By John Ikani
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emerged as the All Progressives Congress’ Presidential candidate with 1,271 votes.
The former governor of Lagos was declared the winner of the 2023 APC primary as he accumulated far more votes than the other contestants.
By implication, Tinubu’s main challenger in next year’s presidential election would be the candidate of the country’s main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
APC presidential primary runner-up and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi scored 316 votes, while second runner-up, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo scored 235 votes.
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan scored 152 votes, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello scored 47 votes, and Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade scored 37 votes.
Here are five things Tinubu said while delivering his victory speech shortly after being declared winner of the primaries.
1. ‘I didn’t expect to win. I hold no grudges’
In his victory speech, Tinubu said did not ‘expect to win’ the party’s presidential primary.
The APC presidential flagbearer also said he holds ‘no grudges’ against members of his party who worked against his candidature.
2. ‘You can now lick your wounds’
Tinubu said he was a little bit agitated that the Senate President contested the position with him.
In his words: “To you, the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan I’d have been a little upset because you compete with me but that’s over now, you can easily lick your wounds.”
3. Love and tolerance
The former Lagos State Governor admonished Nigerians to love each other beyond religious differences, stressing that progress is not about killing one another.
According to him: “When you were born, you didn’t hear from the womb whether you would be a male or female, Christian or Muslim. You were born to your parents and adopted their religions and you continued.
“The Bible taught us to love your neighbour as you love yourself. It did not say kill your neighbour. It is in the two holy books. The hate you spill cannot cure your hunger. Stop destroying lives and properties. We must build a new society and learn to think a new way of life.”
4. Ruthless readiness for 2023 Polls
The APC presidential candidate called on Nigeria’s major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to step aside or be ready to be buried come 2023.
According to him: We will roar! We will do it. The Poverty Development Party, PDP, should step aside, be ready to be buried and leave our country for us to rebuild for our children.”
Speaking further, Tinubu opined: “We will eliminate them, they depleted our resources for sixteen years. They are agents of poverty, terror, violence and lies. They are retrogressive. They left us with hunger. PDP don’t know arithmetic , join me to defeat them come 2023”, he said.
5. Appreciation
Tinubu thanked the vice president for being a good support to the president. He further thanked the senate president, Ahmed Lawan, for being a good competitor and asked that they all put hands together to give the party ultimate victory in 2023.
In his words: “I thank Osinbajo for being a good support for our president, I thank Senate President Ahmad Lawan. You help to steer the ship of this nation, in the right direction, with your team in Senate, history is written and it will be kind to you,” he said.
Tinubu also praised seven aspirants who stepped down for him saying it was a very difficult decision that they made.
