Tinubu to APC candidates: Election beyond personal ambition — Nigeria needs us

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the party members to collectively work for the APC’s victory in the general election.

Tinubu said this on Sunday during a meeting with governorship and national assembly candidates of the party, in Abuja.

In a statement by Tunde Rahman, his media aide, Tinubu told the APC members that they have a duty to “protect” Nigeria, and as such, they should not rest on their oars on ensuring the party’s victory in the elections.

“I am pleased to meet with you today because in you I see our party’s hope and path to success. In you I see the hope of historic national progress as well,” he said.

“As so often in life, victory is not a cause for rest or celebration. It is a call to a greater challenge and harder toil. Thus, you all have won the primaries but now must climb the higher mountain called the general election.

“We formed the APC, not just to be another political party. We formed it as a champion of the people to rescue democracy from the ravages of the PDP who boasted of ruling the nation for 60 years.

“We formed this party to rescue the people and their collective prosperity from the avarice and greed of an elite that will devour the nation’s God-given endowment if we allow such people back into power. As those flying our party’s flag, we carry a heavy burden on our shoulders.

“We have the mandate to deliver the party to victory so that we may protect Nigeria from those who would devour all of its fruits.

“The party has placed its trust in us. Democratic victory in the coming elections is a task we must accomplish.”

He also said winning the election is a collective task.

“As individuals, we must strive to win our respective elections. But that is not enough,” he said.

“We have to work together to deliver everyone contesting in our party. The presidential election, for example, is not solely about Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is your project as well. Your election is equally my project.

“We need each other. Whatever position you are contesting, you need me as much as I need you. If I work for you, I am helping myself; if you mobilise for me, you are working for yourself at the same time. Our individual and collective fates are one.

“Let us win and rise together. This is as it should be.

“I, therefore, rededicate myself to the victory of you all just as I do for myself. As you can see, They call me weak but I am canvassing back and forth and, in every corner, and space of the nation.

“My opponents are not. I am outworking them because this election is a great mission for me, much more than my personal ambition.”