
He, however, noted that some Nigerians contributed money used to purchase, saying, “I want to thank all the kind-hearted Nigerians who contributed every kobo raised so far for this laudable project. I am particularly grateful to the young Nigerians who donated from N500 to N20,000 after my appeal on social media.
“I am deeply touched by their act of uncommon generosity, especially because I know of their tough financial situations. It is gratifying and humbling for me that from the very little that they possess, Nigeria comes first. God will bless them.
“I’m proud to stand resolutely to challenge those who feel Nigeria and Nigerians can be bought or bribed by the highest bidder.
“The time for the rejection of such a notion is now. Nigerians will no longer sell their soul for 20 pieces of silver, and I make bold to say that they are prepared to make this statement and are relying on the political parties for the opportunity to demonstrate that this is the case, by giving to them worthy candidates rather than a recycling of the failed so-called political juggernauts.
“Like many Nigerians, I’m vehemently opposed to ethnic jingoists who see where they come from as the only prerequisite qualification for aspiring to lead Nigeria, no matter how ugly and inglorious their past had been.”
Dismissing the notion in some quarters that a southerner will not be able to garner enough votes to defeat a northerner in the presidential election, Momodu said it can be achieved if southerners are united in their purpose.
He said, “I’m the only aspirant currently who originates from the two major zones of the South South and South West with extensive links in the South East and friends across the nation. No serious political party can ignore those zones, and not do so at its own peril.
“Let me quickly respond to the unfortunate suggestion that no Southern candidate can win the Presidential election. This is a total fallacy based on absolute distortion of facts of history and Mathematics.
