The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa has congratulated Sen. Bola Tinubu for clinching the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections.
Obasa made this known in his congratulatory message in Lagos on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tinubu won the presidential ticket, defeating 13 other aspirants to emerge the flag bearer of the APC at the end of the Special National Convention of the party on Wednesday in Abuja.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state obtained 1,271 votes to defeat his closest rivals, former minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi with 316 votes and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who scored 235 votes.
Obasa, while describing Tinubu’s emergence as a well-deserved victory, noted that the former governor of Lagos state won the party’s presidential primary election on a landslide.
The speaker commended the party’s organising committee for organising a free and fair primary, also hailed other aspirants in the exercise “for putting up a good fight”.
“I also specially commend all those who took the last-minute decision to relinquish their aspiration in support of Tinubu, the father of modern Lagos.
“The outcome of this primary election is the result of hard work and the support of critical stakeholders across the length and breadth of this country who love Tinubu.
“It is interesting and exciting how the exercise, which held under a peaceful atmosphere, ended.
“This victory is not for Asiwaju alone. It is for our great party. It is for well-meaning Nigerians who aspire for a greater country,” he said.
The speaker also urged for greater support for the APC presidential candidate as the party approached the next stage of electioneering ahead of 2023.
NAN recalls that the other aspirants included Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Ikeobasi Mokelu, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, Mr Tein Jack-Rich and Gov. Ben Ayade.
Others were Gov. David Umuahi, Sen. Ahmad Yarima, Dr Ahmed Lawal, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Gov. Yahaya Bello and Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
The race began with 23 aspirants, but nine withdrew shortly before the commencement of voting at the convention.
They included Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Dr Felix Nicholas, former Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Sen. Ajayi Boroffice, Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa, Sen. Ken Nnamani and Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti. (NAN)
