The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, in Lagos, said he would work hard for Nigeria if elected President, as the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), “worked hard” to ensure emergence as the party’s presidential candidate.
Tinubu also promised to fulfill all the promises he had made in the past 96 days that he had been touring the nation on election campaign.
“As you worked hard for me, I will work hard for Nigeria. All the plans set out in our Action Plan for Renewed Hope for Nigerians will be pursued rigorously,” Tinubu said at the grand finale of the APC campaign rally held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State.
The rally, which comes four days to the presidential poll, held on the eve of the deadline approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission for all candidates to conclude their campaigns.
Tinubu, who revealed that his administration would give hope to the hopeless if elected President, said, “Those who look helpless today will be helpful in this country.”
Recalling the events that led to his emergence as the ruling party’s flag bearer June last year, Tinubu thanked the President for standing firm for democracy, accountability, transparency and fairness when it mattered the most.
“The President asked all of us interested to go and contest the primaries of our party.
“After I was picked overwhelmingly by the delegates, he didn’t ask them to change the results because of my tribe or religion or because I’m not from Daura like him.
“He accepted me and celebrated with me, telling me ‘you are almost there now.’”
The former Lagos State Governor also said when it was time for the choice of a running mate, the President turned down his offer to choose for him, telling him “you know better, you are very experienced and you know the kind of person who will assist you to run the country, so pick that person.”
“Thank you, Mr President, you gave me the courage, the confidence and the will to pick right,” he added.
Turing to his running mate, Kashim Shettima, who is a former governor of Borno State, Tinubu described him as a most knowledgeable and independent-minded person.
According to him, “Shettima has shown determination and grit to perform and be different. He is a dependable, reliable and courageous man.”
The President, who was on the campaign podium alongside APC stalwarts, did not speak to the thousands of supporters who had been at the stadium since 08am on Tuesday.
He simply raised the hands of Tinubu and his running mate to signify his endorsement for their candidacy.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu, who is also seeking re-election, thanked Lagosians for turning out in large numbers to receive Buhari and Tinubu at the rally.
He construed the massive turnout as a show of love for the “City Boy,” which he appealed should reflect at the ballot on Saturday.
While the campaign trail has taken Tinubu and his entourage to all 36 states of the federation, Buhari has attended only 10 of those rallies.
APC stalwarts at the Lagos rally included the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, and the wife of the APC candidate, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Also present were Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Mohammed Inuwa (Gombe), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
