Former spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr Seye Oladejo, says Sen. Bola Tinubu’s consistency and large-heartedness has won him the APC presidential ticket.
Oladejo, former Commissioner for Special Duties in Lagos State, made the remark in Lagos while reacting to Tinubu’s victory at the APC presidential primary in Abuja on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos state, defeated 13 other aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling party, polled 1,271 delegate votes to defeat his closest rival, former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi who got 316 votes.
Osinbajo garnered 235 votes to emerge third in the keenly contested primary which featured 23 aspirants, with nine withdrawing from the race before the contest commenced.
He said: “This is a victory well-deserved and most expected. It implies that diligence, consistency and large-heartedness do get rewarded in politics.
“When Asiwaju declared his intention to vie for the APC presidential ticket and some of us threw our hats in the ring to supporting him, we were called names.
“Today people like us feel justified that at last, Nigeria is ready for a leadership that is informed, prepared and ready to take our country to earn a well-deserved place in the committee of nations.
“What Asiwaju’s candidacy represents is a breath of fresh air for the Nigerian nation.
“He has come to give us the real hope for development, security, confidence as Nigerians.”
The former Secretary and ex-Chairman of Mushin Local Government congratulated Tinubu, his supporters and those who initially opposed his aspirations.
The APC chieftain added that Tinubu had given a good fight, describing his doggedness as “the spirit of democracy.”
“The truth of the matter is that Asiwaju is a unifier; he has a large heart, and he will be ready to rally everybody within and outside the party for him to win the election in 2023,” Oladejo added.
NAN recalls that the main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had on May 29 elected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections. (NAN)
