I sacrificed my presidential ambition for Buhari – Tinubu

A former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, on Friday said he sacrificed his
presidential ambition for the All Progressives
Congress candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu stated this while addressing a crowd of
APC supporters at the party’s presidential rally in
Lagos.
He said Nigeria was facing an economic crisis and
an internal war and needed a person with Buhari’s
experience because of the General’s reputation of
anti-corruption and military warfare.
Tinubu said, “People define patriotism as putting
the country first but this is what the ‘Poverty
Development Party’ refuses to understand. We
chose Buhari not because Bola Tinubu is not
interested in the Presidency. I am capable,
competent, qualified, younger and richer but there
comes a time that people must make sacrifices for
their nation.
“I prayed that Nigeria would get better and we
would not need a man like him (Buhari). But today,
we are in a great crisis; we face a lot of
challenges. When South Africa was in a great
dilemma and was about to disintegrate, they called
Nelson Mandela of 74 years old.
“He used his wisdom to save his country. When
the United States was in economic depression,
they called 73-year-old Ronald Reagan because he
was frugal and incorruptible.
“When America was faced with depression and war,
they called a retired General, Dwight Eisenhower, to
rescue the country and the country was returned
on a path of success. “When France was faced
with war and economic depression, they called a
retired General, Charles De Gaul, to rescue the
country.
Tinubu added that whether Buhari presented a
certificate or not, he was still qualified to rule the
country.
“So what do we need now? Buhari. This is the time
for us. General Buhari, whether you are qualified or
not qualified, we are calling you to come and
rescue us in Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking at the rally, the Lagos State
Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said President
Goodluck Jonathan had done nothing for the
people of the state despite the fact that the
President got over 1.2 million votes from the state
in 2011.
He said every project that the Federal Government
was supposed to have assisted Lagos in executing
had been frustrated by the Jonathan
administration.
He, therefore, asked the people of the state to vote
for the APC at all levels.
Buhari, who was the last person to speak at the
rally, said the failure of the PDP-led Federal
Government was unprecedented in the history of
Nigeria.
Buhari said, “We all know what we have gone
through in the past 16 years under the PDP. The
APC has identified three core problems that must
be tackled immediately. First is insecurity, two is
the destruction of the economy and three is
corruption.
“But whatever we have to do, we will have to
secure Nigeria first. What is happening in the
North-East where hundreds of people are being
killed is unacceptable. We known that the Nigeria
Police and the Nigerian Army are capable of
bringing peace and stability into the country but
they just need good leadership.”