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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has cancelled the 13th Bola Tinubu Colloquium and all activities marking his 70th birthday celebration, to honour the memory of the people that were killed in the bombing of the Kaduna-Abuja train, on Monday evening.
The colloquium, which is holding at Eko Hotel Convention Centre, has already started when Tinubu, accompanied by former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Oyetola and Abdullahi Ganduje, mounted the stage to announce the cancellation of the events.
The former Lagos State Governor said he just heard the news of the attack due to the prayers being said for him since yesterday.
Tinubu described the attack as a national tragedy, noting that over 60 persons lost their lives to the terror.
He said: “Today is supposed to be a very joyful 70th birthday of mine living on earth. I give thanks to God Almighty for being able to survive to this age.
“I have just been informed of a very sad incident in our country, very sad indeed, that over 60 people and many more were killed and bombed on a train between Kaduna and Abuja just last night. That is a very serious incident about the security of lives in this country and it calls for a very serious sober reflection.
“For me to be here celebrating, dancing and enjoying myself doesn’t show enough concern of a statesman and a senior citizen of this country.
“This event should not be holding. I have consulted with the people you see around me here and they’ve agreed with me and being a very highly committed democrat, I have given myself to their suggestion that they agreed that this event be cancelled.”
Tinubu, alongside hundreds of others at the event, observed a one-minute silence for the lives lost in the spirit of “national tragedy and concern.”
He urged the two clergies at the event to pray for the soul of the departed and for relief for their bereaved family members.
Terrorists had attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train on Monday night with about 970 passengers on board.