President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday met with “The class of 1999 governors” at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The former governors in attendance include James Ibori ( Delta state); Donald Duke (Cross River); Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti); Lucky Igbinedion(Edo); Orji Uzor Kalu( Abia ) and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi).
Others are Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Ibrahim Saminu Turaki (Jigawa); Adamu Muazu (Bauchi); Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom)’ Olusegun Osoba (Ogun); Bisi Akande (Osun); Ahmad Yerima (Zamfara); Jolly Nyame (Taraba); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto) and Joshua Dariye (Plateau).
In 1999, Tinubu and the former governors in the meeting were elected when Nigeria returned to democracy from military rule.
Tinubu was the governor of Lagos from 1999 to 2007, said he never knew that he would ever become the President of Nigeria.
A statement released by presidential spokesperson, Dele Alake, said the President disclosed this while addressing the class of 1999 Governors at the council chamber of Aso Villa, Abuja.
The ex-governors were at the State House to identify with Tinubu, who was the governor of Lagos State from May 1999 to 2007.
“We served as governors and sat in this Council Chamber. All I wanted was democracy and the salvation of the country. I never thought I was going to be here as President, but God Almighty has brought me. My commitment to that democratic value is unwavering. I am overwhelmed and honored by the numbers of you here. I have an open door policy. You are my advisers. We went into the pond and wrestled with a pig. We got dirty, and cleaned up. That is why I am here today,” he said.
President Tinubu, while noting that the country would not make meaningful progress without fixing electricity, assured that his administration would harness gas resources, and explore every opportunity to ensure stable power generation and supply.
On Security, the President who had earlier met with Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State to review situation in the North East, appealed to Nigerians, especially Plateau State, to use dialogue in resolving conflicts.
