Buhari Rallies APC Governors For Tinubu Ahead Of 2023 Election

• Primary most competitive, says President in letter to candidate
• Bagudu, AbdulRazaq, Ganduje, Masari, others visit Jagaban

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to work for the victory of the party’s presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He said the success story of the party at the 2015 and 2019 polls should be repeated in next year’s election.

Also yesterday, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu said “Tinubu is the collective project of the party”.

The President, in a letter to Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) chairman, Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, described Wednesday’s shadow poll as the most competitive and peaceful in national history.

In another letter to Tinubu, the President hailed the emergence of the candidate at the primary.

He commended the governors for the role they played during the primary.

He said: “I was pleased to see how you were very professional and efficient in handling the sensitive political position of Chairman, Progressives Governors Forum.

“Your commitment in pursuit of equity and fairness speaks volumes in the cooperation displayed by APC governors. This indeed demonstrates the camaraderie that brought us together over eight years ago.

“The party primaries were peacefully conducted and the delegates have selected the candidate to carry the APC flag in the 2023 presidential primaries.

“Today, as a patriotic APC member and stakeholder, I trust that you will come together to work with our candidate to win the 2023 elections.”

President Buhari said although the administration had achieved a lot, there is much work to be done.

He said: “In the past seven years in government, we have achieved a lot. However, we have a lot more to do.

“The APC project is far from over and we need all of you to come together to ensure our progressive journey to peace and prosperity is sustained.”

Buhari added: “Our candidate, His Excellency, Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no stranger to you.

“He is our friend and brother. We know his commitment, his track record, and his capacity to lead our party to success.

“So, now is the time for all of us to come together and march forward, as we did in 2015, to a convincing APC victory.

“I look forward to working closely with APC Governors to support Senator Tinubu and all our APC candidates to success in 2023.”

Buhari writes Tinubu

The President said he would work with the APC presidential candidate, the campaign team and the party to achieve victory in next year’s poll.

In the letter, the President said he was reassured by his impressive margin of victory at the primary, which demonstrated that the party, through its delegates, was united behind the flag bearer.

President Buhari also commended Tinubu for what he described as his impressive acceptance speech, which stressed the importance of unity in the party.

The President, who highlighted his achievements in the areas of economic diversification, social investment, battle against corruption and anti-terror war, said Tinubu’s victory represented for the country “a source of hope for a future characterised by peace, prosperity and freedom for all”.

He added: “I look forward to working with Your Excellency, your campaign team and the wider APC family to ensure victory for the APC.”

Adamu, who led members of the National Working Committee (NWC), on a congratulatory visit to Tinubu at his Abuja residence, said: “Tinubu is our project.”

Adamu, who reflected on the outcome of the primary, told reporters that the delegates spoke in clear terms with the overwhelming support for the standard-bearer.

“For us, action speaks louder than voice. We are here to join our brother and congratulate him and assure him that we are together. This is our project and by God’s grace, we will succeed.”

APC governors from the northern states also paid a visit to Tinubu.

The governors held a meeting with the candidate on critical matters.

The governors included Bagudu, Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Umar Ganduje (Kano), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello.