Over 200 groups from the Northcentral yesterday met in Abuja and unanimously endorsed All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for President.

In a communiqué they issued in Abuja after their meeting, the groups, under the North Central Agenda for Tinubu (NCAT), said they settled for the former governor from the array of aspirants who have indicated interest in leading Nigeria.

NCAT President John Ali Oriri said: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the APC. Other aspirants within the APC and other political parties have also indicated interest in the same position.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has embarked on a nationwide consultation with various stakeholders and interest groups during which he has continued to unveil his vision for placing Nigeria on the path to economic sustainability and assert the country’s pivotal place in world affairs.

“The former governor of Lagos State has proven that he is a great manager of resources, especially human resources, as he has mentored and groomed political leaders that have positively impacted Nigeria through the posts they have held or still holding.

“He has proven to be economically sound to get solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has the wealth of experience and network that the country needs in its next President. These great attributes should not be diminished by persons that are interested only in their own personal agenda to the detriment of the entire nation.”

Oriri said there is an ongoing debate about zoning, with a preponderance of opinion tilted in favour of the South producing the next President.

“Asiwaju Tinubu is fortunately from the South, although he is eminently qualified to be the next President, even if zoning is not applied.

“There have been some unwholesome activities by those that are afraid of the kind of reforms Asiwaju Tinubu would further implement in line with APC’s reform-oriented philosophy. These unwholesome activities include the deployment of fake news to tarnish Tinubu’s political standing, like creating fake health scares and misrepresenting his age.

“Some of the campaigns to undermine Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are emanating from his own party, the APC. Incidentally, those linked to this campaign are of inferior value and are not qualified to be substituted for Asiwaju Tinubu, even if it was possible for them to emerge as their party’s flag bearers.”

“There are several political parties that are eager to give Tinubu an automatic ticket in the event that the APC fails to recognise his electoral worth.

“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been a perfect statesman, even in the face of this negative propaganda and fake news deployed against him. He has focused on the task at hand, which is reassuring that he is the only one that can deliver governance to the expectation of Nigerians.

“The Northcentral has the best chance of having their marginalisation addressed when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu becomes President in 2023 and beyond.

“Among all the aspirants that have indicated an interest in the position, he is the only one that has consistently proven that he detribalised and liberal-minded to fully embrace the diversity needed to preside over Nigeria,” he said.