The UK branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Asiwaju Tinubu over his emergence as the 16^th President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria.

J K Adebola, the Chairman of APC UK Interim National Working Committee (NWC), in a statement released by Jacob Ogunseye said that Asiwaju’s emergence against all odds and every mudslinging thrown at him is a testament to the fact that he is indeed the chosen one to lead Nigeria to economic prosperity.

The statement made available to News Express on Thursday said that “Asiwaju’s invitation to other parties in his acceptance speech to work for the progress of Nigeria attests to his statesmanship which many of us knew all along and informed our decision to support him.”

Continuing, APC UK said: “The interactions we had with Asiwaju during his campaign show that he will hit the ground running upon assuming office and put square pegs in square holes in fixing the challenges facing Nigeria. To that extent, APC UK wishes to advise that he surrounds himself with people who have the love of humanity (just like himself) and are selfless in the discharge of their duties. We don’t want a repeat of a situation where those saddled with the responsibility of propagating the policies and achievements of his government leave such to those outside his cabinet or allow the opposition to drive narratives against his government.

“As an astute politician who understands the dynamics of politics, a democrat and leader with the propensity for identifying talents and who has been practicing the policy of human capital development all his political life, Nigerian women and our youths have in Asiwaju a President who will provide them with a platform to excel in the Nigerian project. He alluded to this fact in his first speech as the President-elect after receiving his Certificate of Return.

“Asiwaju is a man born for this moment and endowed with a vision and unmatched focus which he displayed throughout the campaign season by ignoring every mud thrown, fake news and outright lies told about him and trudged ahead towards his destiny for which he has spent decades preparing himself.”

According to APC UK, “Having crossed and trampled over all barricades placed in his path by enemies of Nigeria and emerged victorious, especially against all the intrigues that played out these past few days in the country as engineered by some centrifugal forces, the job of the in-coming President is cut out for him. There is a lot to be done to begin to realign Nigeria and its people by bridging the apparent gaping divide along ethnic and religious lines.

“The hearts and minds of Nigerians especially the Youths MUST be realigned towards patriotism and love for their fatherland to be high and above everything else. A deliberate policy of national reorientation and transformation must be put in place and our sense of values must also be reinvigorated. Charity they say begins at home and I believe Asiwaju can transfer to the country the wisdom with which he navigates his marital arrangement which has lasted for decades so Nigerians can continue to live in harmony irrespective of our ethnic and religious differences.

“The current administration has done a lot in providing a solid foundation for the future which Asiwaju promised during his campaign to build upon. Asiwaju and Shettima must niw not only build on that solid foundation, but ensure he replicates the development plan he so diligently deployed successfully in Lagos at the national level for economic growth. His Presidency is bound to encourage more foreign direct investments into our economy. This is already evident in the Bloomberg recent report that says “Nigerian Bonds are posting some of the best gains in emerging markets as investors bet that Tinubu will offer reforms to pull Africa’s largest economy out of a fiscal mess.

“APC UK Chapter hereby calls on all Nigerians to rally around the incoming government of Asiwaju in his quest of providing egalitarian governance and dividends of democracy to all. With Asiwaju’s emergence as the President-elect, our march to the new Nigeria we seek has become imminent and the antecedents of Asiwaju and Shettima in their previous assignments as governors portend good omen for the country.

“Asiwaju’s presidency will undoubtedly give renewed hope to the populace and the fillip needed by many Nigerians in Diaspora to return home to help in transforming the Country into the new Nigeria we seek and desire. APC UK and other APC Diaspora Chapters are ready to assist the incoming administration in the implementation of the Action Plan contained in the Renewed Hope 2023.

“Asiwaju who has proved himself over the years as a unifier, in his first official statement as the President-elect during the presentation of the Certificate of return stated the fact that the road has been long, yet we walked it and that he sees himself as a servant of a larger purpose and, like a seer looking into the crystal ball, Asiwaju touched on how he sees the Nigerian Youths and Women mounting the rostrum to receive same certificate of return. This speaks to a large extent the mindset and aspiration of the man called Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man born for this moment in the life of our fatherland and who has prepared himself diligently for the tasks ahead. Nigerians expect the in-coming President to be engaging and to take the lead at critical times.

“This election result has shown that Nigeria is no longer interested in politics of ethnicity or religion. This has proved right the scriptural saying “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel – that will stand.” Now is the time for us all to rally around the President-elect who has assured us that he will work to make Nigeria better.

“The new Nigeria we all seek and desire is possible and with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Aso Villa, the next couple of years will be of peace, progress and prosperity for Nigeria. The only way for Nigeria is up.”

•President-elect Tinubu displaying his Certificate of Return with President Buhari

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