SENATE President Ahmed Lawan has congratulated the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 general elections, Bola Tinubu.
Lawan said in a statement released on Wednesday that he was elated that the party’s presidential primary, held in Abuja between June 6 and 8, was free and fair.
He said his loss to Tinubu in the primary election showed that the former Lagos State governor was the party’s popular choice.
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Lawan explained that he had put himself forward against Tinubu at the primary with the belief that he had the knowledge base, ideas, experience and desire to provide leadership for the nation.
According to him, Tinubu’s “glittering track record of public service, foresight and grit in party building and administration, as well as the courage” he has consistently demonstrated in fighting for the entrenchment of democracy in the country, fetched him the ticket.
“I have no doubt that with your credentials, experience, antecedents and political sagacity, our great party will go into the 2023 contest confident of victory.
“As a loyal party member, I remain committed to the party at all times and will always be available to work for its success.”
He noted that the success of the primary demonstrated the capacity of the APC to run its internal affairs smoothly and devoid of rancour.
Lawan and Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello had ignored the resolution of the governors elected on the APC platform in the North that the presidency should go to the South after the eight-year tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The two aspirants got 152 and 47 votes, respectively, while Tinubu got 1, 271 votes out of over 2200 delegates who voted at the primary.
In his victory speech, Tinubu said he would have been angry with Lawan for contesting against him but for his contribution to Buhari’s government.
“I would have been a little upset that you chose to run against me, but there is no longer any need because I leave you to lick your wounds,” Tinubu told the Senate President.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org