Former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has accomplished a major feat towards realizing his ambition to become Nigeria’s next president, by emerging first among 23 contenders for the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket.
Tinubu scored 1, 271 from the total 2, 102 votes cast by delegates in the APC’s keenly contested primaries, as announced by the chairman and returning officer of the election committee Abubakar Bagudu, during a special convention held in Abuja on Wednesday June 8. Thirteen votes from the election were void.
Other leading contenders are: Rotimi Amaechi (316 votes), Yemi Osinbajo (235 votes), Ahmed Lawan (152 votes), Yahaya Bello (47 votes), David Umahi (38) and Ben Ayade (37 votes).
Despite Tinubu’s seeming track record of relentless commitment to democracy and his mentorship of new generation and future leaders, the party found it extremely difficult projecting him as a consensus candidate and eventually opted for the ballot.
Presenting himself to delegates prior to the commencement of voting, the former governor insisted he was the most qualified person to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justifying his claim, Tinubu noted how he transformed of Lagos “from a dangerous, unwelcoming” place in 1999 to “a clean, safe and vibrant place” and the sixth-largest economy in Africa today.
“I’m a unifying leader. I have constructed a formidable political structure, one that has delivered electoral victory after electoral victory. I do not put myself forward because I think this is a nomination; I step forward because I believe I can lead our party toward the brightest future.
“I have expertise. My record of corporate leadership, my financial expertise, and my experience as an executive governor of Lagos makes me unique among other aspirants,” the former governor said.
With declining security in virtually every region of the country, Tinubu also shared his plan to restore the much desired peace and stability to an extremely fragile state.
“I cannot, on this day, talk of a brighter and prosperous future without declaring my determination to fight terrorism and insecurity to the very end. I mourn the lives already lost, vow to do everything possible to ensure justice and forever erase terror from our land,” he declared.
Having clinched the APC’s presidential ticket, Tinubu will now prepare to slug it out with a former vice-president and flagbearer of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.