Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, Friday, visited his co-contestant and Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in Abuja, saying the latter leveraged on the energy of the youths during the campaigns for the Presidential convention.
Tinubu arrived Governor Yahaya Bello campaign office accompanied by Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Zamfara and Kano state counterparts, Bello Matawalle and Abdullahi Ganduje respectively as well former Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
Describing Bello as “my son,” Tinubu said Nigeria would hit the glorious height of old with the cooperation and support of all, irrespective of party affiliations.
Welcoming the APC Presidential candidate, Governor Bello announced the collapse of his campaign council and donated same to the former Lagos state governor.
Bello said, “Today, I have collapsed my Presidential Campaign Organisation. I am donating my campaign organisation secretariat to you. I have learnt a lot from the little lecture you gave to us. What elders see when they are in the valley, the younger ones won’t see it.
“The exercise (convention/primaries) has come and gone. I will be on streets to lead the youths to ensure that we win convincingly. Never again will the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP lead this country. Thank you all my colleague governors for giving me the opportunity to learn from you.
“Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the APC national chairman has never lost election and we will win the 2023 election. Our convention went well and peacefully.”
On his part, Tinubu thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for providing a level-playing field for all the contestants during the special convention and primary, saying “the man of the convention, the man of democracy on that day is Muhammadu Buhari. He said, ‘if you want to run, run; you want to crawl, crawl; you want to dance, dance.’
“Yahaya Bello is my son; you mobilized the consciousness of the youths in the county. You reminded us of what the nation wants to be. Today, we take a very good step to say we want to work for one united country that is concerned about prosperity. Thank you all members of Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation. You all made a mark, you were resolute.”
He also commended the leadership of the party for ensuring that the convention ended peacefully saying, “The opposition thought there would be chaos and crisis. But we saw peace. Emi lokan. It’s my turn.”
The former Lagos governor commended Director-General of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, adding that her father, the late MKO Abiola is the reason for the joy in the land.
“MKO Abiola is the reason June 12 became public holiday,” he stressed.
He disclosed that it was in the house of Kudirat Abiola (Hafsat’s mother) that he found the cap with which he disguised and fled Nigeria, saying, “I’m happy to be back to save Nigeria.”
Asiwaju also saluted the courage of Governor Matawalle who, he said, faced the worst form of opposition, including banditry, saying “I thought the termite would eat him up. He listened to the words of elders, brought reconciliation and peace to Zamfara state.”
