President Muhammdu Buhari has said the process that threw up former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reflected will of the party members.
In a statement by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu on Saturday, Buhari said he decided not to interfere in the process because he knew all the aspirants were competent.
Buhari said he allowed democracy to take its full course as he didn’t want to give impression that he had a favourite aspirant.
“When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signaled parties to elect their presidential candidates, we had 30 aspirants, mostly ministers in my cabinet and governors,” Buhari said during Sallah’s homage to the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman.
“I told each of the aspirants to go and do their best. One particular governor, in his wisdom, came to meet me and asked who they should vote for at the party convention, checking if I had a preferred candidate.
“There was no need for interference, knowing the competence of all the aspirants. They went and elected Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and he picked his running mate, Sen. Kashim Ibrahim process in choosing our candidates for the 2023 elections. I am praying that we will have peaceful and successful elections,” he said.
President Buhari, who thanked Nigerians for their support for the APC in 2015, and 2019, said he had a rich experience in the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 presidential elections, travelling to all the 774 local councils in the country and in 2019 visiting 36 states.
“They say he who wants to serve should be ready for the responsibility of leadership. Three times I wanted this position and three times, I ended up at the Supreme Court. For that reason, in terms of experience, I have gathered a lot. I visited 774 local councils in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.
“I feel privileged that Nigerians elected me in 2015. Since then, we have been doing our best to tackle the challenges, with God helping us. We are not alone. If only we knew what other countries in Africa are passing through, we would be grateful to God and protect our country. Other African countries are passing through a lot.
“As leaders, we are doing our best and will keep doing our best to improve the situation. I am praying that the Almighty God will give us more strength and wisdom to protect our people and fulfill our promises of ensuring wellbeing,” he said.
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