There was wild jubilation yesterday in the fold of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Bola Tinubu returned to the country yesterday.
Recall that Tinubu left for the UK on September 24 and was absent at the signing of peace accord by all the political parties in Abuja on September 29 thereby worsening speculations about the state of his health.
Tinubu, who is variously addressed as ‘Asiwaju’ and ‘Jagaban’ arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the night where he was received by his running mate, Mr. Kashim Shettima, director general of the party’s presidential campaign and governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong and former APC chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, among others.
Addressing the party’s stalwarts, Tinubu said he was back to start work in earnest.
“The trip was very good; I enjoyed my break. And I’m happy to be back to my fatherland.
“And Nigerians should expect a very intelligent ability to think and perform. Nigerians should expect that the help they needed is here, the hope that is almost jittering is back and back actively.
“And we hold every effort to the country of patriotism, dedication, capacity and ability to do the job. Not negative thinking, not the fact that Nigeria has failed; this country is the greatest.
“If it is to rebuild, we are builders; if it is construction, we are constructors. If it is assurance, we give Nigerians the assurance that we definitely make a better country out of it all,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to be more patriotic and refrain from speaking evil about the country, stressing that if Nigeria needs rebuilding, he is a builder and if it needs reconstructing, he is a construction engineer.
Spokesman for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Mr. Festus Keyamo who reacted to Tinubu’s return mocked critics who thought they could exploit his (Tinubu’s) absence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, saying the APC candidate played mind games with them as he allowed their thoughts run wild.
“He teased them; he played mind game with them; their thoughts went wild but @officialABAT is the master of the game. Just when they thought they had something on which to feast, he’s rather the one now feasting on their naivety. Welcome back, the City Boy,” he tweeted.
