The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has expressed serious regret on his decision to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential primary election against President Bola Tinubu in June last year.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that Akpabio was one of the 23 aspirants who contested the Presidential primary which Tinubu won. He had surprised party supporters when he opted to withdraw from the race and declare his support for the former Lagos State Governor shortly before the commencement of the voting exercise.
Akpabio said he would not have contested the primary election against Tinubu if he knew the plans the president had for Nigeria.
Speaking in Lagos State, Akpabio noted that the state was a development model for other states in the country.
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According to Akpabio: ‘With what the president has done in Lagos, we are assured that Nigeria is in safe hands.
‘We didn’t know this was the plan you had for the country; we wouldn’t have contested with you at the party primaries.
‘These few decisions you have taken have served as a catalyst for the country’s development.’
In another report, Tinubu had during the week broken silence on how he invoked the spirit of ‘Emilokan (it’s my turn) twice before the presidential election to overcome the obstacles.
President Tinubu, who made this known while speaking in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State on Thursday, stated he remained hopeful and optimistic about achieving victory in the last presidential election, despite the ineffective cashless policy implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The President spoke in separate remarks at the palaces of the Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu-Ode and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Abeokuta, during a thank-you visit to the Royal Fathers.
Reflecting on the challenges in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, President Tinubu recounted his concerns about the confiscation of funds and the failure of the cashless policy, and how he had previously sought wisdom and guidance from Oba Adetona during his visit to the palace.
He said he invoked the spirits of freedom and determination, symbolised by ‘Baba Emilokan,’ to overcome the obstacles in the election.