Full text of Tinubu’s speech at the APC presidential campaign in Jos can be accessed below.
PROTOCOLS
1. It is indeed a great honour to flag off our presidential campaign in Jos, the Home of Peace and Tourism. On this glorious plateau for which this state is named, one can see the vast potential and scope of our excellent nation.
2. One can look out on the horizon of renewed hope the great things we are capable of achieving with unity of purpose and a collective spirit.
3. One can see greater prosperity and jobs in an economy humming with activity.
4. One can see a Nigeria where all who want to will be able to build a decent life from the fruits of their individual and collective endeavour.
From this fine vantage point, we see how far we have come. We also see how far we must go and the road that will take us there.
5. With this flag off, we take a most important, and symbolic step in the best and proper direction.
6. I am deeply honoured for the presence of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari.
As campaign chairman, he promised to lead from the front.
A man of his word, President Buhari has done what he said and more.
7. Mr. President, you have provided exceptional service to the nation and party. Your contributions are both positive and enduring. When the history of this period is objectively written, it will smile upon you and treat you with utmost kindness.
8. I thank our national chairman of the party for his sagacity in steering party affairs.
9. To the patriotic governors of our great party, I thank you for your solidarity and support since we commenced this journey. I extend the same appreciation to other important leaders here today.
10. My hardworking Director General, Governor Lalong, I appreciate your leadership of the campaign. I see your positive footprints on the Plateau. You are an excellent DG and governor.
11. To all of you, our dear party members and the general public, thank you for being with us today.
Plateau is a state rich in minerals, agriculture, tourism, and industrial potential. May these blessings continue.
And may such blessings extend to every state, community, and home in this state and in our nation.
12. We have come to this historic site not just to flag off a presidential campaign.
13. We hereby reaffirm our commitment to progressive good governance and to the fruits that such governance can bring to this nation.
February 2023 is more than an election.
It is a fight to define the soul of the nation and to determine our collective fate.
14. Do we adhere to the ideals of broadly shared prosperity, competence, peace, justice and compassion toward all?
Or do we toss these ideals away, lashing ourselves to the divisive politics of the past or to those whose rantings show they cannot distinguish between fact and fantasy.
15. One party wants to take us back to a past that never should have been.
Another party wants to take us to a past that resides only in its candidate’s head.
16 Neither the old road nor the fantasy road is good enough.
17 Instead, we forge the wiser path toward our approved destination — an even better Nigeria.
This is what the election is truly about.
18. Here, I thank president Buhari again because he has truly established a strong foundation for the things we are now to do.
The Buhari administration achieved things in the agricultural, infrastructural, and power sector no other administration has done.
19. Additionally, his government liberated hundreds of communities from terrorists and brought thousands of displaced persons back to their homes.
20. Truly the foundation has been set. It is now time to call more builders forward to further construct the national edifice that will be our best home.
21. We, the APC and the Tinubu/Shettima team, seek to make permanent a covenant of progressive good governance with the people.
Under this hopeful pact, we will assemble the best team.
22. We shall build on progress in the agricultural sector by establishing commodity boards guaranteeing minimal prices for strategic crops.
We shall create agricultural and industrial hubs in all zones.
You shall also see water catchment and irrigation systems to help farming while mitigating the dire effects of drought and flooding brought about by a changing climate.
23. We will encourage urban employment through a national industrial plan that employs a series of measures including tax and employment credits.
24. We will deepen the knowledge economy. Millions of the tech savvy, innovative youth will benefit as will our overall economy. Ttalented youth will find a place in our government.
We will bring greater power through natural gas and reasonable reform of the entire power sector.
Our government will continue the infrastructural expansion so the overall economy may continue to expand in lockstep.
25 Most importantly, I will give utmost priority to extinguishing terrorists and violent criminals.
We shall augment our military, police and security personnel while providing them with better tactical communication and mobility.
We will employhi-tech aerial surveillance to track and attack these menaces.
26. These evil forces seek to destroy our democratic way of life. I have news for them. We will defeat their destructive way of life.
They shall be utterly defeated and vanquished from our soil.
27.I have already taken enough time. But the little I have said shows the difference between what we seek for Nigeria in contrast to the negative things my opponents plot to do to Nigeria.
The road to a better Nigeria lies before us. Together, let us walk it. Together, let us renew hope.
That journey begins now!
Thank you for listening.
God bless you all.
And God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Jos, Plateau State
15 November 2022
