Two-term former governor of Lagos state, (1999-2003,2003-2007), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been elected as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress party. He polled 1,271 votes to defeat 13 other contestants including the incumbent Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibajo, who came third polling 235 votes.

Former minister for Transport, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi came second by polling 316 votes. Senator Ahmed Lawan, the President of the Senate polled 152 votes while Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state who broke ranks with his fellow northern governors on zoning of the presidency to the South polled 47 votes; Dave Umahi 38 votes, Ben Ayade 37 votes, Ahmed Sanni Yerima 4 votes, Ogbonnaya Onu 1vote.

It was a day of drama and intrigues at the Eagle Square Abuja, venue of the convention, and the climax was the stepping down by seven of the aspirants for Asiwaju Tinubu. These include Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Professor Ajayi Borrofice, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Mrs Uju Ohaneye. This was believed to have created a bandwagon effect and assumedly boosted Tinubu’s confidence going into the voting proper.

The delegates were allocated as follows: Abia – 50; Adamawa- 62; Anambra- 63; Bayelsa- 24; Bauchi- 55; Benue- 64; Borno- 81; Cross River- 54; Delta- 73; Enugu- 51; Ekiti- 48; Edo- 54; Ebonyi- 38; FCT- 80. Others are Gombe- 33; Imo- 81; Jigawa- 81; Lagos- 60; Plateau- 51; Katsina- 102; Kebbi- 63; Kwara- 48; Kogi- 63; Kaduna- 61; Kano- 126; Nasarawa- 39; Niger- 75; Ondo- 54; Ogun- 60; Oyo- 99; Osun- 90; Rivers- 69; Sokoto- 69; Taraba- 46; Yobe- 51 and Zamfara- 42.

Excerpts from Tinubu’s before Election and Acceptance Speech

I am the man for this moment By Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Today we, as members of the All Progressives Congress, gather both in celebration and in stern test of our democratic fitness. We have all waited and worked for this day to come. Now it is upon us, we must all rise to the occasion.

We now stand before all Nigerians. We have always said this party may well be the last best hope for Nigeria to attain its finest destiny. Thus, we shall use this convention to show the world that the APC celebrates democracy by faithfully practising it.

Soon, we will freely and fairly nominate the person to follow President Buhari as our next standard bearer. For you delegates, this is a heavy responsibility. I know you will meet this duty with the seriousness it deserves..

This convention also marks the end of the first phase of the 2023 election cycle. This primary season has been one of intense competition among those who aspire to the nomination. I commend the other aspirants for the dignity and zeal with which they have conducted their campaigns. Such strong, persistent competition will make us better as a party.

By today’s end, you would have selected the party’s candidate. We shall then enter the terrain of the general election. To win, we must emerge from today a unified force focused on cooperation and shared victory.

As President Buhari has said, our party’s objective must be to triumph in next year’s election at all levels. The candidate you select must deliver victory in the national elections and have the personal gravity and national recognition to pull us to victory in state and local elections as well. He must instil a sense of victory and confidence.

Moreover, the candidate must unite Nigerians of all walks of life, from all parts of the country. He must have the experience, leadership, knowledge, and extensive personal contacts to steer a diverse, complicated Nigeria through this challenging period in a dynamic world.

The other candidates are all good men. But I sincerely believe I am the person this moment calls for.

I have the experience. I led the transformation of Lagos from a dangerous, unwelcoming place in 1999 to a clean, safe, and vibrant place and the 5th largest economy in all of Africa. I am a serious man with a serious purpose and I will use all that I know and all of my abilities to the benefit of the people.

I am a unifying leader. I have constructed a formidable political structure, one that has delivered electoral victory after electoral victory. I do not now put myself forward because I think this nomination is my due. I step forward because I believe I can lead our party towards its brightest future.

I have the expertise. My record of corporate leadership, my financial expertise and my experience as an executive governor make me unique among the aspirants; giving me the requisite skills to accelerate progressive reforms that will change the face of the national economy.

I cannot, on this day, talk of a bright and prosperous future without also declaring my determination to fight terrorism and insecurity to the very end. I mourn the lives already lost and vow to do everything possible to ensure justice and forever erase terror from our land.

Today you decide our presidential nominee. Let it be the man who can best articulate a vision of progress and development then implement it. Let us always honour the promise the APC made to Nigeria.

I am Intoxicated by My Victory

In his acceptance speech, Asiwaju Tinubu acknowledged President Buhari saying “today is another historic day and it is thanks to God almighty that you are living healthy to witness it, to be part of it, to be your calling to be your arrangement”

“We all, not only as a party, it has gone beyond partisan idea now. It is yours as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You put it together and you have even gracious and humble from the beginning. We are very grateful to you.

“To you, the legislature, the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, I would have been a little upset because you competed with me but that is over now since you can easily lick your wounds. It doesn’t take away from thanking you from the past cooperation and cool-headedness to build our country. You have helped in steering the ship of the nation and with your colleagues in the Senate; history is written and will be kind to you.

“And to my brother, Hakeem Gbajabiamila, the sparkling speaker, I credit you. The Gbajabiamilas of Lagos have been part of the history of this country and you will not be forgotten.

To the chairman of our party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, it appeared some weeks back that some newspapers and many people were ready to write the obituary of this party. We put together and pulled ourselves as a cat with nine lives. We thatched the roof, steady the pillars and became master builders. You came on and worked hard with the collaboration of others and here we are; shame on those who were already building the coffin of APC. Shame on them, our party is alive.

“They won’t be able to do the convention but here we are; the first convention to choose the executives, the governors pulled themselves together, we didn’t break our backs and we are here, very happy and confident and courageous to tell you that the cat that lies down quietly is not a pretension of death but breeding of its energy to devour its enemies. Now we are here, we will roar. We will do it. We will tell Poverty Development Party. They call themselves PDP, 16 years of failures of wastefulness, will they step aside, be buried and leave the way for us. We will repair our country.

“We are Progressives, we are nation builders. We are not destroyers. We are confident that this nation is back in track”, he stated.
Tinubu also spoke about the growing wave of killings in the country, saying; “We are not the barbaric, blind human beings they think we are. They are setting us against in another. When you were born, you didn’t hear from the womb whether you would be a male or female, Christian or Muslim. You were born to your parents and adopted their religions and you continued.

“The Bible taught us to love your neighbour as you love yourself. It did not say kill your neighbour. It is in the two holy books. Goodness for goodness. Learn to accept mistakes, not from gunshots or the destruction of lives and property because the life you take you cannot bring back, the hate you spill cannot cure your hunger. We must build a new society and learn to think a new way of life”.

He was full of commendation for all his fellow aspirants for the stiff and strong opposition they offered which he said made the party better and himself humble. He expressed appreciation to the seven aspirants who stepped down for him saying it was a very difficult decision that they made.

“The competition is now over. Those who did not support me, you have nothing to fear. I hold no grudges. Let us join hands to beat the PDP and beat back their retrogressive understanding of Nigeria. They had 16 years, they depleted our resources and left us with hunger. Let us dig their graves by defeating them in the next election because they are the agents of poverty, terror, violence and lying”, he stated.

Apologizing to President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping him waiting due to his long acceptance speech, Tinubu said; “I didn’t expect to win, but I won and I must be intoxicated by the victory. What can I do?”

President Buhari later presented to Asiwaju Tinubu the flag of the party while the Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodinma moved a motion for the indefinite adjournment of the convention. It was seconded by the Zamfara state Governor, Bello Matawalle.