From Victor Osula, Abuja
Former Lagos State moved an inch higher to achieving his life ambition to govern Nigeria as president when he pulled a landslide victory at the just concluded special presidential convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, held at the Eagles Square on June 6 to 8, 2022.
He polled 1, 271 votes from the votes cast by 2340 delegates, while former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who came a distant second got 316 votes.
VP Yemi Osinbajo followed with 235. Others who made some in roads were President of the Senate who polled, 152, while Ebonyi Governor, Dave Umahi scored 38 votes and his Kogi counterpart, Yahaya Bello got 47. Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rovers State polled, 37, while Former Zamfara governor, Ahmed Yerima polled 4. Former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnanya Onu got 1 vote. Pastor Tunde Bakare Chief Chikeobasi Mokelu, Senator Rochas Okorocah, got zero each.
Amazingly, Tinubu won the votes in each of the 40 ballot boxes used by delegates. There were 13 invalid votes because they carried signatures and therefore tied no to aspirants.
Beside Tinubu, other contestants were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, former Zamfara governor, Ahmed Yerima, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state and his counterparts from Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State and Yayaha Bello of Kogi State.
Others were Senator Ajayi Boroffice, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, ex- President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, who had stepped down a day to the event but had to formally do so at the convention, former Minister of State for Education, who did not make an appearance when he was called to address the delegates, explaining later that the refusal of the party to keep to its earlier promise to zone the presidency exclusively to the South and then, for fairness, to the Southeast geo-political, made him stay away.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, ex-Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Goodswill Akpabio, ex-Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonaya Onu, Pastor Nwagbo, Jack-Rich Tien, Chief Ikeobasi Nwokelu, Dr Michael Felix, former Imo state governor, Senator Rochas Okorocah and Mrs Uju-Kennedy Ohaneye completed the list of 23. Out of the number, nine withdrew or stepped down while 14 others completed the race.
Flanked by his wife, Senator Oluremi, who he jokingly called, “Mama 60”, Tinubu delivered his acceptance speech extempore. He said he was intoxicated with victory and thanked President Buhari, Senator Lawan, Speaker Femi Gbajiagbamila and Chairman Adamu for their support of his ambition, those who stepped down for him and urged party members to celebrate a successful convention and continued growth of the party.
He praised Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state and Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum for playing a major role in his victory. “Forward we are moving. No destroyers can take our country. Let men and women in uniform to continue to fight for the survival of our country. You won’t sacrifice for nothing.
He called on Nigerians to rise above primordial sentiments and rule their lives and their relationships with the injunction to love thy neighbor as thy self, and reject use of cutlasses and guns to settle quarrels.
He said; “We are human beings that must live together. No one religion is better than the other. We need perseverance and love for one another. The love you cannot replenish, the life you cannot bring back, if you take will hunt you and you will not leave in peace. You create agony, you get agony, create hatred and get agony back.
“Lets be determined and use our brains and vision to build a new nation for us.”
The high drama of the big event was the withdrawal of candidacy in support for Tinubu and Osinbajo. While some aspirants, namely, Amosun, Fayemi, Boroffice, Bankole, Ohanneye and Governor Badaru withdrew, for Tinubu, Dr Felix withdrew for VP Osinbajo.
In his welcome address, President Muhammadu Buhari warned members to vote wisely and work for party cohesion and harped on the need to beware of the threat posed by PDP to the APC’s aspiration to retain power in the 2023 presidential election.
With this victory, Tinubu is poised for a titanic battle for the presidency in 2023 with notable contestants who include Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who emerged the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and candidate of the Labour Party, former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi and former Kano governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
