NEWS: Capt. Bish C. Johnson Ends Presidential Ambition. ..... Promise to Work from Behind the Scene to Ensure a New Dawn of Nigerian Leadership that will Salvage the Country Emerges

Capt. Bish C Johnson (Rtd.)

"An exploratory committee is not a declaration in itself to run for office, instead it is a vehicle by which I intended to test the waters of a bid before officially entering the race." Bish Johnson.

"This is the most difficult and painful decisions I have had to make considering the huge support and well wishes we have been receiving from every part and sector of this country and the world since we first announced our intention to explore our viability to contest."

Chief Bish C. Johnson, a military strategist, political analyst and a retired Captain of United States Army who had initially signified his intentions to run for the Office of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, has announced his withdrawal from the race and has therefore, promised to work from behind the scenes, for a new dawn for Nigeria.

Captain Bish made this known on Monday night, in a personal statement made available to journalists in Abuja.

Below is the excerpt of his statement:

A month ago, I announced the constitution of a presidential exploratory committee to look at the possibility, feasibility and viability of our bid for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. An exploratory committee is not a declaration in itself to run for office, instead it is a vehicle by which I intended to test the waters of a bid before officially entering the race.

Today, I announce to you that the committee has completed its assignment and on time too. And based on the recommendations of the committee and after due consultation with my family, friends, associates and allies, I regret to inform you all of the suspension indefinitely of my consideration to seek the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

This is the most difficult and painful decisions I have had to make considering the huge support and well wishes we have been receiving from every part and sector of this country and the world since we first announced our intention to explore our viability to contest. 

So while we are winning the ideological battle and while we are winning the support of so many young people throughout the country, I have concluded that the battle to win the presidency of Nigeria for us is a difficult one. And so today, I am announcing the suspension of my ambition.

I have put my heart and soul into not only running for President, but for the causes and issues I dedicated my whole life to. So, I know firsthand how hard a decision this was for me to make and how hard it is for the millions of my supporters especially younger voters who have been inspired and energized and brought into politics by the progressive agenda I have championed. 

I have believed that if we organize together, if we fight together, if we persist together, we can win, and together, we will inspire the hopes and aspirations of so many millions of young Nigerians, who had lost hope in this country and who for that reason have become disillusioned, critical and cynical of our country and as a consequence, feel that they have little at stake or little influence in their own country.

Because of these young Nigerians we intended to join in the race with expansive plans that when we win, we will use the federal government to remake Nigerian society, strip power and wealth from a moneyed class that is fundamentally corrupting the country’s economic and political order.

Although we are not pushing further with our original intentions and plans, we have created a political movement. And make no mistake about it, I believe it’s a movement that is as powerful today as it was yesterday and will be in the time to come. 

Going forward, I promised that together with the movement we have put together, we will work from behind the scene to ensure a new dawn of Nigerian leadership that will salvage the country emerges.

The enormity of the challenges may be huge, they are not insurmountable. As Nigerians we never quit, we never run from challenges, we confront challenges and in the end we prevail over challenges.

I therefore call on all Nigerians, as I have always done, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of Nigeria, because in the Nigeria of our dream and desire nothing is inevitable.

Thank you everyone. 

May God bless us all, and may God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Capt Bish C. Johnson (US Army Rtd)