Politics

2023 poll: Tinubu is the right man for the job-Moruf Akinderu-Fatai

Published

4 years ago

July 28, 2022

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Many often assume that the aspiration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to become the President of Nigeria is new. He has nursed this hope to serve our fatherland for a while if one cares to look deeply through the lens of his passion and involvement in governance and power in the last two decades. No one, who is as passionate as he is about the nation, will see the situation we are in today and stay away from making his contribution except he is incapable.

Asiwaju is skilled, knowledgeable and fit to navigate the nation out of the murky waters that we find ourselves in today. The rebirth of this great nation can only be masterminded by a proven doer with the legendary power of vision and wizardry ability to turn things around. This is a man that wanted to run with Mr. President in 2015. Why did he want to be the Vice President? His aim is to run the economic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. No agenda is good enough, if it cannot be translated to real improvement in people’s lives. This requires exceptional competence and clear-cut vision. Not many can achieve the desired turnaround. Only a few can boast of the testimonial of this great man.

Power peddlers, who knew his exceptional capacity and did not want Buhari’s regime to succeed, were vehemently against this ticket. They proclaimed change but were against the people who can make it happen. This is the hypocrisy damaging our nation, keeping us chained to the forces of stagnation. What did they do next? They started attacking all his business and political interests in 2015. They have bought over many of his allies and turned them against him. They believe that if they can destroy his support system, they can quench his passion.

However, time and recent events have proved them wrong. I am not a spiritual person. But I can see it well. I am sure that all those who claimed spirituality should have seen that this man remains not only constant but also resolute as a progressive force that could bring the solutions that we all yearn for. My support for him is not based on sentiment but founded on his capability for smart visioning and his unique style of bringing solutions and, of course, his financial wizardry.

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I am totally convinced that this is the man for this moment. This is a moment when a lot is at stake in this nation. It is our make or mar moment. A lot is hanging in the balance. We all know that a leadership error at this moment will be a die-cast for the fragmentation of all that makes this nation tick. In all my years of studying Tinubu, I have been awed by his capacity to generate solutions to seemingly complex challenges. His ability to think clearly brought about the idea of Independent Power Plants (IPPs) at a time when the power supply in Lagos State was very bad. He was the first to do this in Nigeria via Enron with 270 megawatts.

The private sector keyed into it and they are still ready to buy into it. The strategy was to be able to release the 100 megawatts from the grid to the public while the private sector pays higher rates for the IPP. By 2004, the Lagos State Government planned to add another 570 megawatts in Morogbo, Badagry. But the federal government, then under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), made nonsense of the project. It gave Ibadan 90 megawatts and was removing over N250 million monthly from the allocation of Lagos State. Till today, Lagos is yet to get constant electricity in Nigeria despite the fact that the idea was hijacked at the federal level. Also, Asiwaju brought up the idea of 1,000 Lagos Free Trade Zone (LFZ) in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area. Today, the zone has over 40 multi-billion-dollar investors including Dangote Refinery Ltd, Dangote Petrochemical & Fertilizer Plant and Lekki Deep Sea Port.

Nigerians should be berated for their inability to elect the right leaders to steer Africa’s biggest economy currently valued at $440.78 billion. The examples of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Moshood Abiola are pungent examples of our costly errors in the past. Shall we continue this ruinous trend? Shall we keep cutting our noses to spite our faces? You want Nigeria to progress. Yet, you cannot see that there is a candidate who is very ready, willing and qualified for the job. There is no gainsaying that Asiwaju’s sound background in public policy and finance is needed at a time like this.

The foundation that he laid by initiating a development plan for Lagos State over two decades ago is the singular reason for the sustained prosperity of this megacity, which according to the Lagos State Bureau of Statistics, today accounts for 26.7 per cent of Nigeria’s total GDP and more than 50 per cent of non-oil GDP. The physical development, social growth and economic prosperity of the state are distinct in sub-Saharan Africa. With the solid foundation Asiwaju laid, Lagos should soon be matching Johannesburg (South Africa, $276 billion GDP), Cape Town (South Africa, $155 billion), and Cairo (Egypt, $140 billion).

The major distraction, which is now being escalated, is this controversy about religion. As a people, we have always looked forward to everything or anything that could take our eyes off our challenges. That is our nature, and thus is how we allow sentiment to continue to govern our lives and derail us from the sure path of progress. But I want us to know that this is a distraction that we cannot afford at a critical time like this. The debate is a game plan to scuttle the rescue plan that we need so badly.

What has being a Muslim or Christian got to do with having a clear mind and sound ideas to move Nigeria forward? Has religion contributed greatly to our national development? Which of the past leaders performed creditably as a result of his religious affiliation? Asiwaju is a detribalised and liberalised leader in all ramifications. He was the one who even gave the Easterners the best platform to grow their business in Lagos State. They feel so free to come to Lagos with the assurance that they will return home in prosperity. Under his guidance, governance opportunities are extended to all who live in Lagos without allusion to tribe or religion.

I have observed that the old generation churches understand the dynamics. The new generation of churches should please audit themselves. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo happens to be a Senior Pastor in one of Nigeria’s biggest churches. He has been the second in command for seven years. He is in charge of the economy and he has been very active in the church all over the country. He has been within the setup. Yet, they talk of the Islamisation of Nigeria. The last time I checked, the majority of the people that work with him are Christians, with many pastors among them. I have never seen a delegation of Christians go officially protest to him that Christians are being maltreated. They now complain about persecution in the United States and the United Kingdom. What an irony? What is their deep-seated intention? Is it to trouble this nation further?

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President Buhari, like any other man, has his faults. But in their hatred for the man, they have not seen that the man is a clear-headed Muslim with only one wife and shakes hands with ladies. I do know he attended church services when necessary to honour his Christian associates when the needs arise. He is a man that works easily with a pastor as his deputy and has another pastor friend as a former vice presidential candidate (Pastor Tunde Bakare). Can this man be said to be against Christianity?

Here we are again. Tinubu’s choice of Kashim Shettima is a boil in the nose of detractors. This is a man with a sound educational background and exposure locally and globally. He is a detribalised Nigerian with landmark achievements during his stint as Borno State Governor. A serving senator and a banker by profession, Shettima is well loved by both Muslims and Christians in Borno State. It was said that he made funds available for the re-building of churches destroyed by terrorists. He launched attacks against various terrorist groups in the state. No wonder he is top on the hit list of the terrorists. But they will never get him. He committed a lot of resources to fighting insurgents and resettling the victims of terror attacks.

Obviously, the enemies of Nigeria see this Tinubu-Shettima as another powerful combination that can open the doors of progress. As a result, they don’t want it to fly. I will tell you that this arrangement will bring a guarantee of defeat for Boko Haram. We have two individuals who are thinkers and doers. Shettima will bring in the ground knowledge on situations of insurgency, and it will be tackled headlong. We should spend more time thinking of Shettima’s competencies and how capable he is to give us the kind of peculiar leadership at a time like this. Not his religion.

Asiwaju too is undoubtedly a man who dictates to challenges. Challenges do not control him. He is a civilian with the heart of a gallant soldier who faces issues headlong without a thought of retreating until victory is achieved. Let us all support this man. Electricity will no longer be a nightmare and insecurity will become history. Once security and power issues are tackled, our diasporas will surely come back to contribute to our journey to greatness.

While others without a meaningful agenda are dancing to a piece of music they think could bring acceptance, Asiwaju is looking beyond the rhythm of their music. He sees capacity. He does not see religion or ethnicity. He wants to solve problems all the time and bequeath a virile nation to posterity. He has evidence of his capacity all over. Take a look at the Civic Centre on Victoria Island. You will recall that stretch was a refuse dump. It was Asiwaju’s vision that changed the landscape of that entire space opposite the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island.

I plead all Nigerians of good conscience to desist from religion and ethnicity to divide us. These are the two weapons the so-called owners of Nigeria have been deploying to divide us. If they succeed, they will ultimately destroy Nigeria. God forbid! The tumours of religious and tribal division must be removed. I think Asiwaju has taken it upon himself to tackle these ills before bringing himself before the electorate. I am indeed very excited waiting for Asiwaju’s presidency. I am eager to see new and novel approaches to solving problems in a manner that turns challenges and concerns to positivity. He will draw up and implement development plans and build a legacy that leaders after him will build upon.

I plead again that anyone, who is very upset by this choice, should look at the man again and whatever he stood for in his years on earth and check if he indeed does not care about the other faith. His wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). The concerns are duly noted. I am sure there will be a lot of engagement as we move towards the elections, and the fears will be trashed out. The issues facing Nigeria can only be resolved by a man of strong political will, a resolute man with a lot of courage.

I am sure his era will bring prosperity to all, irrespective of our religious biases – Christians, Muslims and those of other faiths. Asiwaju is the best amongst the presidential candidates now. Please, for the sake of our posterity, let’s focus on what will lead us back to the path of prosperity. Nigeria needs this kind of leader now: a courageous, dynamic and resolute solution strategist: Asiwaju is a man for a moment like this.

THE NATION

Related Topics:2023 poll Featured Tinubu

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Politics

ADC crisis deepens as Lukman suspends membership, accuses El-Rufai of hostility

Published

21 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Trends Admin

ADC crisis deepens as Lukman suspends membership, accuses El-Rufai of hostility

A fresh crisis has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections after former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice Chairman (North-West), Salihu Lukman, announced the suspension of his membership of the party, citing what he described as persistent hostility and marginalisation by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Lukman disclosed his decision in a letter addressed to ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, saying he could no longer remain in a political environment where he felt isolated despite his efforts to build a formidable opposition platform.

According to him, his vision of helping transform the ADC into a strong democratic party capable of challenging for power in the 2027 elections has gradually faded because some coalition leaders are allegedly repeating the same political practices that weakened their former parties.

“I will spend some time reflecting and deciding what I want to do with my life. My expectation that we will build the ADC into a strong Democratic Party has been diminished,” Lukman stated.

He lamented that despite spending more than a year working to unite opposition leaders in Kaduna State, he had consistently been treated as the problem by El-Rufai and his political associates.

“I have spent more than a year trying to unite leaders in Kaduna. For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem. I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone. I have suspended my membership of the party and the coalition because of the reasons above,” he said.

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Lukman argued that the opposition coalition was gradually losing sight of its original objective of strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, alleging that personal interests had begun to overshadow the broader goal of building a credible alternative political platform.

According to him, some coalition leaders appear more interested in imposing their preferences than fostering internal democracy, warning that such actions could reduce the ADC to a marginal force in the 2027 elections.

The former APC chieftain also criticised former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing him of engaging with individuals in Kaduna whom he described as having questionable commitment to the party while ignoring those who had worked to strengthen the coalition.

“Already, I can see that HE Amaechi is in overdrive mode and is reaching out to people from Kaduna with questionable commitment. Whatever he wants to do with them is certainly not about building the party into a strong Democratic Party, which is why the views of those of us from Kaduna don’t matter,” Lukman stated.

Despite suspending his membership, Lukman stressed that his decision was not directed at the national leadership of the ADC.

He praised Senator David Mark and other national leaders for their commitment to the coalition, insisting that his grievance was specifically with what he described as the disdainful treatment he had received from El-Rufai and some coalition leaders in Kaduna.

“But it has everything to do with the disdainful treatment being meted out to me by some few coalition leaders, especially Mallam Nasir and his supporters in Kaduna. I am sorry, I just can’t continue,” he added.

Lukman, who previously served as Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), resigned from the APC in 2024 after criticising the ruling party’s internal democracy before joining the ADC-led coalition, where he became one of the prominent figures advocating for a united opposition ahead of the next general election.

His decision to suspend his membership is expected to intensify concerns over unity within the opposition coalition, which has in recent months attracted several high-profile politicians seeking to build a stronger platform to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.

Political observers say the development could complicate ongoing efforts to strengthen the coalition, particularly in key states such as Kaduna, where internal disagreements have continued to generate tensions among leading opposition figures.

As of the time of filing this report, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator David Mark, and the ADC National Working Committee had not publicly responded to Lukman’s allegations.

The latest development comes at a critical time for the opposition coalition as consultations and realignments continue ahead of the build-up to the 2027 presidential election, with party leaders under increasing pressure to maintain unity and resolve internal disputes.

ADC crisis deepens as Lukman suspends membership, accuses El-Rufai of hostility

Politics

BREAKING: Hamzat Didn’t Know Running Mate Until APC Picked Her

Published

21 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat and His Running Mate, Damilola Sonayon-James

BREAKING: Hamzat Didn’t Know Running Mate Until APC Picked Her

The Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has disclosed that he had no prior personal relationship with his running mate, Damilola Sonayon-James, before the party selected her as his deputy for the 2027 governorship election. Hamzat made the revelation on Thursday during the public presentation of Who Is She?, an event held at the Syrian Club Event Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos. According to Hamzat, although he played a role in defining the qualities the party should look for in a running mate, he had never personally interacted with Sonayon-James until after her emergence. He admitted that he did not even have her phone number at the time of her selection and had to obtain it from a third party.

The selection process was shaped by recommendations that received the approval of President Bola Tinubu. Hamzat explained that the President delegated the responsibility of selecting the deputy governorship candidate to party leaders after agreeing with his proposal that the position should go to a young woman. “The President called me and said, you guys go and sort it out, and I’m quoting him. I said, sir, I think it should be a female. He said, it’s okay. It should be young. He said, it’s okay,” Hamzat recounted.

The selection process also took into consideration the state’s political balancing and zoning arrangement. Since Hamzat hails from the Lagos East Senatorial District and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu comes from the Lagos Central District, the running mate had to be chosen from the Lagos West District. “We now said, okay, but we must also make sure it’s not from the east, because I’m from the east. And then the current governor is from the central, so it cannot be from central. It must be from the west,” Hamzat explained.

Despite the careful selection process, Hamzat admitted that Sonayon-James was a complete stranger to him before her emergence. “But my point is that until Damilola was elected, I don’t know her phone number. I got her phone number from somebody,” he said. The deputy governor, however, emphasised that what mattered most was her record of service and commitment to grassroots development. He described her as an active community leader who has been doing great things for her people. “But what is the important thing? The important thing is that she’s been very active in the community. She’s been doing great things,” Hamzat said.

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Hamzat also took the opportunity to encourage young women to remain optimistic about opportunities in Nigeria, urging them not to be discouraged by negative narratives about the country. “So, our young ladies, you know, if you listen on television, you hear all sorts of negative things about this country. Don’t believe it. Don’t believe it,” he said.

The Lagos State chapter of the APC officially announced Damilola Sonayon-James, the party’s Deputy Woman Leader, as Hamzat’s running mate for the 2027 governorship election in June 2026. Her nomination received the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) , the apex decision-making body of the APC in Lagos State. APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi said Sonayon-James emerged after extensive consultations and a rigorous selection process that considered competence, leadership capacity, grassroots acceptance, party loyalty, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to the continued development of Lagos State.

According to Ojelabi, Sonayon-James is a 41-year-old accomplished governance and development professional with over 15 years of experience spanning public policy, institutional development, sustainability, risk governance, human capital strategy, stakeholder engagement, and community development. She previously served as Supervisor for Agriculture and Social Services in Badagry-West Local Council Development Area, where she championed initiatives focused on agricultural development, women empowerment, youth inclusion, educational support, community welfare, and social intervention programmes. The Badagry-born politician is widely respected for her grassroots engagement and dedication to community development. Ojelabi described the Hamzat-Sonayon-James ticket as a blend of experience, innovation, grassroots connection, and visionary leadership capable of advancing the developmental aspirations of Lagos residents.

Hamzat secured the APC governorship ticket on May 21, 2026, polling 657,917 votes out of 657,974 accredited votes cast, while his sole challenger, Lanre Jim-Kamal, secured only one vote. His emergence is historic, as no deputy governor in the history of Lagos State has ever successfully contested to succeed their principal. Having served as Sanwo-Olu’s deputy since 2019, Hamzat is also the first deputy governor to serve two consecutive terms in the state since the return of democracy in 1999. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has officially unveiled the Hamzat-Sonayon-James ticket, describing the duo as a leadership team capable of sustaining and expanding development across Lagos State. Sanwo-Olu praised Sonayon-James as a sustainability expert and grassroots development advocate whose commitment to community development and youth empowerment reflects the aspirations of many Lagosians.

BREAKING: Hamzat Didn’t Know Running Mate Until APC Picked Her

Politics

INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku’s candidacy

Published

3 days ago

July 15, 2026

Trends Admin

INEC recognises David Mark-led ADC, validates Atiku’s candidacy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it will recognise only the candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections, effectively clearing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 470 other candidates to contest on the party’s platform.

The electoral commission’s clarification settles, for now, the dispute over which faction of the ADC is authorised to submit candidates for the 2027 polls, even as legal battles over the party’s internal leadership continue.

Speaking on the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed that the commission granted the David Mark-led leadership access to its secure candidate nomination portal following a Supreme Court judgment affirming the faction’s leadership of the party.

According to Haruna, the recognised leadership has already uploaded candidates for 471 elective positions, comprising two presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates, and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

“Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his leadership of the party, and the faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471—presidential (2), senatorial (109) and House of Representatives (360) constituencies,” Haruna said.

He added that the Supreme Court did not authorise INEC to receive nominations from the rival faction, stressing that the group had already lost its appeal seeking recognition.

“The court, however, did not say we should accept any submissions by the rival faction which, in any case, had lost its appeal for recognition,” he stated.

Haruna further disclosed that the commission would carefully study the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the latest Court of Appeal judgment before taking an official position on its implications for the party’s internal affairs.

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According to him, INEC will only make a formal decision after examining the details of the appellate court’s ruling.

The clarification followed claims by the rival ADC faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, which alleged that it had obtained access to INEC’s nomination portal and successfully uploaded candidates for the 2027 elections.

Reacting, the ADC welcomed INEC’s position and accused the rival faction of attempting to mislead Nigerians by circulating forged documents.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said INEC had confirmed that the document circulated by the rival faction claiming access to the commission’s nomination portal was forged.

According to the party, falsely claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform is a serious offence capable of undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The party therefore urged INEC and security agencies to investigate those behind the alleged forgery and prosecute anyone found culpable in accordance with the law.

The development comes shortly after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier Federal High Court judgment restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.

However, the party maintained that the appellate court’s decision relates only to the conduct of ward, local government and state congresses, insisting that it has no effect on the direct primary elections through which its presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives candidates emerged.

The ADC said the ruling does not invalidate the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate or affect the validity of candidates already nominated for the 2027 elections.

Political observers say INEC’s latest clarification provides greater certainty over the party’s candidate nomination process, although the broader legal dispute over the ADC’s leadership structure is expected to continue in court.

With the nomination process now largely concluded, attention is expected to shift to the resolution of pending litigation, campaign preparations and political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The recognition of the David Mark-led ADC is also viewed as a significant boost for the opposition coalition that adopted the party as its platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election.

As legal proceedings continue, analysts believe the courts will ultimately determine the outstanding issues surrounding the party’s internal leadership, while INEC remains guided by existing judicial pronouncements in administering the electoral process.