News
Jos stands still as Tinubu flags off campaign
...As APC flag-bearer reaffirms commitment to progressive good governance and a better Nigeria
February 2023 is more than an election. It is a fight to define the soul of the nation and to determine our collective fate.
By Damola Emmanuel
The tin-city of Jos stood still for several hours on Tuesday as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, formally flagged off his campaign to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in next February’s Presidential vote.
The Plateau State capital received perhaps its biggest crowd in recent history as President Buhari and National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, led party’s governors, Ministers, National Working Committee members, and other major stakeholders to the Jos Township Stadium for the mega rally.
Hotels were fully booked, and people thronged the streets as Jos experienced its toughest traffic gridlock yet. The traffic snarl stalled vehicular traffic for hours in most parts of the city.
The tumultuous crowd cheered endlessly as President Buhari, assisted by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, handed over the party’s flag to Tinubu.
Buhari, at the event, restated his earlier promise to lead APC to victory and its candidate to victory in the February 2023 presidential vote.
He reiterated his promise to lead the party’s campaign for the 2023 presidential election.
The flag-off had a roll-call of the movers and shakers of events in the country, especially the ruling party. The roll-call included: the Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, Senate President Ahmed Lawan ,and Speaker of the House Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Several serving and former governors of APC were also in attendance. They included: Governors Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Sani-Bello (Niger), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Prof. Ben Ayade (Crossrivers) Governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Lagos Deputy Governor Femi Hamzat, former Bauchi governor Mohammed Abubakar, former Ekiti governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Borno, Modu Ali-Sheriff, and former Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi.
There were also Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of APC Presidential Candidate, Hajiya Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice Presidential Candidate Shettima, both of who also addressed the rally, and Dr. Ibijoke Sanwoolu, wife of Governor Sanwoolu of Lagos, ministers and members of APC National Working Committee.
On arrival in Jos on Monday, Tinubu and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on Gbong Gwon Jos, Jacob Buba, who described both Tinubu and his running mate as tested people with proven records of outstanding achievements.
Such time-tested and experienced men, the Gbong Gwon Jos stressed, were the leaders that Nigeria needs at the moment.
Addressing the mega rally, both Senator Adamu, the party’s National Chairman, and the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, who is also the governor of Kebbi, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, commended Buhari for his achievements, declaring that he would leave behind important legacies in democracy, good governance, infrastructure development and economic growth, particularly in the areas of agriculture and food security.
The Director-General of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaigns and governor of Plateau, Hon. Simon Lalong, said Tinubu, who is described as City Boy of Lagos, is now City Boy of the Plateau.
Amid roaring applause from the crowd, Buhari presented the party’s flag to Tinubu. The President then formally presented the APC presidential standard-bearer to Nigerians as the symbol of the party in the coming presidential election.
In his speech that was later interpreted in Hausa language by his running mate, Kashim Shettima, Asiwaju Tinubu, praised Nigerians for believing in the APC to lead the country to progress after years of backwardness under the PDP administration by declaring “hope is back.”
He said the campaign was starting in Plateau, a place that properly shows Nigeria’s vast potentials.
Tinubu’s words: “One can see greater prosperity and jobs in an economy humming with activity. From the farmer in the rural area to the city boy in a bustling urban centre, each will have productive work to do and a decent home to return to.
“One can see a Nigeria where all who want to will be able to build a decent life from the fruits of their individual and collective endeavour.
“From this fine vantage point, we see how far we have come. We also see how far we must go and the road that will take us there.”
The APC flag-bearer praised President Muhammadu Buhari not only for his presence at the flag-off but, more importantly, “the great foundation he has laid for the nation,” which the Tinubu has promised to build on if elected as President in February.
“I am deeply honoured for the presence of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari,” Tinubu continued. “As campaign chairman, he promised to lead from the front. A man of his word, President Buhari has done what he said and more.
“Mr. President, you have provided exceptional service to the nation and party. Your contributions are both positive and enduring. When the history of this period is objectively written, it will smile upon you and treat you with utmost kindness.”
Tinubu also praised Senator Adamu for leading the APC and steadying the ship of the party since assuming office as national chairman.
On his plans for the country if elected president, Tinubu said unlike other parties who are either dwelling on a fruitless past or a tomorrow of fantasies, his administration hopes to chart the course of progress already stated by the Buhari Administration.
One party wants to take us back to a past that never should have been. Another party wants to take us to a past that resides only in its candidate’s head. Neither the old road nor the fantasy road is good enough.Instead, we forge the wiser path toward our approved destination — an even better Nigeria. This is what the election is truly about.
“We hereby reaffirm our commitment to progressive good governance and to the fruits that such governance can bring to this nation,” he said.
“February 2023 is more than an election. It is a fight to define the soul of the nation and to determine our collective fate. Do we adhere to the ideals of broadly shared prosperity, competence, peace, justice and compassion toward all? Or do we toss these ideals away, lashing ourselves to the divisive politics of the past or to those whose rantings show they cannot distinguish between fact and fantasy.
“One party wants to take us back to a past that never should have been. Another party wants to take us to a past that resides only in its candidate’s head. Neither the old road nor the fantasy road is good enough.
“Instead, we forge the wiser path toward our approved destination — an even better Nigeria. This is what the election is truly about.”
To ensure overall energy security and resource mobilization for the country, Tinubu promised to continue the ongoing exploration works in all frontier basins and especially speed up the development of the commercial oil find in Gombe/ Bauchi states.
Reeling out the succeses of the Buhari administration, Tinubu said there was massive development in the agricultural, infrastructure and power sectors in the last eight years of the APC government.
According to him, these foundations now require more builders to make it a massive structure, calling on all Nigerians to embark on the journey with him.
“Here, I thank president Buhari again because he has truly established a strong foundation for the things we are now to do.
“The Buhari administration achieved things in the agricultural, infrastructural, and power sector no other administration has done. Additionally, his government liberated hundreds of communities from terrorists and brought thousands of displaced persons back to their homes.
“Truly the foundation has been set. It is now time to call more builders forward to further construct the national edifice that will be our best home. We, the APC and the Tinubu/Shettima team, seek to make permanent a covenant of progressive good governance with the people,” he said.
He added, “Under this hopeful pact, we will assemble the best team.
“We shall build on progress in the agricultural sector by establishing commodity boards guaranteeing minimal prices for strategic crops.
“We shall create agricultural and industrial hubs in all zones.
“You shall also see water catchment and irrigation systems to help farming while mitigating the dire effects of drought and flooding brought about by a changing climate.
“We will encourage urban employment through a national industrial plan that employs a series of measures including tax and employment credits.
“We will deepen the knowledge economy. Millions of the tech savvy, innovative youth will benefit as will our overall economy. talented youth will find a place in our government.
“We will bring greater power through natural gas and reasonable reform of the entire power sector.
“Our government will continue the infrastructural expansion so the overall economy may continue to expand in lockstep.
“Most importantly, I will give utmost priority to extinguishing terrorists and violent criminals. We shall augment our military, police and security personnel while providing them with better tactical communication and mobility. We will employhi-tech aerial surveillance to track and attack these menaces.
“These evil forces seek to destroy our democratic way of life. I have news for them. We will defeat their destructive way of life. They shall be utterly defeated and vanquished from our soil.”
