Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu has said he knows that many people did not vote for him or support his candidacy during last Saturday’s presidential election.
Tinubu, who was declared as the winner of the election on Wednesday morning by the Independent National Electoral Commission after polling 8,794,726, begged those who voted against him to work with his government towards building a progressive country.
This was stated while giving his speech after collecting his certificate of return from INEC on Wednesday at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.
He said, “By hard work, determination, and unyielding belief in a noble endeavour, you can achieve the best of things. There are young people listening to me right now, who shall one day be the leaders of our precious and exceptional democratic republic.
“Thus, by taking this certificate, I assume the sacred duty that I shall never ignore. To you the people, especially the youth, I will work day and night. I will work to the outmost best of my ability to make Nigerian better. For this to be a victory at all, it cannot simply be a victory for one man or for one party, it must become a victory for all Nigerians who are committed to a greater society. I know many did not vote for me and you are disappointed that your candidate is not where I stand now. I understand you hurt. Your anger, disappointment, I send the embrace and comfort of one family to another.
“This great project, co-Nigerians, it is bigger and more important than any partisan divide. To my supporters, I ask to continue to face the mission that we have articulated. To those who did not support me, I ask that you should not allow the disappointment of this moment, to keep you from realising the historic national progress we can make by working together.
“We must join hands in this common endeavour to the nation,” he said, asking them to work with him.
“I may be the President in election, but I need you more importantly, Nigeria needs you a lot more. My heart, my door are open to you.
“I ask you to come in so that we may begin the task of rebuilding our national home together; day by day, brick by brick. Where there is poverty, let us create prosperity and jobs. Where there is hunger, let us feed the people, chasing the hunger from our midst. Where there is scarcity, let’s rediscover the abundance. Where there is brutality, we may replace it with brotherhood,” he added.
