National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has sought for the support of the APC Senate Caucus towards actualising his 2023 presidential ambition.
Tinubu said this when he met with the APC Senate Caucus at the Senate President’s Conference Room on Wednesday in Abuja, adding that he was at the Senate for counsel, partnership and support.
“Nigerians have come to that stage where we need a change of baton. President Muhammadu Buhari is about to serve his second term in full.
“Election is coming up in February. I can’t do it by myself and I can’t do it by sitting at home expecting that many friends I have here will do it for me.
“I believe jointly we can do it. You can back me successfully for the nomination of my lifetime ambition to become the president.
“My ambition is not blind to the extent I will step on the toes of the President. I just want to step into his shoe and not on his toe,” Tinubu said.
He said that if the counsel of wise men was anything to go by, “I’m asking for that teammanship here today to get me over the hump of the nomination process.
“And from that hump, to get me to the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Look at my capacity. I am an unusual candidate. Perhaps the only one who had been in the Senate, who had been a governor and aspiring to become president”.
He said that Nigeria will remain united if he was elected president and “we will use that unity, the symbol of our party to cleanse Nigeria of unrealisable potential.”
The national leader also commended the Senate for the passage of the Constitution Alteration Bill.
“I Thank you for sustaining our democracy. I ran into a little ambush of women protesters because I went to the other gate.
“Interestingly, you have been very careful on affirmative action, and you are been very careful not to jeopardise the Constitution.
“Yes the interests of women are necessary but for APC, we are doing our best and we will continue to do our best to accommodate the interest of our women,” he said.
President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan said that the APC Senate Caucus was a fundamental pillar of the party.
“This caucus has remained committed to the party, shown resolve to our manifesto to work within us and the Executive. We have achieved so much because of the APC caucus.
“From 2019 that this caucus showed loyalty, commitment, and purposeful orientation to ensure that our victory from 2015 and 2019 as a political party is fully utilised for the benefits of Nigerians.
“This party needs the kind of commitment that APC members have shown in the country.APC must continue to be progressive in our actions. 2023 is going to be a year for APC again.
“By Feb. 25 when the Presidential Election will take place, by the grace of God, APC will have the victory that is required,” Lawan said.
Lawan added:”Recently we had some difficulties because of misunderstanding between some of our members and the party was thrown into temporary confusion.
“I thank God it is over now. It is very clear that our party is back on track, that in the next two weeks, our national convention will hold and a new set of leaders will emerge.”