…As CAN urges him to learn from Abiola’s mistake
By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Luminous Jannamike
Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, said he resorted to prayers when he knew there was a gang-up against his presidential bid.
Tinubu stated this during his visit to Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Sunday.
The former Lagos governor and APC flag-bearer in the 2023 general poll, defeated Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and 10 other hopefuls, to clinch the ticket.
According to Tinubu: “There is no Lagos indigene that has had the opportunity to become President of Nigeria, despite the contribution of the state to national stability and progress.
“The highest position attained by any Lagosian in national leadership is the position of Chief Judge of the Federation. I took up the fight to break this jinx.
“The battle to secure the APC ticket was hard. When I was almost fed up, I resorted to prayers. I also poured out my mind when I felt there was a gang-up against my person. Thank God that I have brought home the presidential ticket.”
He continued: “The most important task is to get the people to vote for me in the 2023 presidential election.
“We need to take this message to our people across communities, and sensitise them on the need to vote in the general elections,” he said.
On his part, the Oba prayed that Tinubu realises his quest to be president of Nigeria.
“All Yoruba ancestors shall be with you on this journey to make our fatherland a better place. Your emergence as the presidential candidate of your party is the beginning of another journey in your political career.
“Insha Allah, you know the Bible says, ‘don’t be afraid of anything. So, with joy and good health, we shall witness victory. God bless you.”
CAN
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in a statement, urged Tinubu to learn from MKO Abiola’s political achievements and mistakes.
The Vice Chairman, North East Zonal Chapter of CAN, Rev (Dr) Innocent Solomon, the apex Christian body, noted that Abiola was a successful grassroots politician who won in 1993, the presidential election adjudged to be the most credible in Nigeria’s history.
According to him, one of the greatest mistakes that unfortunately befell him while alive and active in pursuit of his presidential ambition was his decision to fly a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the election.
“Our political leaders must learn from our mistake of the past or we will further the nation away from peace stability and progress. God forbid.”
CAN also cautioned the APC against finalising the tentative Muslim-Muslim combination of Tinubu as its presidential candidate and Ibrahim Masari as his running mate, saying that no party can win the presidential poll without the Christians in the North.
“Any party for that matter must avoid the pitfall of setting Nigeria’s religious communities into political blocks that may result to the greatest religious disharmony in the country.”
The Vice Chairman, North East Zonal Chapter of CAN, Rev. Innocent Solomon, said the apex Christian body noted that Abiola was a successful grassroots politician, who won in 1993, the presidential election adjudged to be the most credible in Nigeria’s history.
According to him, one of the greatest mistakes that unfortunately befell him while alive and active in pursuit of his presidential ambition was his decision to fly a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the election.
Solomon said: “Have we asked why the election adjudged to be the most credible in the Democratic history of Nigeria and yet its government was not to be? Have we ever cared to know the mystery behind the annulment?
“Could it just be that the former military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida, just, on his own, decided to do the impossible? Was it not something beyond his control, a mystery no mortal could explain?
“Nigeria as a result of that annulment passed through one of its most critical and difficult period in history which eventually led to the death of one of Nigeria’s illustrious leader, a remarkable personality who died in custody in an attempt to recover the mandate.”