The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential hopeful, Senator Bola Tinubu, has queried why Nigeria would not be competing with Russia with all the resources at its disposal.

Mr Tinubu, said this at his consultation with the House of Representatives caucus of the APC on Wednesday in Abuja.

“We have God-given resources, capacity, knowledge, and the brain,” said Mr Tinubu. “We can do it. You can make me succeed with your support. I want us to forge a future for this country, we are the most populous, and we have the best brains and  resources.”

The former Lagos governor said he was the best in the race to replace President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s president.

“There is no other one in the race hiding or open, I am the only one in the race and the most competent and most qualified to be your president come the year 2023.

“I am the only one who has been through tutelage. I am the only one among them who has been consistent in one party. They are not stable,” he said.

Mr Tinubu recalled that he started his political career as a senator, adding; “I am very proud of myself as a democrat because the essence of democracy is the assemblage of  wise and prudent  people.’

The APC leader commended members of the National Assembly for their commitment, adding that the legislators represented the crux of the people while commending them for doing well by advancing democracy.

He said he was at the assembly to request the support of the lawmakers.

“This is my lifelong ambition, which I discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari. I told the President that I want to step in his shoes and not step on his toes.”

Mr Tinubu said the President responded, thus; “come out, let’s see you and how you can promote your democratic credential,” adding that he has multiple honours, a first-class degree in accounting.

Speaking on his rumoured ill health, Mr Tinubu said: “They don’t have anything to say; they say I am not well, they are not my doctor. I am only here to do a great job, break the shackle of poverty.

Speaking earlier, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that Tinubu was the man who put APC together and had declared his intention to preside over the affairs of the country.

He said that as the election was approaching, it was imperative to hear the message from those who wanted to govern the country, saying, “we have been hearing how many people are running for the presidency of Nigeria in 2023.”

The speaker, however, said that it would not speak well of the country when it boasted  to be the largest in Africa and seven weeks before the primaries, only one person had been seen, one person running up and down consulting.

He said that Mr Tinubu had been traveling the length and breadth of Nigeria, marketing his trade and delivering his message.

“I feel it’s wrong for a country like Nigeria that we are only hearing names but nobody is campaigning. It is unfair to every citizen of Nigeria. We cannot take Nigeria for granted,” he said.

Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, leader of the party,  however, urged members to support the candidacy of Mr Tinubu, adding that he had done a lot in contributing to Nigeria’s democracy.

He said that his emergence would bring about a truly democratic leader that would pilot the affairs of the country.

Mr Doguwa, however, put the aspiration of Mr Tinubu into a voice vote where members loudly gave an overwhelming endorsement to  his bid to become the president in 2023.

(NAN)