Thousands of APC supporters and leaders  on Sunday, stormed the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, to welcome Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.

Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, is returning to his home state for the first time,  after he clinched the APC presidential.

Mr Tinubu defeated 13 other aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to clinch the APC ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

He polled 1,271 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who got 316 votes at the party’ s Special National Convention held from  June 6 to  8 in Abuja.

Meanwhile thousands of APC loyalists trooped out and gathered in various groups in and around the airport to receive their leader.

Some of the personalities waiting to receive the  former governor at the airport were Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, APC Lagos state party chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, former Minister of Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, party leaders, local government area chairmen across the state and traditional rulers among others

Traditional singers and dancers were at the airport entertaining the people while awaiting  for Tinubu.

The supporters were seen displaying unique cultural heritage of Lagos such as Eyo Masquerade and other masquerades among others.

Meanwhile, Tinubu had after winning the presidential ticket,  paid visits to most of the aspirants who contested against him at the primary election to solicit their support in his quest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Some aspirants had  donated their campaign offices for  the Asiwaju  Bola Ahmed  Tinubu (ABAT) campaign  in the course of visiting them to ensure that the party remained  united after the primaries.

Tinubu will be slugging it out in 2023 with other presidential candidates from the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) -Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party -Ex Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) -Sen. Rabiu Kwakwanso among others. 

(NAN)