Politics

Tinubu’s victory speech: I hold no grudges

Published

4 years ago

June 8, 2022

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The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, says his opponents have nothing to fear after his victory at the party’s primary.

Tinubu said this while giving his victory speech at Eagle Square, the venue of the APC primary.

Tinubu scored 1,271 votes to clinch the APC ticket.

Tinubu, who is the National Leader of the party, defeated 13 other aspirants to emerge the candidate at the end of the Special National Convention of the party on Wednesday in Abuja.

The other aspirants included Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr Tein Jack-Rich and Governor Ben Ayade.

Others were Governor David Umuahi, Senator Ahmad Yarima, Dr Ahmed Lawal, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Yahaya Bello and Mr Ogbonnaya Onu.

The race began with 23 aspirants, but nine withdrew shortly before the commencement of voting at the convention.

READ FULL SPEECH:

Thank you all.

We have been at historic Eagle Square for many hours such that day has turned into night and night back into day.

Because of your democratic exertion, this convention shall be recorded as a shining moment in the evolution of our party and the life of our nation.

I must thank you all for making me the standard bearer of our progressive party. And I humbly accept the nomination of this convention to be the presidential candidate of our enlightened, humanitarian and great party, the All Progressives Congress.

I also offer my sincere gratitude to President Buhari for his calm and prudent leadership throughout this process. I thank him, also, for his steadfast determination to ensure a level playing field and a free and fair primary process for every aspirant. Without him, I would not be standing here today as the new flagbearer of Nigeria’s party.

I thank the governors for their invaluable contribution to internal democracy and unity.

I commend the party leadership and organizers for the conduct of a successful convention.

Thank you, the delegates, for the confidence you have shown in me. I will prove that your choice was a wise one. You have moved our party and country towards its best future. On your mandate I shall stand.

I commend my fellow aspirants. It is a difficult thing to run for president. The stiff and bold competition you offered made our party stronger and made me better. I must say a special word of thanks to the seven aspirants [Alhaji Badaru Abubakar; Sen.; Ibikunle Amosun; Sen. Ajayi Borrofice; Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole; Sen. Godswill Akpabio; Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and Barr.(Mrs.) Uju Kennedy] who chose to step down their personal ambitions for the good of the party and the unity of our purpose.

The competition is now over.

Those who did not support me, you have nothing to fear. I hold no grudges or grievances.

Let us each agree to join hands in defeating the PDP and beating back our common foes of poverty, terror and violence. We now have a date with destiny in February 2023. Let us win so Nigeria can become the nation it is intended to be.

To my campaign team and close advisors. Your dedication, long hours, and sound advice have brought me to this point.

I thank my beautiful wife, Oluremi, for her patience and wise counsel. Thank you for standing by my side. I am indeed a fortunate man.

Now, permit me to address the nation.

Yes, we face serious problems. But I believe that we have it within us to reach our finest destiny. With help from God, we shall make this nation better for the generations to come.
President Muhamamdu Buhari has already laid a solid foundation in security, economy, and anti-corruption. We will build upon this for the salvation of our people.

So, I ask you:

Do we dare reform our national economy such that prosperity grows as poverty vanishes?

Yes, we dare.

Do we dare provide meaningful education and jobs for our youths so that they may strive for a better future?

Yes, we dare. Our teeming youth population is our nation’s greatest asset. We will create jobs for our youth from the Zamfara and Osun gold deposits to the vast agricultural lands across the country. We will create new ooportunities in the FINTECH sector, the creative and entertainment industries, digital skills and other areas.

Do we dare feed our nation and provide the farmer a solid income for his toil?

Yes, we dare.

Do we dare construct a society where the vulnerable, the weak, the disadvantaged and the elderly are attended to and loved?

Yes, for we must care for those who cannot care for themselves.

Do we dare muster our collective strength to conquer terrorism, kidnapping, and violent evil of any form?

Yes, we dare.

After the PDP convention, I commended Abubakar Atiku. The ensuing contest between our party and his will be one of competing visions.

Our vision is of progress and the future that can be. We must defeat the PDP’s reactionary ideals.

Our better, more progressive vision of Nigeria shall secure a better society for all Nigerians.

May this be our task arising from this convention. Let nothing stand in the way of our achieving a more just society and a greater Nigeria.

God bless the APC.
God bless Nigeria.

Politics

2027: APC governors reject any form of political alliance, say it’s capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election

Published

5 days ago

September 15, 2026

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The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has said it will not endorse any alliance or political arrangements that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.

The forum chairman, Imo governor, Hope Uzodimma, speaking in Abuja after the forum’s meeting, said his colleagues would exclusively support Tinubu and APC candidates at all levels in the 2027 elections.

“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr president, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma, who was flanked by his colleagues, said.

“In other words, the forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate.”

He said the governors’ campaign efforts would focus on all APC candidates contesting under the party’s platform.

“Because our candidates are standing in the election as being sponsored by our party, the governor’s campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates,” Uzodimma said.

He said the forum would not entertain any arrangement that could “create confusion, divided loyalty or competing interests” within the party.

Uzodimma also said the APC would adopt an integrated, locally responsive campaign structure ahead of the 2027 elections, with all levels of the party’s campaign architecture aligned with Tinubu’s expectations and the party’s strategic objectives.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is leading the rainbow coalition, a cross-party alliance supporting Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Wike said the coalition is a shift from party politics to a collective political movement focused on advancing the state’s interests.

Politics

INEC clears 18 presidential candidates, running mates for 2027 poll

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2026

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a list of 18 presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 presidential election.

The final list, titled “Presidential and National Assembly Elections for Jan, 2027 – Presidential Final List of Candidates”, was signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC secretary.

The list includes major contenders such as Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).

Atiku is listed with Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate, while Tinubu is paired with Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, is listed with Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State, as his running mate.

Sowore is paired with Haruna Magashi.

Other presidential candidates on the list are Rufai Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance (AA); Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party (APP); Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); and Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party (BP).

Also listed are Adebisi Olusoji of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA); Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party (LP); Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

Donald Duke is listed as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Adewole Adebayo is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The remaining candidates are Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The document also contains the ages, gender, and academic qualifications of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

The presidential and national assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections would be held on February 6, 2027.

Politics

‘We’ll take care of you if we win presidency’ — Kwankwaso asks Atiku to step down

Published

1 week ago

September 10, 2026

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The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to step down from the 2027 presidential race.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano state, spoke at his residence in Abuja during a meeting with members of the Fulani Farmers Association.

According to Thecable, Kwankwaso, who is running mate to Peter Obi, NDC presidential candidate, urged Atiku to reconsider his presidential ambition, citing his age and health.

He added that he and Obi would take care of Atiku if they won the presidency.

“Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health,” he said in Hausa.

“If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him.”

Abubakar has run for the number one office six times, but has been on the ballot as a presidential candidate on three occasions — 2007, 2019, and 2023.

In April, the former vice-president, who will turn 81 next year, said the 2027 general election would be his last attempt at the presidency.

Atiku was conferred the title of Wazirin Adamawa in June 2017 by Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the 12th traditional ruler of the Adamawa emirate, following the death of Muhammad Abba, the previous titleholder.

Atiku had held the title of Turaki of Adamawa since 1982, which was eventually passed to his son, Aliyu.

The Wazirin Adamawa is a high-ranking traditional title in the Adamawa Emirate, with the holder serving as the emir’s prime minister, most senior councillor, kingmaker and close adviser.

In 2025, Adamawa state government issued a directive requiring all kingmakers and traditional council members to be indigenes of the emirates or chiefdoms they represent.

The policy was said to have stripped Atiku of the Wazirin title, as he hails from Jada in the Ganye emirate.