APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
Nigeria’s President-elect, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says that he is profoundly humbled that he has been elected to serve as the 16th President of Nigeria.
Speaking at the APC Presidential Campaign Council headquarters in Abuja shortly after he was declared the winner of the presidential poll on Wednesday, Tinubu said: “This is a shining moment in the life of any man and affirmation of our democratic existence. From my heart, I say thank you.”
“You decided to place your trust in the democratic vision of a Nigeria founded on shared prosperity and one nurtured by the ideals of unity, justice, peace and tolerance. Renewed hope has dawned in Nigeria.
“We commend INEC for running a free and fair election. The lapses that did occur were relatively few in number and were immaterial to the final outcome. With each cycle of elections, we steadily perfect this process so vital to our democratic life.
“Today, Nigeria stands tall as the giant of Africa. It shines even brighter as the continent’s biggest democracy.
“I thank all who supported my campaign. From President Buhari who adeptly led my campaign as its chairman, to my Vice Presidential Candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
“To the progressive governors of our party and this nation, to the party leadership, to our loyal party members. I owe you a debt of gratitude. To the entire campaign organisation, I thank you sincerely.
“I thank my loving wife and dear family whose support was ceaseless and inspiring. Without you, this victory would not be possible,” he said.
“Finally, I thank the Nigerian people for their abiding belief in our democracy. I shall be a fair leader to all Nigerians. I will be in tune with your aspirations, charge up your energies and harness your talents to deliver a nation that we can be proud of.
“To my fellow candidates, former VP Atiku, former governor Kwankwaso, former governor Obi and all others, I extend the hand of friendship. This was a competitive, high-spirited campaign. You have my utmost respect,” he added.
Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Senator and Governor of Lagos State is known a political circle as a political “godfather” famed for his strategic deftness and clout, who has never hidden his ambition to be president of Nigeria.
In 2022, when he announced his plans to champion the ruling All Progressives Congress APC party in this weekend’s election, Tinubu said he would be fulfilling a “lifelong” goal.
“It’s my turn,” he later told supporters in his Yoruba language, upsetting APC rivals with a phrase that has become his campaign slogan.
Tinubu, 70, who claimed that he helped put President Muhammadu Buhari into power, contested against opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer Atiku Abubakar and surprise third party candidate Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
A chieftain of the ruling APC, Tinubu has spent years building his Lagos powerbase into a nationwide network of contacts from Lagos market cooperatives and transport unions to political chieftains.
He co-founded and financed the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which later became the Action Congress of Nigeria, then helped make the All Progressives Congress (APC). Tinubu was first a political activist before becoming a senator and then governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.
Tinubu, a Muslim, hails from Lagos State and trained as an accountant in the United States and worked for several US companies, including as a treasurer in oil giant ExxonMobil. He is married to Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
GIK/APA
Tinubu thanks Nigerians for electing him the 16th President of Nigeria
