“Your journey on this terrestrial sphere so far has been a truly remarkable and inspiring one. Surely, you are not to be counted among those who were lucky either to be born great or to have greatness thrust on their laps on a platter of gold. Rather, you have attained an impossible-to-ignore status of eminence in our immensely blessed country in your three scores and a half years through sheer determination, perseverance, resilience, commitment, discipline, focus and hard work.
“From the shop floor of the textile industry, you pulled yourself up by the bootstraps and through consistent courage, integrity and fidelity to truth as well as the best interest of Nigerian workers, you rose through the ranks to establish yourself as easily the most outstanding national labour leader of contemporary times. Your successful trajectory from trade unionism to party politics is indeed a unique one, made more notable by your emergence as elected governor of Edo State.
“I most certainly speak the minds of millions of members of our great party when I say that your outstanding performance as two-term governor of Edo State from 2008 to 2016 remains a reference point and a source of pride to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Apart from skilfully steering the ship of state and charting the course for Edo, the ‘heartbeat of the nation’ for eight years, you demonstrated your innate leadership endowment by identifying, nurturing and handing over to a worthy and capable successor well placed to take Edo to greater heights from where you stopped.
“At 65, you still brim with energy, dynamism and vibrancy while your mind continues to bubble with ideas ever so useful for national development. There is no doubt that you still have a lot to contribute to the country as our party continues to grapple with the Herculean challenge of remedying the grievous damage it inherited in virtually all sectors and laying the foundation for the realization of Nigeria’s immense but trapped potentials.
“It is my prayer that God Almighty will continue to bless you with good health, divine wisdom and long life as you dedicate yourself anew to the cause of service to Nigeria, Africa and humanity.
“As my family and I wish you a very happy and fulfilled 65th birthday, I am confident that the best for you is surely yet to come”.