Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, on Saturday, visited the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, after attending the seventh edition of the Kaduna Investment Forum.

Mr Tinubu, accompanied by his host, Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and APC stalwarts, were in the palace to seek royal blessing and pay homage to the emir.

He arrived at the palace a few hours after the departure of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to Kaduna for his campaign and engagement with Arewa Joint Committee.

While apologising for his inability to attend Mr Bamalli’s coronation, Mr Tinubu said he would make the palace his second home, especially when he becomes the country’s next president.

Earlier, Mr El-Rufai said even though it was the first time the APC presidential flagbearer visited the first-class traditional ruler, it would be the beginning of many future visits to the palace.

He described Mr Tinubu as a person with a long pedigree and respect for the traditional institution.

He added that part of the respect for traditional institutions made him visit the emir a few hours after his arrival for the seventh edition of Kaduna Investment Forum, insisting on visiting the palace to pay homage to the royal father.

“This is not a visit to start a campaign, it is a visit to consult you and tap from your wisdom, and we will come back for a campaign visit; this is just a courtesy call.

“Having visited Kaduna, Asiwaju felt his visit was incomplete without paying homage to you,” Mr El-Rufai said.

Responding, Mr Bamalli appealed to politicians to work towards strengthening national unity throughout their electioneering for the general elections in 2023.

“What we need at this point is the security of our country, improved economy and peaceful co-existence; the issue of division of Nigeria should be put aside,” the emir counselled. 

(NAN)