Tinubu also thanked all those who participated in the February 25 election with particular mention of his supporters and followers of Atiku, Obi and Kwakwanso
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigeria’s President-Elect, Bola Tinubu has reiterated that it’s his turn to govern the country during his acceptance speech in Abuja on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
The former Lagos State governor, an hour after he was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said: “It’s my turn actually!”
He added: “I am profoundly humbled to serve as the 16th President of our beloved country. This is a shining moment in the life of any man and an affirmation of our democratic existence,”
Tinubu also thanked all those who contested the February 25 election with particular mention of ‘Articulated’, ‘Obidients’, ‘Batified’ and ‘Kwankwasiyya’ supporters.
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He went on to appeal to his fellow aspirants to join him as he embarks on the task of leading the country.
“I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team up together. It is the only nation we have. It is one country and we must build together,” he said.
Tinubu won the election coming out tops in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes.
According to the INEC chairman, he scored a total of 8,794,726 votes and fulfilled the 25 percent votes from 24 States as stipulated in the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.
Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, who has now run for president six times, came second with 6,984,520 votes, he also won a total of 12 states.
Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters and finished third in the race with 6,101,533 and won 11 states and the FCT, while Rabiu Kwakwanso of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) won a state and got 1,496,687 votes.
The 70-year-old President-Elect, frustrated with the seeming lack of support from the Presidency, made his now famous “Emilokan (It is my turn)“ speech on June 2, 2022.
“It is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn,” he said while addressing party delegates at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, Ogun State.