The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Friday promised that he and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, were more than ever ready to hit the ground running from day one if elected Nigeria’s President.
Tinubu made the solemn pledge at the State House Banquet Hall during the unveiling of his campaign policy document and the inauguration of APC Presidential Campaign Council by President Muhammadu Buhari.
While describing himself as a veteran in nation-building, Tinubu restated that the country needed an “experienced torchbearer” to unlock the doors of security, prosperity and greatness.
According to him, his experience as Lagos State Governor where he transformed the state to one of the leading economies in Africa places him in the best position to help achieve this with his running mate.
He said, “This Plan is not only a roadmap to a prosperous future, it serves as notice to the Nigerian people that, if elected, Senator Shettima and I shall work tirelessly to reach that promised future from the first moment of the first day we enter office.
“The doors to security, prosperity and greatness are open to us. We must step through these portals, guided by a torchbearer with the experience and mettle to shoulder the task ahead. Nothing short of this will suffice.
“I seek to become the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because I know the way. My experience and past performance assure that. It will be through collective effort and national endeavour that we join hands, cross divides, and achieve our vision,” he said self-assuredly.
An excited Tinubu told the audience that his campaign roadmap was borne out of interactions with Nigerians whose needs and aspirations he shared in the course of travelling across the country.
This is even as he promised to consolidate on the gains of the president once they are elected into office.
“Based on the foundation established by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, we shall build a Nigeria where sufficient jobs with decent wages create a better life for all and a future of promise for our youth.
“We shall revive our manufacturing industries and place Nigeria back on the path of industrialization and job creation as well as to generate, transmit and distribute sufficient, affordable electricity to give our people the necessary power to drive their businesses and brighten their homes. Power is key to unlocking the potential of our national economy.
“We also look forward to delivering food security and affordability by continuing to prioritize agriculture and assist farmers and other players in the agricultural value chain through enlightened policies that promote productivity and guarantee robust incomes.
“I ask you to join Senator Shettima and I on this journey. We have traversed every part of our nation, listening to the concerns and yearnings of Nigerians for a more prosperous and equitable society – better able to acknowledge and nurture the dreams of her people. We share the peoples’ desire for a peaceful Nigeria where we all coexist in fairness, prosperity and with balanced representation in positions of authority,” he said.
He said he and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, were more than ever ready to hit the ground running from day one if elected Nigeria’s President.
“It is, therefore, fitting that we are unveiling the Tinubu/Shettima Action Plan for a better Nigeria today. This plan is not only a roadmap to a prosperous future, it serves as notice to the Nigerian people that if elected, Senator Shettima and I shall will work tirelessly to reach that promised future from the first moment of the first day we enter office.
“The doors to security, prosperity and greatness are open to us. We must step through these portals, guided by a torchbearer with the experience and mettle to shoulder the task ahead. Nothing short of this will suffice.
The APC presidential flag bearer said his campaign roadmap was borne out of interactions with Nigerians across the country who shared their needs and aspirations with him and Senator Shettima in the course of their travelling round the country.
“After visiting and meeting our compatriots; young and old, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, Christian and Muslim; we recognize that no Nigerian wants empty answers to hard questions at this hour.
“The country does not need fancy promises or foreign experiments. Nigerians seek sustained progress and reform through stable governance and proven leadership.
“We need true and innovative solutions that address the specific challenges of each of our 36 states and our over 200 million people. We need our own Miracle on the Niger River,” he added. This, he said, his administration would achieve by building on the foundation laid by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration
He added, “Based on our unshakable faith in our people and standing on the foundation established by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, we shall build a Nigeria where sufficient jobs with decent wages create a better life for all and a future of promise for our youth, revive our manufacturing industries and place Nigeria back on the path of industrialization and job creation
Meanwhile, President Buhari has said that the APC-led Federal Government has “managed to make Nigeria stable,” laying a solid foundation for progressive growth despite socio-economic challenges facing the country.
The president, while inaugurating the PCC as well as unveiling the Action Plan of the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, pledged to be at the forefront of electing the former Lagos State governor as his successor. He affirmed that electing Tinubu would consolidate the achievements of his administration as the presidential candidate has the capacity, visionary leadership and track record to do more.
“It will be disastrous to allow a situation that will lead to the reversal of the progress our country has made. Let me add that I joyfully accept the position of the Chairman of the campaign council we are unveiling today.
“Our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is too well known for his capacity and can-do spirit. He stands tall in his track records as a democrat, a champion of the rule of law, a man at home in every part of our country, and a truly visionary leader. All you need to do is think of Lagos in 1999 and 2022!
“I, therefore, want to assure all party members and supporters of our government that I will be at the forefront of this campaign.
“This election is even more important than the election of 2015 that brought us into power. The cost of losing the gains our country has made is much more than the need to stop the hemorrhage that led to our coming together nearly nine years ago.
“I want to charge every member to put in all their efforts during the next four and half months of campaign to ensure we record a resounding victory in all our elections nationwide. The future of this country is safer in our hands,” he said.
