President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said he never knew that he would occupy the highest office in the country.
According to Dele Alake, his spokesman, Tinubu said this while addressing the class of 1999 Governors at the council chamber of Aso Villa, Abuja.
The ex-governors were at the State House to identify with Tinubu, who was the governor of Lagos State from May 1999 to 2007.
“We served as governors and sat in this Council Chamber. All I wanted was democracy and the salvation of the country. I never thought I was going to be here as President, but God Almighty has brought me,’’ the President said.
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He assured the governors and Nigerians that he would work towards “unity, equity, stability, and prosperity of the country’’.
“My commitment to that democratic value is unwavering. I am overwhelmed and honored by the numbers of you here. I have an open door policy. You are my advisers. We went into the pond and wrestled with a pig. We got dirty, and cleaned up. That is why I am here today,” he said.
President Tinubu, while noting that the country would not make meaningful progress without fixing electricity, assured that his administration would harness gas resources, and explore every opportunity to ensure stable power generation and supply.
On Security, the President who had earlier met with Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State to review situation in the North East, appealed to Nigerians, especially Plateau State, to use dialogue in resolving conflicts.
The former governors urged the President to pursue his vision for a greater Nigeria with vigour, steadfastness, and resilience, trusting their support for development policies, and promising to provide the necessary social structure for actualization.
“We are here with you. We are your foot soldiers, and you can tap into our experience. You are a person who believes in Nigeria. With your good leadership, Nigeria will take its place,’’ Igbinedion, Chairman, Class of 1999, said.
Among the former Governors were James Ibori of Delta State; Donald Duke of Cross River State; Orji Kalu of Abia State; Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State; Adamu Mu’azu of Bauchi State; Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State; Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State; and Ibrahim Turaki of Jigawa State.
Others included Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State; Bisi Akande of Osun State; Joshua Dariye of Plateau State; Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara State; Jolly Nyame of Taraba State; Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State as well as Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State.
