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Tinubu’s structure will retain power for APC in 2023, says Odubote

By Seye Olumide (Southwest Bureau Chief)
09 June 2022   |   1:27 am
A former lawmaker, who represented Epe Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Mr. Lanre Odubote, has congratulated the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over his victory at the presidential primaries of the ruling party in Abuja. Odubote, who represented Epe on the platform of APC, said Tinubu’s victory was well deserved,…

Tinubu

A former lawmaker, who represented Epe Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Mr. Lanre Odubote, has congratulated the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over his victory at the presidential primaries of the ruling party in Abuja.

Odubote, who represented Epe on the platform of APC, said Tinubu’s victory was well deserved, saying, the former governor of Lagos State worked very hard for the victory.

“Asiwaju only reaped what he invested in many politicians before now. It was a payback time for some of those politicians he has built. He has contributed to their success in politics over the years. While Tinubu’s victory may be a surprise to others, the majority of us who are his adherents saw the victory coming despite all odds,” he said.

Odubote recalled that the history of what transpired in 1993 during the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) national convention held at Jos Township Stadium, Plateau State, among the late MKO Abiola, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is currently the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Internal Affairs, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, played out on Tuesday/Wednesday in Abuja, where the larger political section of the North collaborated with the Southwest to elect Abiola.

Odubote, who was a delegate from Lagos at the Jos convention said: “The Abuja national convention of APC also brought to memory what transpired at the party national convention held at the Onikan Stadium in 2015, when the larger political section of the North also joined forces with the Southwest to produce President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Odubote added that if the 1993 SDP national convention that produced Abiola, enabled the late business mogul to defeat Alhaji Bashir Tofa, who was the candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the presidential election of June 12 1993, which was later annulled by the military regime and in similar vein, the Onikan APC national convention that produced President Buhari also enabled the incumbent president to oust former President Goodluck Jonathan of PDP from power in 2015, history would definitely repeat itself next year, as Tinubu would defeat Atiku.

He dismissed the insinuation that northern politicians would betray Tinubu for Atiku next year. “Tinubu’s victory is not about ethnic coloration in APC; it is just that some patriotic Nigerians, especially from the North, see the wisdom to allow power shift to the South to preserve the unity of the country,” he said.

Odubote commended those who stepped down for Tinubu, just as he said those who went into the race but lost to the national leader displayed enough maturity to congratulate him.
“This is an indication that APC has a strong internal mechanism to forge ahead. It was a free, fair and credible primary,” he said.

Also dismissing the fear that the national leader might be vindictive to some contestants if he eventually wins the presidency next year, Odubote said, “I want to say clearly that those saying so do not really know or understand who Tinubu is. He is a man with a large heart and who also believes in fair contest.”

The erstwhile House of Representatives lawmaker said Nigeria’s would soon witness fast and positive turnaround if Tinubu wins the presidential election next year.

“There is justification for this assertion looking at what is happening in Lagos today. Lagos is state with the most viable economy in Nigeria and safest in terms of security. The former governor of Lagos laid these templates between 1999 and 2007,” he said.

He said the overwhelming votes given to Tinubu by the delegates showed his acceptability by members of the party all over the country, stating that Tinubu has the capacity to provide the needed leadership that would consolidate and continue to ensure the democratic gains and move the country forward.

He described him as a unifying factor in the APC, who has the ability to ensure that members of the party close ranks and work assiduously for its victory.

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