Tinubu lauds Northern governors for backing southern candidate, Urges Lawan, Bello to withdraw

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organisation has described the 11 Northern All Progressives Congress Governors as worthy patriots for their decision to support power shift to the South.

The campaign organisation in a press statement on Sunday, signed by its Director of Media and Communication, Mr. Bayo Onanuga noted that all lovers of peace, progress, equity, justice and stability of Nigeria should celebrate and honour the Northern APC Governors.

The 11 Governors of APC from the North in a press statement endorsed by them on Saturday announced that they took a decision to support the next President of Nigeria from the South after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari in the best interest of the country. The Northern APC Governors also commended their Jigawa State counterpart, Governor Mohammad Abubakar Badaru for withdrawing from the presidential race ahead of APC Convention on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

In a reaction to the development, Mr. Onanuga expressed the satisfaction of Tinubu Campaign Organisation with the decision of the APC Governors whom he said put national interest above regional interest, stressing that the decision of the Governors removed all the anxieties, uncertainties and conspiracy theories hovering around the party’s presidential nomination process.

The campaign also commended Governor Abubakar Badaru for promptly complying with the position of the region. We enjoin other aspirants such as the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Governor Yahaya Bello and former Governor Ahmed Rufai Sani Yerima to also bow out of the race. History will be kind to them all.

Onanuga noted that the APC can now go into its national convention which will be open to only presidential aspirants from the South to seek the mandate of party members through their elected delegates without acrimony and suspicions.

“We salute the courage of the APC Governors from the North for their patriotic decision to sustain the unity of the country and that of the party. The decision of the Northern APC Governors has once again confirmed that our country will make tremendous progress when the bond of our unity is strengthened and preserved.

“ Our APC Northern governors have shown that the APC believes in power rotation in the true spirit of national equity and justice, unlike the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that abandoned its zoning policy for hegemonic political expediency, ethnic and religious calculations, that grossly undermined the party’s commitment to the 1999 constitution.

“ Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes that our country does better when leaders across the country rise above personal, ethnic and religious sentiments to uphold justice and fairness. The 11 Northern APC Governors have restored the confidence of millions of Nigerians and party members in the greatness and unity of our country.

“These Governors are patriots and honourable men who will be remembered for acting to save Nigeria from potential political crisis and another round of national distrust and mistrust.

“With this decision, the future of APC as the governing party in Nigeria is very bright as a true national party. The party can now proceed to hold the Convention as a united, strong and viable political platform by electing a capable presidential flag bearer in whom the Nigerian people can invest their trust by supporting him to win the general election.

“We are confident that the delegates will make the right choice by giving Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu the honour of flying the flag of APC as our presidential candidate in line with the expectation of President Muhammadu Buhari that the candidate of our party must be one who can win election, who is acceptable to all Nigerians and one who can give Nigerians a sense of confidence and victory.

“Asiwaju Tinubu is the most prepared and capable of all the aspirants. He has shown this with his track record in Lagos. He has comprehensive development plan that will build on the success of the Buhari-led administration and create greater prosperity for Nigerians,” Onanuga said in the statement.

Bayo Onanuga
Director, Media and Communication
Tinubu Campaign Organisation