Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has likened the certificate of return presented to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to a “World Cup” trophy.
Last Wednesday, INEC declared Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the presidential election conducted on February 25.
No fewer than 18 political parties and respective candidates including the main contenders – Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), former governor of Anambra State of Labour Party(LP), Peter Obi, and Senator Rabiu Kwamkwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP).
Declaring him winner, INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes. Atiku Abubakar (PDP) scored the second-highest number with 6,984,520 votes, while Peter Obi(LP) garnered 6,101,533 votes.
Speaking at the palace of Oba of Lagos, HRM Oba Rilwan Aiolu, while homage to the revered monarch, Tinubu pledged not to disappoint Nigerians.
“To all the monarchies seated, may God provide you with strong health for you. God will not allow our country to perish. We will not be used as a tool to disgrace you. I will not let you down,” he said.
“The journey that we embarked upon and we have returned home with a certificate — it is like our own World Cup — and I thank you all for the effort.”
On his part, oba of Lagos praised the president-elect as a special breed “who is destined for leadership at the very top”.
Dignitaries present at the palace included Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, Femi Pedro, former deputy governor of Lagos; Muiz Banire, former commissioner for environment, and Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, APC Lagos women leader.
Others are Saheed Elegushi, oba of Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, and Omogbolahan Lawal, oniru of Iruland.
