Politics

2023: Tinubu’s false age, educational qualification accusations unjustifiable, says Lagos APC chieftain

Published

3 years ago

January 26, 2022

APC National Leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, has described as unjustifiable the allegations of age falsification, questionable educational qualification and source of wealth against the party’s National Leader and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu.

There have been series of allegations against Tinubu in the public space after declaration of his ambition to contest in 2023 presidential poll with the plan to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in May 29.

Oladejo, stated this on Tuesday, during a media parley on wide range of issues bordering on Lagos politics as well as APC leaders’ aspirations, held at the party’s Secretariat, Acme, Ikeja.

The APC scribe, who maintained that Tinubu has the right to contest the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 election, charged those kicking against his presidential ambition to be democratic and provide facts rather than resorting to cheap blackmail.

According to him, “”Allegations and blackmail over Asiwaju Tinubu’s source of wealth, education qualification and age, are unjustifiable because they are accusations without substantive facts.

“it is very interesting that those in opposition suddenly have access to Asiwaju’s medical record and they have become the authority on his state of health.

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“Tinubu’s movement to different parts of the country in the last few months showed that he is medically fit going by World Health Organisation WHO, which defines good health as a complete state of physical, psychology and social wellbeing.”

Oladejo, stressed that Tinubu should be commended for making his recent knee surgery public despite being a private citizen, adding that “since the APC National Leader returned back from his foreign medical trip, he has been moving across Nigeria, attesting to clearn bill of health.”

Speaking about the controversy trailing Tinubu’s age from some quarters, Oladejo said nothing has been hidden about the former Lagos State governor’s age, noting that “for over one and half decades, Aswaju has always celebrated his birthday. Come March 29, Asiwaju will be 70 years old. It is as clear as that.”

On Tinubu’s source of wealth, Oladejo stated that “Asiwaju’s wealth cannot be measured in monetary value and in terms of naira and kobo. His wealth should be measured by the goodwill and image he has built through development of men who are willing to play their parts at a time like this. These men are spread all over Nigeria.”

Oladejo said Tinubu has the required qualifications to be President of Nigeria based on constitutional provisions, that anybody running for the presidency must be 35 years old, be a card-carrying member of a political party and must be sponsored by a political party.

“Tinubu is eminently qualified to be Nigeria’s President because of the confidence people have in him having distinguished himself during his eight years as Governor of Lagos State as well as his contributions to national politics in the last three decades,” Oladejo stated.

According to him, “As at the last count, over 1,800 groups across the country are already clamouring for his candidature.”

“We are excited about Asiwaju’s aspiration. We are excited because for once we have someone who is aspiring, who is a willing aspirant to say. He is not been forced on us and he is not been thrown up by circumstances to run for the office. As we speak, we have over 1,800 different groups across the country clamouring for Asiwaju Tinubu’s candidature and calling on him to throw his hat into the ring for the presidential election.

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“Asiwaju is well-grounded and over time, he has built a whole lot of goodwill and image across the country; across various ethnic nationalities. Asiwaju over time has been a man of the people. Looking at various issues such as economy, security, education, good health, among others in the country, it is high time for us to have a personality like Asiwaju to run for the presidency and we are very optimistic. The opposition will have their say but people will have their way,” he said.

Oladejo said the decision of Tinubu to contest for the presidency is already giving a lot of people sleepless nights, especially those who are interested in the presidency, but he believed that the APC’s national leader is a democrat who would never stop others from contesting.

He was optimistic of Tinubu defeating aspirants from South-West and other parts of the country during the APC presidential primaries and general elections because overwhelming acceptance and support across the country, adding that the clamour for Tinubu’s presidency is also from the North.

“Asiwaju is a democrat, the more the merrier when it comes to the number of aspirants aspiring for the presidency. I am sure with the various people supporting Asiwaju, there is no reason for us to lose sleep over anyone’s aspiration, especially someone who has not really made his aspiration clear.

”We should commend Asiwaju for the way he is approaching this race. First, he went to the incumbent president to inform him about his aspiration. He is yet to officially declare interest though,” Oladejo said.

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Related Topics:2023 accusations Age educational Featured Lagos APC chieftains qualification Tinubu

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Politics

2027: We’ll support Tinubu, Bayelsa PDP chair tells Gov Diri

Published

3 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Trends Admin

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri

2027: We’ll support Tinubu, Bayelsa PDP chair tells Gov Diri

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the South South zonal Secretary and caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, George Turnah, has insisted that the party will support President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even if the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, does not.

The PDP Zonal leader said almost all the governors from South-South supported Tinubu, irrespective of their party affiliations.

Turnah, who is the lead convener of the New Associates, a pro-Wike group inaugurated in Bayelsa State over the weekend, also called on Governor Diri to immediately declare where he stands.

He said he decided to organize last Saturday’s rally in Yenagoa to thank President Bola Tinubu for appointing sons and daughters of the Niger Delta.

He said: “I want to formally call on Governor Douye Diri to immediately announce his stand regarding the 2027 presidency, so that Bayelsans can know where they stand.

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“If he is supporting President Tinubu, he should come out and tell us. But if he wants to align with other candidates, let him say so. Then we will know whether to follow him or not. The leader who has openly declared support for President Tinubu is Nyesom Wike. If our governor comes tomorrow and says he supports Tinubu, we will work with him. If he says otherwise, we will galvanize support for Tinubu ourselves.

“In 2019, the Southern Governors met in Asaba and agreed that power should return to the South. Despite that agreement, some decided to act otherwise. But in all, Tinubu from Southern Nigeria became President.

“Tinubu is not from my party, PDP, but once a leader is elected, he becomes the President of Nigeria, and we must support our leader.

“Opposition is not about plotting for leaders to fail. If a leader succeeds, the people benefit. Opposition should uphold leaders to deliver for the people. If a leader is performing, there should be no rush to remove him. When the time comes, PDP will make its decisions.”

2027: We’ll support Tinubu, Bayelsa PDP chair tells Gov Diri

Politics

Wike, Bode George, PDP govs working for Tinubu’s 2nd term – APC chieftain

Published

10 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Wike, Bode George, PDP govs working for Tinubu’s 2nd term – APC chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples’ Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has suggested that the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike; Chief Bode George; and some PDP governors may be working behind the scenes to influence President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

In a statement released to newsmen in Port-Harcourt on Sunday, Eze, the former spokesperson of the defunct nPDP, pointed to recent statements by Wike, Bode George, and the PDP governors, which he believes may indicate support for Tinubu’s re-election despite the challenges Nigerians are facing under the current APC administration.

Eze also noted that if Atiku Abubakar had chosen Wike as his vice-presidential candidate in 2023, Wike would have worked towards securing Atiku’s election as president. He added, “For Atiku to have listened to me and many other patriotic Nigerians in rejecting Wike as his vice president, he has done a great relief both to his life and that of Nigerians.”

Rather than focusing on forming a coalition, Eze emphasized that the Tinubu administration should prioritize effective governance that will directly benefit Nigerians and improve the economy, rather than focusing solely on the 2027 elections.

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In response to Chief Bode George’s comments that the PDP would be “finally buried” if Atiku secures the party’s presidential nomination, Eze suggested that Nigerians should carefully consider George’s views. He questioned who in the PDP, besides Atiku, could mount a serious challenge to a well-coordinated figure like Tinubu.

Eze also pointed to challenges faced by the PDP and Labour Party in Lagos during the 2023 general elections and expressed concerns that George might attempt to influence the 2027 elections in a similar manner.

Regarding the PDP governors, Eze suggested that their goal may be to either prevent the party from presenting a viable presidential candidate in 2027, or to field a candidate who might struggle to gain significant support.

Eze stressed that opposition parties need to unite and form a strong platform to challenge the APC in 2027. He also supported Atiku’s assertion that a coalition is crucial to unseating President Bola Tinubu.

In response to the PDP Governors’ Forum, which distanced itself from the coalition proposal, Eze remarked, “The position of the PDP governors highlights systemic challenges in leadership. It is now clear that some of the PDP governors are prioritizing personal interests over addressing the impact of current administration policies on Nigerians.”

Eze concluded by challenging the PDP governors, asking, “If opposition parties and blocs do not unite, how can the APC be dislodged in 2027?” He urged the governors to reconsider their strategies.

Politics

Tinubu smashes opposition, four more PDP govs set to decamp

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2025

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu smashes opposition, four more PDP govs set to decamp

President Bola Tinubu’s determined push to weaken opposition ranks appears to be yielding results, with strong indications that four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Fresh investigation has revealed that Tinubu, long on the defensive against opposition attacks, has intensified efforts to consolidate power by targeting key figures in rival parties. His moves, insiders said, triggered the current wave of high-profile defections.

While sources within the APC and the Presidency attributed the looming defections to Tinubu’s aggressive political strategy, some opposition figures have accused the President of using inducements and blackmail to lure defectors. The president’s allies, on the other hand, have argued that his leadership style has made the APC increasingly attractive.

Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abba Yusuf (Kano), and suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara have been named as the next big catches for the ruling party.

“It is not a rumour. It is happening; those four governors – Eno, Mbah, Yusuf and Fubara — are on their way to joining the APC,” a senior party source confirmed.

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Officials at the APC national secretariat in Abuja also corroborated the development, pointing to an aggressive recruitment drive spearheaded by the President and top party leaders.

The anticipated defections come on the heels of last Wednesday’s surprise defection by Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP structure in the state to the APC. Their move was announced by Senator James Manager after a six-hour meeting at the Government House in Asaba.

Meanwhile, concerns have emerged over the tactics allegedly employed to secure these defections. A senior source cited the alleged Tinubu’s secret meeting with Fubara in London as a possible example of backroom pressure. The meeting reportedly took place at Fubara’s request following his suspension and the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

A source familiar with the situation said, “It was at that meeting that we believed Fubara must have been coaxed into considering the idea of defection as part of the arrangement to return his mandate. We also have reasons to suspect that Governor Eno’s potential move to the APC is linked to his predecessor and godfather’s alleged corruption case with the EFCC.”

Regarding Kano, the source stated that Tinubu had intensified reconciliation efforts between former Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Rabiu Kwankwaso to pave the way for Yusuf’s defection.

“In the coming days, the news of Abba Yusuf’s defection will be made public because he will officially move to the APC with his mentor. We all know Kano is too big a state for Tinubu to ignore politically,” he added.