Sen. Umaru Al-Makura (APC-Nasarawa South), says none of the presidential candidates can match the competence and achievements of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.

The former governor of Nasarawa State said that the combination of Tinubu and Sen. Kashim Shettima, if elected in 2023, would put the country on the path of progress and development.

Al-Makura said: “Take the pairs of all the political parties presidential candidates and their running mates.

“You cannot find any of them that can come close to the combination of Tinubu and Shettima.

“Take them one by one and compare with any of the two pairs in other parties, you won’t go far before you realise that it is not a contest.

“Take Tinubu and what he has done in Lagos state and the country physically, politically, socially, culturally and economically, I do not see any presidential candidate that can match his competence, achievements and vision.”

Al-Makura said in terms of defence of democracy, none among all the candidates can be called the defender of Nigeria’s democracy than Tinubu.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, he recalled, ”in the course of trying to defend Nigeria’s democracy, Tinubu had to flee the country.

“Tinubu and others stood their guns to ensure that democracy was rooted in the country.

“How many brave Nigerians could do what Tinubu has done to this country way back in 1993. He sacrificed his time and comfort for the sake of democracy.

“For that alone, he has no equal among the presidential candidates. Take infrastructural development and transformation of Lagos.”

According to the lawmaker, Lagos was now the economic commercial hub of Nigeria, adding,”this man with his vision and ideas made Lagos a centre of excellence.

“And it is not only Lagos that benefited from his wisdom, other revenue that is being generated from Lagos is part of contribution to national economy.”

The lawmaker also commended Tinubu for mentoring many prominent Nigerians.

Al-Makura said: “Look at the way he mentored people. I call him mentor of mentors. You can liken Tinubu to our leaders of the first republic.

”The Sardauna’s, Akintola’s, the Awolowo’s, the Azikiwe’s, who made people what they were at that time.

“And this to me is a leader that is cut in their image. Talk about any prominent Nigerian.

“Get a number of prominent Nigerians that have excelled and attained certain very enviable positions, you find substantial number of them were mentored by Tinubu. Examples are all over the place to see.

“So, you can see his impact in human capital development, physical and economic infrastructural development and democratic advancement.”

Similarly, Al-Makura said the same thing applied to Shettima who was a governor of Borno for eight years.

He added, “He handled the state at the most difficult time and he was not found wanting.”

According to him, ”what Borno is enjoying today has the imprints of the foundation that Shettima had put in place to ensure it survived the most deadly disaster of Boko Haram.

“So, these people are national figures that have attained and achieved tremendous amount of value to our country that no pair of all the presidential candidates can come close to them.

“So, as far I’m concerned, we are good to go as APC with these wonderful Nigerians.

“I believe, if Nigerians give them the mandate to lead this country, it will be transformed beyond our expectations.”

Sen. Umaru Al-Makura (APC- Nasarawa ) says the choice of Sen. Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the best for Nigeria at this time given his pedigree.

Al-Makura who is a member of the ‘Think-Tank of Tinubu for President’, stated this at a meeting with various support groups from Nasarawa State for the candidate on Tuesday in Lafia.

According to the former governor, “Tinubu is a soldier of democracy who alongside other patriots fought for democracy at a most risky period.”

He added that the APC presidential candidate had transformed Lagos State as its governor from 1999 to 2007 to what it is now.

“Tinubu will perform the magic he did to ensure law and order which transformed Lagos State if elected in 2023.

“He has paid his dues to ensure democratic government in the country and it is the right to elect such a person as the president.

“Tinubu is a man of ideas and will roll out ideas and assemble a strong team that would tackle the insecurity and economic problems facing the country if elected in 2023” Al-Makura added.

The former governor also lauded the delegates from the state who voted for Tinubu during the recent convention of the party in Abuja.

Al-Makura said that the campaign organisation of Tinubu is ready to partner every group to ensure a land slide victory for their candidate in the state.

Also speaking, Silas Agara, a member of the campaign organisation said delegates from Nasarawa State had made them proud at the convention.

The former Deputy governor of Nasarawa State, assured that the state would work to ensure victory for Tinubu and all APC candidates in the upcoming general elections.

Agara appealed to supporters of all other presidential aspirants to join hands and support Tinubu as the convention had come and gone.

Yusuf Omaki, Nasarawa State Coordinator, Tinubu Support Groups, lauded all the delegates as well as individuals and groups from the state for their support so far.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 1,000 bags of 10kg rice were distributed to different groups to celebrate the victory of their candidate at the convention.

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, has explained why the whole stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) in the state endorsed the National Chairmanship aspiration of Sen. Umaru Al-Makura.

Sule gave the explanation when he paid a solidarity visit to the office of his predecessor, Al-Makura, on Monday in Abuja.

The governor, who is also an Engineer, said that the purpose of visiting the former governor was to show solidarity for his aspiration towards becoming the National Chairman of the APC.

Sule stated that Al-Makura represents the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), leading to the merger of the legacy parties in 2013, to give rise to the APC.

“I am supporting Sen. Umaru Al-Makura to be the next National Chairman of the APC, because he is fit, competent and reliable.

“Also, Sen. Al-Makura is a founding member of the defunct Congress for Progress Change, ( CPC ) in the merger that gave birth to our great party, the APC.

“If there is any face of the CPC in Nigeria, apart from President Muhammadu Buhari, it’s Tanko Al-makura.

“Therefore, my humble self and the state stakeholders of the APC have since endorsed him, as he has set up a machinery for a united party, devoid of rancour.

“I am hoping that everybody will do the best they can so that at the end of the day, we will win the legacies of President Buhari,” he added.

The governor, therefore, called on all members of the APC to ensure that they vote for the right candidate in all elections towards bolstering the growth and development of the country.

Responding to questions from journalists, especially on a similar aspiration of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Sule said: “Adamu has the right to contest for the position, but the party in Nasarawa State has adopted Sen. Al-Makura.”

It could be recalled that all the stakeholders of the APC in Nasarawa State had in Jan. 2022 unanimously endorsed the candidature of Al-Makura for the position of APC National Chairman.