From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja, Fred Itua, Abuja, Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki, Zika Bobby
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has congratulated Bola Tinubu on his victory at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
In a statement he signed personally, Osinbajo called on all party members, regardless of who they voted for, to unite behind Tinubu to ensure victory in the 2023 poll.
He also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari and all leaders of the APC for a successful special convention and presidential primary.
He said of Tinubu: “For many decades, our flag bearer has shown passion, patriotism, courage and determination in the cause of nation-building. His sterling contributions to our democracy and its progress stand him out. His wealth of experience will certainly be critical in our party’s continued efforts to attain a more secure and prosperous Nigeria. To all members of our great party, regardless of who you voted for at the primaries, we must now unite behind our presidential candidate and flagbearer to ensure victory for our party in the 2023 elections. As true progressives, we must remain strong and united in pursuing our collective vision as a party toward building a country that can provide a decent life and livelihoods for all our people.”
Meanwhile, The Voice of Nigerian Youth Initiative has said Prof. Yemi is a winner regardless of the outcome of the primary
A statement by its co-founder, Mrs. Temi Okesanjo, the group said: “You won because the Nigerian youths believe in your leadership and the joy that comes with the hope you bring, the hope many had lost before now. You won because those who hijacked and controlled the process altered what would have been a voluntary embrace of change.
“You won because we will continue to look up to you for answers even as we do not see clearly when you will be crowned to give these answers. They say people shouldn’t have what they didn’t fight for, but the ones who couldn’t be induced didn’t get a chance to vote. We didn’t let you down, they know we wouldn’t is why it was mandatory to hijack the initial process to voting our next president. You come with a different sense of capacity to change; the change that has been disbelieved and misunderstood by the people.”
•Umahi, Ndume, Ohakim pledge support
Ebonyi State Governor and APC presidential aspirant, Chief David Umahi, also congratulated the former governor on his victory and commended all the presidential aspirants as well as the National Working Committee (NWC) on the smooth conduct of the convention.
The governor in a statement he personally signed promised to support Tinubu and all candidates of the party at all levels during the general elections next year.
He called on all aspirants, and indeed all leaders of the party to rally behind Tinubu and ensure the victory of the party in 2023.
Also, former Senate Leader and Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi Campaign Organisation, Mohammed Ali Ndume, promised to work for the success of the party in next year’s general elections. He, however, called on Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory and carry every member of the party along.
He said as an advocate of power shift to the South, he was satisfied with the outcome of the primaries, though his candidate, Amaechi, did not clinch the ticket.
Ndume urged aggrieved members of the APC to put the past behind them and collectively ensure that PDP does not return to power next year.
“As a faithful party man, I’ll work assiduously to ensure that the APC wins in all elections next year. There is a lot of work to be done and we need to start doing that right now. I call on Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory. It was a contest and he has won.”
Reacting, former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, said Tinubu’s victory was well deserved and marked an epochal moment in the history of Nigeria and its democratic culture.
“I have no doubt in my mind that you will lead our great party to victory and please count on me and my political family for an unqualified support. May | also seize this opportunity to implore the teeming members and supporters of the APC across the country to rally round our presidential flag bearer while wishing them an exciting electioneering campaign period ahead,” he said.
•Basiru, Mustapha react
Senate spokesperson, Dr Surajudeen Basiru and Lagos State gubernatorial aspirant, Mr. AbdulAhmed Mustapha also lauded Tinubu’s emergence.
The lawmaker representing Osun Central District said it was pay back time for a man who stands as the rock of Gibraltar in politics, who lives not only for himself, but largely for others.
“Your selfless investment in others have today turned into a formidable platform for your titanic victory. Congratulations sir. You have taught us and shown that focus, doggedness, sincerity of purpose with a large heart are instrumental to sailing through the proverbial murky water of politics without sinking. I’m happy to belong to your school of thought in politics.”
Similarly, Mustapha said his emergence was victory for democracy and for Nigeria.
“This is indeed the beginning of a journey for a better and working Nigeria. Asiwaju is an exemplary leader whose leadership cuts across every nook and cranny of this country. His leadership has birthed many National leaders that have taken the centre stage in the federation.”
•TNO, ABAT hail
The leadership of the Tinubu Network Organisation (TNO) described the victory of the national leader as a success premised on bravery and political influence.
This description, according to the organisation, was informed by power play, twists and turns, as well as intrigues and antics that characterised the party’s convention, and which were humanly constructed to scuttle Tinubu’s ambition and eventual emergence.
In a congratulatory statement jointly signed by the Director-General of the group, Ganiyu Maroof and Osun State Coordinator, Jimoh Olorede, the organisation described Tinubu’s success at the primary as heralding a new era for Nigeria.
The group expressed optimism that with his known invaluable endowments, strong political structure, human development and huge capital investment in Nigerian democracy, Tinubu would beat his opponents in the 2023 presidential election to emerge next president of Nigeria.
In the same vein, the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Movement UK & Diaspora (ABAT UK & Diaspora), in a release signed by its UK Coordinator and Legal Adviser, George Ogunjimi and Global General Coordinator, Akogun Ojo, described Tinubu’s victory as tough and rough, but well deserved considering that the former Lagos State governor had built bridges across ethic, religious and even political divides in Nigeria.
The group said Asiwaju Tinubu had also built up and sponsored people into high political positions, noting that his victory at the party primary was a payback to the undisputed leader of the APC.
The movement appreciated all who contributed to the success by mobilising people to achieve the goal, especially the presidential aspirants who sacrificed their ambitions to make this success a reality, adding that the work to achieve the ultimate goal had just began.