By Musa Baba Adamu
The National Rescue Movement (NRM) yesterday elected Mazi Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike as the presidential flag bearer of the party for the 2023 general election.
He scored a total of 180 votes to beat his closest rival, Professor Benedicta Egbo, a Canadian educationist, who emerged second runner up with a total of 34 votes cast.
Senator Ibrahim Yunusa and Hon. Anthony Ubani recorded 10 and four votes respectively.
In his acceptance speech, Mazi Okwudili noted that the primaries remain “the most transparent primary election conducted so far by any political party in the country”.
He said “today marks the beginning of a new, great and proud Nigeria.”
According to him, he will focus on making the country a better place for generations to come.
The party’s standard bearer further thanked two other aspirants, Francis Igbo and Dr. Emeka Ukaegbu for stepping down for him, and convincing their delegates to support him.
Speaking earlier before the commencement of the primaries, the National Chairman of NRM, Isaac Chigozie Udeh urged the presidential aspirants not to feel aggrieved at the outcome of the primaries.
He said, “Whoever emerges should not see himself or herself as a winner, but the representative of the Youths and Women Community, and our party flag bearer.”
The National Chairman told the gathering that “NRM was poised to rescue Nigerians and our Country from the stagnant state we have found ourselves today; State of insecurity across the country, state of failed education system, state of state of failed economy, state of failed energy system, state of persistent hardship in the land and a failed leadership structure.”
Udeh also disclosed that the party made it mandatory for persons between ages 35-55 to aspire for the President to allow for youth participation in the process he described as “Youth o’clock in NRM.”
“On that note, I want to inform all of the Aspirants to know that there will be no looser in today’s Presidential Primaries because all of you are from one community in this contest,” he added.
On Zoning, he pointed out that the party “believes in one united and prosperous Nigeria. What we believe in zoning is quite different from other political parties’ zoning formulas. That is why we zoned our Presidency to a larger community known as the youths and women community.”
Those present at the Special National Convention include the NRM Board of Trustees (BOT), nine presidential aspirants and a delegation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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