President-Elect Charges Progressive Governors To Remain United, Work With Party Leadership.
Saturday April 29, 2023
President-elect, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, on Thursday in Abuja, met with the All Progressives Congress governors who paid him a courtesy visit and urged them to work with the party leadership and lawmakers on the election of principal officers of the National Assembly.
“We thank God Almighty for our electoral victory. It was tough and turbulent.
“The challenge before us is working in unison with the party leadership and the National Assembly over the election of their principal officers. And I charge you to unite in spirit and faith and work in line with the party,” he said.
The President-elect told the governors and former governorship candidates of the party that “whether you return or not, this is our government.
“Once we know what we are doing and communicating as elected leaders and loyal party men, we will conquer the challenge.”
He reiterated his earlier admonitions that, as leaders, they were elected to serve the people and humanity with fairness and justice.
Sounding emotional, he expressed gratitude to God that he, “the first Muslim minority from the South-West got the blessing of Allah to be elected president.”
Dismissing speculations about his health, the President-elect said “all speculation has been perished and their purveyors brought to shame.”
The Chairman of the Progressive Governors who is also the governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, led his colleagues to Tinubu’s residence.
Among those in attendance were Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima and Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Hope Uzodinnma (Imo), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos), Ben Ayade (CrossRivers), Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq (Kwara), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti).
There were also the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe and APC governorship candidate in Kano State, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
Governor Bagudu said the visit was to congratulate Asíwájú Tinubu over the election, extend goodwill to him over the end of Ramadan Fast and welcome him back from his recent travel and celebrate with him.
He also said, however, that the governors were ready for any assignment the President-elect may give them.
On the task with respect to the election of presiding officers of the National Assembly, he pledged that the governor would continue to discuss and work with the party and the lawmakers to arrive at the best decision in the interest of the country.