Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, has urged Nigerians to learn from the “mistakes of the past” as political campaigns formally begin on Wednesday.
Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, in a statement on Wednesday, also urged the people to be “wise and discerning” as they prepared to choose the country’s next president, in the 2023 general election.
“We must show that we have learned from mistakes of the past. We must be prepared to make difficult decisions. We must be wise, we must be discerning; we must choose progress. We must favour reason over sentiment,” Mr Tinubu said in a message to mark the official commencement of the 2023 presidential election campaign activities across the country.
Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) today officially lifted the ban on campaign activities for the political parties ahead of the next year’s election.
Last weekend, INEC made public the names and qualifications of the political parties’ candidates for the election.
In the race to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, Messrs. Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) are seen as the front-runners among 15 others.
Since the former Lagos governor joined the race to succeed Mr Buhari, his health status has been a major concern with many Nigerians, especially critics questioning his suitability for headship of a country that prides itself as a ‘giant of Africa’.
Videos of Mr. Tinubu, 70, showing his clothes drenched have repeatedly been brought up by his detractors to raise concerns about his weakened health and suggest the APC presidential candidate may battle with incontinence.
Despite this, Mr. Tinubu pleaded for Nigerians to join him in his quest to win the country’s top position and declared that he was prepared to lead the nation to greater glory through creative ideas.
He said he and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, are set to share their vision of a prosperous Nigeria as they begin their campaigns of convincing the people to vote them to power.
“I invite all Nigerians to join me and HE Senator Kassim Shettima on this exciting and important journey as we set our shared vision of renewed hope for the people of our dear country, Nigeria.
“I am prepared and ready, with my running mate, to provide the leadership that will inspire our country to greater glory with new thinking, innovative ideas, and vision. I call on all Nigerians to please join us,” the APC presidential candidate added in the statement.
“We will, in weeks and months ahead, be taking our dream of a functional, safe, secure, and prosperous Nigeria to every part of Nigeria and as we continue to put forward our plan to lead this country towards its best future.”
Mr Tinubu further explained, “Our nation stands at a threshold of history. We, like almost every other nation in the world, face significant challenges. Some have been our own making, others, the consequences of factors well beyond the control of any Nigerian. One thing, however, remains certain, we cannot afford to get this one wrong.”
As the APC gets ready to launch its campaign, Mr. Tinubu’s choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket has also been a significant oddity.
Even while the APC presidential candidate claimed his decision was based on merit rather than religious criteria, Mr. Shettima, a sitting senator running on the same faith ticket, has drawn criticism.
See reactions:
amSTARboy: Brethren….
Make we tell am? grin
Romanoff(f): When the “mistake” tells you not to vote in another mistake.
lelejyjely: He’s campaigning against himself now? grin Confusion in the camp of the enemies
Cantonese: grin patiently waiting for what APC will campaign with. They have started shooting themselves in the leg.
Romanoff(f): When the “mistake” tells you not to vote in another mistake.
Cantonese: grin patiently waiting for what APC will campaign with. They have started shooting themselves in the leg.
