He said Bayelsa will attain its potential as one of the country’s largest producers of oil. Tinubu said Bayelsa would not be what it is today, if oil was not first discovered in the state.

Tinubu commended former President Goodluck Jonathan, who hails from Bayelsa, for ensuring a smooth transition of power in 2015 after the APC won the presidential election.

He said: “On behalf of the entire nation, may I say thank you Bayelsa for all that you have done for Nigeria.

“You have played a critical and leading role in the development of our national economy.

“Now, I am a man of fairplay. I believe a person, a state and even a nation should be repaid for the good and positive things they have done.

“It is high time that Bayelsa was duly acknowledged for its role in national development and even more fairly paid back in kind for that positive role.

“The entire world knows that Bayelsa is rich in oil and is among Nigeria’s largest producing states. The revenue from these things has been the backbone of government income and foreign exchange earnings.

“But what the world often forgets is that Bayelsa is more than just pipelines and oil installations. It is a community of decent and good people, proud of the culture and traditions, yet hopeful of what the future holds.

“You are fishermen and boat operators of great skill and reputation. You are farmers, businessmen, market women, teachers, students and professionals in all fields.

“If you vote for me and my team, that unfair day will surely end. We will reconstruct and maintain vital federal roadways such as the Mbiama-Yenagoa-Nembe-Brass highway. We will work with willing and capable private sector partners to build a comprehensive network of swamp bridges that connect swamp settlements with upland areas and the wider world.”

Tinubu said his government would make the safety and security of the people of the state its priority.

He said he would take the necessary measures to address security challenges on the waterways by winning the fight against kidnapping, oil theft and piracy in the Niger Delta region.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said Tinubu would sweep the state.

He described Tinubu as a great personality, who has a good track record of achievement that nobody could beat.

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Sylva, who is the leader of the party in the state, added: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a track record that nobody can beat. And today when they ask me why I am so sure that Tinubu will win and is going to be the next president, I ask them, who is contesting with him because I don’t know anybody that is contesting with him.

“And then they say it is Peter Obi that is contesting with him. I say ehh, and then they say there is an Atiku that is contesting with him, and I say it is very clear that those people are no match for our candidate because we have to look at the record of a candidate.

“What did Obi do in Anambra State? Anambra State is a great state, a technological miracle waiting to happen. Obi was there for eight years and Anambra State is in no way an extraordinary state. But we can say after eight years of our presidential candidate in Lagos State, we have Lagos that is extraordinary.

“Obi prides himself as a frugal man who saves money, that he doesn’t spend money; he prides himself that he is a stingy man. But governance is not about stinginess, it is also not only about prudence. It is about creating the opportunity for you the youths.

“Today, Nigeria has a youth population that is largely unemployed. Who is going to produce those opportunities? Who is going to expand the economy to be able to accommodate these people that we are producing everyday?

“Today, our population is about over 200 million. In 2025, our population is going to be about 250 million people and in 2050, the projection is that our population is going to be about 400 million people. It is not only about prudence, it is about creating opportunities. And if you read the Bible very well, it is very clear about creating opportunities and also about prudence. In the parable of the Talents, it said 10 talents were given to one; five were given to another and one talent was given to another.

“The man that was given the five talent increased the opportunity, invested it and created more opportunities and doubled the talents, so, when the master came back, the master was very happy with him that he had doubled the opportunity.

“The second man also doubled the opportunity and the master was also happy with him and the third man called Obi, buried his own talent and said he was a very prudent man and that he buried it because he did not want to lose it. He brought it out and gave to the master and the master said you are a very wicked man. You can see that it goes beyond prudence; it goes beyond not spending shishi.

“As for Atiku, his only mission, according to him, is that he wants to sell NNPC. He sold others before and he discovered he did not sell the NNPC. So, all he wants is to sell the NNPC. That is why he is saying doesn’t even want more than one tenure. So, why are we going to vote for people like that?

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“We must vote for the man that will create opportunities for our youths, we must vote for the man that will create work for you, we must vote for the man that knows the way.”

Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign Council, said Tinubu will rescue the country.

He said: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the only way. Tinubu understands the problem of Nigeria. All we are saying is that with Tinubu, we have a renewed hope in Nigeria. Everywhere we go, the song is that Tinubu is a winner and he will win.”

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said Tinubu is a tested and trusted man who deserved to be President of Nigeria.

He said: “Tinubu has religious tolerance. He has developed men and women of consequence and deserves our votes. No other man deserves our votes. He is a man to vote for. The cap fits him and he should be the one to wear it.

“I am suggesting that those who we running should run on their records unless of course they have no record to run on. This is a consequential time in Nigeria and we need somebody who has a good track record of achievement and that person is Tinubu.”

Former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, said: “Our Presidential candidate will be the next president and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces. Let me appreciate his running mate, a man who in the face of all challenges still brought hope to the great people of Borneo State.

“This election is particularly crucial to the people of Bayelsa State. I have hope and I know it to be the truth because when I was the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, I came to Bayelsa and saw how farmers’ farms were destroyed, how fisherman can no longer fish, how you dry your clothes outside and because of pollution, it changes colour.

“For you the people of Bayelsa, the issue of restructuring is important for you? Let it not be said that you are the proverbial fish who is in the river, but cannot drink the water because the river is polluted and poisonous.

“Our presidential candidate has the capacity and potential to deliver the country. Tinubu is insisting that Nigeria should not be run like a unitary system of government. He has courage to insist that in a true federal system, states, not Federal Government should be responsible for the creation of local governments. He didn’t just say it, he went ahead and created new local government areas in Lagos State. And what happened, he was punished by the PDP.”

On arrival in Yenagoa, Tinubu and his entourage paid a courtesy call on the Ibenanaowei of Ikpetiama Kingdom and Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers in the state, King Bubaraye Dakolo Agada 1V.

The traditional ruler reeled out a lot of demands, including the construction of major roads linking the state capital,   revamping of Peeremabiri Rice Farm, of Aggeii Deep Sea Port and  Brass LNG.

The APC presidential candidate promised to uplift the state as a major oil producer.

But he told the royal fathers to urge their people to vote APC. Alluding to a Yoruba proverb, Tinubu said: “a woman that has not experienced a second husband will not know the difference between the two.”

The Wife of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress  (APC) and chairman of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said that the former governor of Lagos State will promise the welfare of Nigeria if elected in next year’s elections.

She urged eligible voters, especially women and youths, to vote for APC candidates.

Senator Tinubu gave the assurance at the flag off of the North-West rally of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign, at the People’s Square, Katsina, Katsina State capital.

A statement by the Media Office of the Campaign Team in Abuja said the rally was attended by Hajiya Nana Shettima, the Minister, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed and Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, wife of the Kebbi State Governor and North-West Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Women Campaign Team; the first ladies of Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Zamfara and Lagos states.

Also at the rally were  Asabe Vilita Bashir, national coordinator of the APC Women Campaign Team and her deputy, Lauretta Onochie, who has recently been nominated as chairman of the board of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Also present were Zahra Buhari-Indimi and Hanan Buhari, daughters of the First Lady and grand patron of the APC Women Campaign Team, Dr Aisha Buhari.

On arrival in Katsina, the delegation paid a courtesy call to the Emir of Katsina, and the Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

The Nation