By Bala Ibrahim
THE campaign caravan of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was today in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, where again, the Jagaba of Borgu, proved to all, that in the politics of Nigeria, he is indeed a strong force to recon with. Like the saying of the French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo, that, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come”, Tinubu was in Kwara with a special power, that displayed a great number of people all over the streets of Ilorin, as a show of force, in the arrival of his time.
Tens of thousands of people came out on the streets, waving and chanting with ecstasy, as the Jagaba and members of his entourage pass in cavalcade. Tinubu’s rally literally grounded Ilorin completely, as huge crowd welcomes the APC presidential train to Ilorin.
The Asiwaju was in Kwara for a mega rally, aimed at drumming support for his presidential ambition. And as expected, the people gave him the kind of reception Ilorin had not seen in decades. The APC presidential candidate and the Jagaba of Borgu, his running mate, H.E. Kashim Shettima, as well as the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, arrived the city of Ilorin in the company of several APC leaders, including the minister of Information, chief Lai Mohammed. The entourage was received by the Governor of the state, H.E. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was equally thrilled by the impressive public reception.
Since yesterday, there were strong feelers about today’s mammoth crowd, as one of the people involved in the preparations for the reception, who happens to be the Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Civil Societies, and the Oluomo of Oro Kingdom, Hon. Ben Duntoye, told me that arrangements have been concluded for the presidential campaign rally, and it’s going to be the mother of all rallies.
Hon. Ben said they were expecting President Muhammadu Buhari, along with the Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, the National Chairman and other members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC). Because of this he said, APC members and supporters, as well as the people of the state, are in high spirit to receive these august visitors in January.
However, because the President was unavoidably out of the country, it was the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo that represented him at the rally. Although he didn’t make any speech, his appearance in Kwara today, which is the first time he attended the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s event since the campaign started in November, had cleared all the speculations about a frosty relationship between him and the Jagaba.
Yes, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ran against Tinubu in the APC primary in June. But he couldnt pick the ticket, he took the third position, after the former minister of transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, who came second.
In addressing the gargantuan crowd, the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Turakin Keffi, expressed appreciation to the people of the state for their support so far, and urged them to repeat the love by voting all candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections. Sen. Adamu said, “My dear brothers, Kwarans have more than surprised me.
With what we have seen today, there is no need for any long grammar. Kwarans have spoken, and the message in simple terms is that, come May 29th, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the President of Nigeria, by the grace of God”. And he hopes, A.A would be voted as the Governor for the second time, just as he called for same to be done with all the legislative positions.
When introduced to the crowd, the Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu charged the people of the state to vote for him and all APC candidates in the coming general elections in February and March. Asiwaju said Kwara has been enjoying freedom and progress under the leadership of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, as such, the people must remain committed to the administration of the incumbent governor. He said, the freedom achieved four years ago will become more meaningful if APC candidates are re-elected, promising to implement his 16-point plan if elected as Nigeria’s next president.
In his remarks, the over joyed Governor of the state, H.E. Adulrahman Abdulrazaq, commended the people of the state for their overwhelming support for Tinubu. He urged them to translate the love into votes on the election day, because the APC administration has done well for Nigerians, in spite of the global economic meltdown, Covid-19 and other challenges.
Indeed today, with Tinubu’s impressive ingress in Ilorin, it is correct to copy the saying of the national chairman, by calling the Asiwaju, as Nigeria’s President in waiting.
Ibrahim is the director, publicity for the APC.