Tinubu
National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday revealed that he sacrificed his presidential ambition for party’s flag bearer, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).
Tinubu, who is a former governor of Lagos State disclosed this while addressing a crowd of APC supporters at the party’s presidential rally in Lagos.
Asserting that Nigeria is currently facing an economic crisis and an internal war, the former governor reasoned that this throws up the need for a person with Buhari’s experience considering the retired general’s reputation of anti-corruption and military warfare.
According to Tinubu, “People define patriotism as putting the country first but this is what the ‘Poverty Development Party’ refuses to understand. We chose Buhari not because Bola Tinubu is not interested in the Presidency. I am capable, competent, qualified, younger and richer but there comes a time that people must make sacrifices for their nation.
“I prayed that Nigeria would get better and we would not need a man like him (Buhari). But today, we are in a great crisis; we face a lot of challenges. When South Africa was in a great dilemma and was about to disintegrate, they called Nelson Mandela of 74 years old.
“He used his wisdom to save his country. When the United States was in economic depression, they called 73-year-old Ronald Reagan because he was frugal and incorruptible.
“When America was faced with depression and war, they called a retired General, Dwight Eisenhower, to rescue the country and the country was returned on a path of success. When France was faced with war and economic depression, they called a retired General, Charles De Gaul, to rescue the country,” he cited.
Stressing that Buhari was still qualified to rule the country whether he presented a certificate or not, Tinubu asked, “So what do we need now? Buhari. This is the time for us. General Buhari, whether you are qualified or not qualified, we are calling you to come and rescue us in Nigeria.”
For the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola who also spoke at the rally, President Goodluck Jonathan had done nothing for the people of the state despite the fact that the President got over 1.2 million votes from the state in 2011.
He alleged that every project that the Federal Government was supposed to have assisted Lagos in executing had been frustrated by the Jonathan administration thus called on the people of the state to vote for the APC at all levels.
The presidential candidate, Buhari, while speaking eventually, described the failure of the PDP-led Federal Government as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
He said further, “We all know what we have gone through in the past 16 years under the PDP. The APC has identified three core problems that must be tackled immediately. First is insecurity, two is the destruction of the economy and three is corruption.
“But whatever we have to do, we will have to secure Nigeria first. What is happening in the North-East where hundreds of people are being killed is unacceptable. We known that the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army are capable of bringing peace and stability into the country but they just need good leadership,” Buhari stated.
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