Quite a lot has been said and written about the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is an enigma of sort.
Whenever he makes a move to advance his political interests, his critics come out of hiding, and begin to spin all sorts of arguments to disqualify the APC national leader.
Some people are of the opinion that Jagaban is not of keen mind or sound health. They reason that frailty that accompanies ageing is a reality of his present status. These critics believe a younger president will serve Nigeria better considering the country’s history of presidents who engaged in endless medical vacations.
The question is does Tinubu have the right to contest? Is he a Nigerian? The truth, without mincing words, Tinubu is eminently qualified to contest. Is he without sin? No. None of us is.
History and research have it that successful nations are not governed by saints but by performers. There is no doubt that Tinubu will definitely take this country to greater heights as President of Nigeria, if he eventually emerge as the All Progressives Congress flag bearer and wins. He has a knack for identifying brilliant minds and fertile brains, and the ability to nurture them to greatness. He has demonstrated this repeatedly. From Babatunde Raji Fashola, to Akinwunmi Ambode, to the incumbent Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu, they’ve all proved their mettle and the results are there for all to see.
Of course there will always be disagreements in the course of human interaction. And we witnessed some of these in the relationships between Tinubu and some of the people he was instrumental to their becoming politically relevant in the state and beyond.
However, it is undeniable fact that Lagos State has been better under his watch. Even elsewhere that Tinubu had played significant roles in deciding who became the Governor of the State, particularly in the southwest, most of such people had performed, even if they later had cause to disagree with this man, whom many had patrionized at his Bourdillon, Ikoyi residence before becoming stars on the field of politics.
It is uncharitable to say that Tinubu should not contest. At least let him be the one to decide if he is going to support a younger aspirant being a kingmaker, and not be forced to do so.
He has watered many seeds which have blossomed exponentially. Many, who are enjoying lime light today used to be nobodies. He has nursed many fledging political careers to maturity. He has created opportunities for many who were without clarity. He has invested his resources in building people. Without his efforts, perhaps APC will not be the ruling party today.
It is however difficult to exonerate the APC national leader from the blame of the current economic troubles in the country because of the challenges of the Mohammadu Buhari’s administration.
This Tutor -General of Nigerian politics met Lagos IGR at about N600m per month and he left it at N12 – 14bn per month. When former President Obasanjo seized Lagos allocations despite Supreme Court judgement, Tinubu was paying salaries and pensions regularly for three and half years that it lasted. It was Yar’Adua that paid the withheld allocation to Fasola’s government.
Asiwaju has taken years to build political structures and whatever he has become today is by grace and diligence.
Ahead of the 2023 Elections, Asiwaju has engaged huge logistics, from mobilisation of thousands of party agents, travelling across the states of the federation, when other contenders, with their lazy supporters are busy idling away with frivolities.
Any other contender, who knows his onions should go and prepare to slug it out at the polls, and stop disturbing the media space with cacophony. Let Tinubu be.
Akinyemi Seun
(c) Globetelly
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