The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has visited Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, commending him for mobilising the consciousness of the youths during his campaign.
The visit came about 72 hours after Tinubu emerged the flagbearer of the ruling party for the 2023 election.
While describing Yahaya Bello as his son, the APC National Leader added that he reminded the people of “what the nation wants to be.”
Tinubu was accompanied on the visit by three Governors – Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara); and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).
A former governor of Edo State and former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was also at the meeting where Bello announced the collapse of his Presidential Campaign Council and donation of the building to Tinubu.
Bello said, “Today, I have collapsed my President Campaign Organisation. I am donating my campaign organisation secretariat to you. I’ve learnt a lot from the little lecture you gave to us. What elders see when they’re 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 PDP lead this country. Thank you all my colleague governors for giving me the opportunity to learn from you.
“Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC national chairman) has never lost election and we will win the 2023 election. Our convention went well and peacefully.”
Tinubu also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for providing a level-playing ground for all the contestants during the special convention and primary.
He said, “The man of the convention, the man of democracy for 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 mobilised 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.”
Tinubu also thanked the leadership of the party for ensuring that the convention ended peacefully saying, “They (opposition) thought there would be chaos and crisis. But we saw peace. Emi lokan. It’s my turn.”
Tinubu said he was very proud of the Director-General of the Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hafsat Abiola-Costello, saying the joy in the country was owed to her father, “MKO Abiola, the reason June 12 became public holiday.”
He also revealed 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.”
Tinubu also saluted the courage of Governor Matawalle who, he said, faced the worst form of opposition, including banditry, adding, “I thought the termite would eat him up. He listened to the words of elders, brought reconciliation and peace to Zamfara State.”
and then