Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor seeking the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has promised to replicate in Nigeria the developmental strides he put in Lagos State while he was governor of the state.
Tinubu made the pledge at the Oba of Benin’s palace when he paid him homage and as part of his consultation visit to party delegates ahead of the presidential primary of the party.
Present during the meeting were Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the APC, and Ize Iyamu, candidate of the party in the 2020 Edo governorship election.
Tinubu, who said he was at the palace to seek the Benin monarch’s endorsement and prayers for his presidential ambition, said Lagos State was in bad shape when he became governor of the state, boasting that he made the state a mega city before he left.
Tinubu said: “Your Royal Majesty, I am here this evening to seek your endorsement; I am here this evening to seek for your prayers and blessings because I know what your endorsement means, I know what your prayers means. Your Royal Majesty, I want to be president of this country and I am not joking.
“Your Royal Majesty, I am very competent when it comes to competence. My experience in various leadership capacities gives me an edge.
“Your Royal Majesty, when I became governor of Lagos State, the state was nothing to write home about, but as of today, Lagos is a mega city. When I became governor of the state, Lagos was generating internally N600m monthly, but as of today, Lagos is proud of generating N50bn monthly. These are all the things I put in place to make Lagos great,” he added.
While noting that he worked very hard and supported Buhari to become president of Nigeria in 2015, Tinubu solicited for all and sundry support for his ambition.
In his response, the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, said the Benin throne is non-patician but just interested in who becomes president of the country hence the throne prays for a good leadership.
While emphasizing that the palace is praying for a good leadership in the country, the Oba said: “We are praying for you. And if you are eventually given the ticket and become president of the country, do the things that will make you sit at the right hand of God. And do not forget those of you that pray for you.”
