Nigeria needs your progressive and welfarist ideals, Osinbajo tells Tinubu

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has congratulated Bola Tinubu, president-elect, on his electoral success at the presidential polls.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Tinubu as the winner of the election having secured 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) who polled 6,101,533 votes.

In a statement on Wednesday, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s spokesperson, quoted the vice-president as saying that over the years, Tinubu has demonstrated “a consistent fidelity to progressive and welfarist ideals” which the country needs at this time.

Osinbajo prayed that the president-elect is able to fulfil the progressive mandate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The vice-president, who was a commissioner when Tinubu was governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007, ran against his former boss in the APC presidential primary and was absent on the campaign trail, leading to rumours that he was not in support of his party’s candidate.

“I warmly congratulate the flagbearer of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on his victory at the 2023 Presidential Elections, and his declaration as President-Elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

“I also congratulate His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima on his declaration as Vice president-elect of the federal republic of Nigeria.

“In your previous years of public service, you have demonstrated a consistent fidelity to progressive and welfarist ideals, and an ability to build bridges across several divides.

“These attributes are needed especially at this time, to reach out to disaffected sections of our society and to meet the aspirational expectations of our young people who have shown such a strong desire to impact our democratic process in a positive way.

“I trust that they will not allow whatever setbacks they may have experienced to truncate their strong desire to determine the future course of our national journey. Through thick and thin, we must all remain focused on the objective of birthing the Nigeria of our dreams.

“I pray that Almighty God will help you to fulfill the progressive mandate of our Party, as well as your various plans to improve the security, welfare, and happiness of all Nigerians.”