Please prepare your acceptance speech as President-Elect – Hadi Sirika tells Tinubu

On Monday, February 27, 2023, Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, took to Twitter to offer words of encouragement to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Sirika urged Tinubu to start preparing his acceptance speech, assuming the title of ‘president-elect’.

The Minister of Aviation advised Tinubu to keep his speech brief, allowing his supporters to retire early for the night. Sirika tweeted, “Despite the tension in Lagos, Osun, Kano, Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and other places, ‘President-elect’ Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu should write his acceptance speech now. But your Excellency, please make it short, we will sleep early tonight. ‘Zero tension’. Alhamdulillah.”

This tweet came as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to complete collation and announcements of the 2023 presidential results. The electoral commission had earlier declared the presidential election free and fair and promised to announce the results in due time.

The tweet from Sirika sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians. Some people saw it as a show of confidence and a sign that Tinubu would emerge victorious in the presidential election. Others criticized Sirika for jumping the gun and making assumptions before the official announcement of the results.

The 2023 presidential election was highly contested, with many Nigerians taking an active interest in the outcome. The two leading parties, the APC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had been canvassing for votes for months. The APC had put forward Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, as its candidate, while the PDP had chosen Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president.

The election was marred by incidents of violence and vote-buying in some states. However, the security agencies had worked tirelessly to ensure that the election was peaceful and orderly.

As the nation awaited the announcement of the results, tension mounted across the country. Many Nigerians were anxious about the outcome and what it would mean for the country’s future. Some were optimistic that the election would usher in a new era of progress and development, while others feared that it would lead to more division and instability.

In the midst of all this, Sirika’s tweet offered a glimmer of hope to Tinubu’s supporters. It was seen as a sign that the APC candidate was confident of victory and that his supporters could start celebrating.

However, it also raised concerns about premature celebrations and the need to wait for the official announcement of the results.