Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State has solicited the support of the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly over his 2023 presidential ambition.
Tinubu met separately with the APC Caucus in the Senate and House of Representatives at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at the meeting with the House of Representatives Caucus, the APC National Leader said he was one of the best products the party can sell in the upcoming general election as the other aspirants are not stable.
He said: “Most people have nothing to offer but questions and creating doubt. I am not here to be defensive. I am here to tell you that I am one of the best products that you can sell. I am the only one in the race that is most competent, most qualified to be your president come year 2023.
“I am the only one who has been through the tutelage of the National Assembly. I am the only one who has consistently been in one party. The others are not stable. Some of them are rolling stones.
“I have been through the National Assembly. I have been in the corporate world with a background in the public sector, academics, finance and development. I have inherited one of the first badly managed states in the states of this country.
“I can look back now today and I am proud to be standing before you representing that great state which is now a megacity with a national budget higher than three countries of West Africa; generated revenue to N40 billion a month. Show me that nation, that state in West Africa.
“To say it all, I still want to humbly and respectfully serve you in collaboration, serve my country. There is no crime in that. They do not have anything to say, and they say he (Tinubu) is not well.”
He told those who are engaged in a campaign of calumny against his health and age that: “I am not applying to do a mixing for concrete and sand and building 34 skyscrapers.
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“I am only applying to do a job with my can-do attitude, break the shackles of poverty, and remove the roadblock in our revenue.”
Tinubu told lawmakers that when he informed President Muhamadu Buhari of ambition, the Daura retired General said: “Welcome, let us see you run and we see how best we can promote your democratic credentials.”
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Majority Leader of the House and APC Caucus reminded his colleagues that time has come for them to pay back Tinubu for supporting many people to be who they are at the moment politically and economically.
Ado-Doguwa said: “I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu supported so many Nigerians to become president of this federal of Nigeria. He has supported so many people in this country to become governors. Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also supported so many members in the democratic space left, right and centre to be Senators and respected members of the House of Representatives.
“On this note, I have to say that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no other time to be supported to become president of the republic of Nigeria better than now. If there is any time for this man to be supported to achieve his life ambition is now.
“Distingushed Senator, leader of the greatest party in West African sub-region and in Africa, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, we are immeasurably grateful and there is no other chance whatsoever to support you to achieve his life ambition.”
Pledging the support of the APC lawmakers further, the Kano the House Leader said: “you are the only one we know. The only one we will support. I said so for yet another reason. Senator Ahmed Tinubu has got everything it takes to be president. He has everything it takes to run for the office of the president. You have what it takes to aspire run both in terms of intellect and capacity to be the President of Nigeria.
“On that note, on the strength of the submission I have made and on the strength of the convictions, I believe our members have, I want to put the question. Those who are in support of this gentleman to lead the country in 2023 say aye…”
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