Former Lagos governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, in Abeokuta, solicited the support of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, for his 2023 presidential ambition.

After a closed-door meeting with Oba Gbadebo, at his Ake Palace, Mr Tinubu told a large gathering that he had come to seek the permission and blessings of the traditional ruler to run for president.

“I want to seek the permission of the kabiyesi. I want to seek his blessings and his prayers and seek the blessings of other chiefs. I am  here to tell you (Alake) that I want your prayers and I want to inform you that I want to become the President of Nigeria,” Mr Tinubu said.

The APC chieftain told the traditional ruler that he started the presidential bid by first informing President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that he took the step because, “I do  not want to offend the president by pulling the carpet from his feet.

“I told the president I want to replace you and I don’t want to offend you. I told the President that I want to step in his shoes, but not step on his toes.

“I told him as the number one citizen, I should start my presidential bid by informing him first, and he told me to inform the whole world, and I have done that.

“I will continue to tell and consult Nigerians and international partners about my presidential ambition,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said he had played an active role in Nigeria’s return to democracy, and added that he would want to become Nigeria’s next president.

“I have done crusades to return Nigeria to democratic rule before I started hearing the voices of the people that I should contest for president.

“I have thought about it deeply, but I cannot think about it alone. The people said, this time around, I should run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

In his response, the traditional ruler prayed that Mr Tinubu would achieve his ambition. He expressed optimism saying, “if Tinubu becomes the president, Nigeria would be the better for it.”

(NAN)