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All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that President Muhammadu Buhari and APC governors in the north had proved that Nigeria could survive its unity and surmount challenges.
Tinubu stated this at the residence of Mr Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Afenifere, Yoruba Socio-cultural group, on Sunday in Akure.
Tinubu had visited the Afenifere leader to interact with him and present his presidential policy document and Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.
Tinubu said that the visit was in fulfilment of an earlier promise he made to the Afenifere leader before the APC primaries.
“I promised to come back after winning the APC ticket.
“I am here to thank all Yoruba leaders and also ask them to thank Buhari and northern governors for their steadfastness and for being promise-keepers.
“The North proved to me Nigeria can survive its unity. Some people wanted President Muhammadu Buhari to announce someone, but the President said no.
“He insisted the process must go on democratically. The President said that anyone that would mess up the APC process would see his other side. He remained upright to the end.
“Northern APC Governors resolved that the presidency must go to the South and, especially, South West. Governors Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Ganduje and others supported me to the end.
“The battle was tough and, at a point, I was in doubt. There were many rumors and I became confused over what to believe,” he stated.
According to him, Buhari also commended the process of the primaries.
“Buhari told me I promoted his name with the way I won the primary election because the process was clean and transparent and nobody could accuse him of manipulating it.
“The president said I gave him credibility and I deserved to be President.
“When I asked him to nominate the Vice Presidential candidate, he said I should pick whoever I wanted and it is the reason I chose a competent man in Kashim Shettima who has never lost any election.
“I particularly went for him because he had protected Christians in time of trouble in his state,” he stated.
Immediate past General Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, tasked Tinubu to be a leader that would unite Nigeria and work for the progress and development of the country.