Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and several others have congratulated Bola Tinubu on his victory as the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress. 

Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, defeated 13 other aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to clinch the party’s ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

Mr Gbajabiamila described the victory as “a well-deserved one”, considering the APC chieftain’s years of working for the entrenchment and strengthening of democracy in Nigeria.

“I congratulate my mentor for this victory. This is a victory for democracy and Nigerians as a whole. With the manner he went about his campaigns, Asiwaju has proved to be a hero of our democracy.”

The speaker said with Mr Tinubu’s victory, APC stood a good chance of retaining power in 2023, noting that Nigerians across the board recognised his contributions to the nation’s development.

Also, Mr Omo-Agege congratulated the party’s flag bearer while expressing optimism that he would emerge victorious in the 2023 presidential election.

In a statement by Ima Niboro, his media aide, Mr Omo-Agege, stressed the need for all presidential aspirants to join hands with the APC’s presidential candidate and the party to ensure victory.

He lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Working Committee of the APC for giving all aspirants a level playing field.

In his congratulatory message, former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, described Mr Tinubu as a “strategic thinker and dogged fighter” who has exhibited good attributes in business and social relationships.

“In the last two decades, Bola Tinubu’s political trajectory has shown that the sky may be the starting point for him, and this he has clearly demonstrated with the energy he puts behind his campaign and the eventual victory as the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress which has proven Bookmakers wrong in all ramifications.”

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State described Mr Tinubu’s victory in the election as an expression of cohesion and national unity.

“The overwhelming victory of Tinubu at the just-concluded APC presidential primary is a good omen and an expression of national unity of purpose.

“The victory is a manifestation of his years of personal commitment, sacrifice, tenancy, political experience and service to the nation,” Mr Yahaya said in a congratulatory message by Ismail Misili, the spokesperson, Government House.

The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, also congratulated Mr Tinubu for clinching the presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections.

While describing Mr Tinubu’s emergence as a well-deserved victory, Mr Obasa noted that the former governor of Lagos state won the party’s presidential primary election in a landslide.

Also, a former spokesman for the Lagos chapter of APC, Seye Oladejo, said Mr Tinubu’s victory signified a breath of fresh air for Nigeria.

“This is a victory well-deserved and most expected. It implies that diligence, consistency and large-heartedness do get rewarded in politics.”

The party’s national leader polled 1,271 delegate votes to defeat his closest rival, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, who got 316 votes.

(NAN)