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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2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

Published

10 hours ago

October 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has signalled its willingness to consider restoring petrol subsidy if it wins the 2027 general election, with its vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, promising to explore all necessary measures to reduce fuel prices and ease the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

Kwankwaso made the declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, October 15, saying the party’s leadership was united on the need to make energy more affordable.

The former Kano State governor said he, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party’s leader, Seriake Dickson, had aligned their positions on addressing the high cost of energy in the country.

According to Kwankwaso, the party would consider whatever measures were necessary to bring down petrol prices, including a possible return to fuel subsidy.

He argued that the cost of petrol had become a major burden on households and businesses, contributing to higher transportation fares, rising food prices and increased operating costs for companies.

The NDC candidate said an incoming government would need to examine available policy options to reduce the pressure on Nigerians, particularly low-income earners and small businesses struggling with the rising cost of living.

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Kwankwaso also identified corruption and irregularities in the petroleum industry as issues that must be addressed to ensure Nigerians benefit from reforms in the sector.

He suggested that reducing waste and tackling abuses could help improve the management of public resources and support efforts to make petroleum products more affordable.

The comments reopen the debate over fuel subsidy removal, one of the most consequential economic decisions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who announced the end of the policy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

The removal led to a sharp increase in petrol prices, with the effects spreading across transportation, food distribution, manufacturing and other sectors of the economy.

The Tinubu administration has defended the decision as part of broader economic reforms intended to reduce the government’s subsidy burden and redirect public funds towards other priorities. However, the resulting increase in living costs has remained a major concern for many Nigerians.

Kwankwaso’s statement suggests that the NDC would be prepared to revisit the policy if elected in 2027. However, the party has yet to publish a comprehensive framework explaining how a possible subsidy scheme would operate, how much it would cost or how the government would fund it without creating additional pressure on public finances.

Questions also remain about the proposed safeguards against corruption, the method of determining eligible beneficiaries and whether any intervention would involve a blanket subsidy or a more targeted arrangement.

The NDC’s position is expected to feature in the wider debate over economic policy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as political parties outline their plans for addressing high petrol prices, inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

For Nigerians facing elevated transportation and household expenses, the central issue will be whether the party can translate its promise of cheaper petrol into a practical, transparent and financially sustainable policy.

2027: Kwankwaso Signals Fuel Subsidy Comeback as NDC Vows to Crash Petrol Prices

Politics

Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

Published

16 hours ago

October 16, 2026

Trends Admin

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Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and his nephew, Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, have come under criticism on social media following renewed attention to the governor’s reported support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

The controversy centres on the perceived contradiction between Davido’s earlier opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and his uncle’s subsequent political alignment with Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The backlash intensified after Davido’s earlier social media comments criticising APC supporters in Osun resurfaced, prompting some Nigerians to question whether the Adeleke family was applying different political standards at the state and federal levels.

During the build-up to the August 2026 Osun governorship election, Davido reportedly declared that anybody supporting the APC in the state was an “enemy of progress”. The singer had openly campaigned for his uncle, who contested the election on the platform of the Accord Party.

Adeleke subsequently won re-election, while his reported support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition has reopened debate about the political positions previously expressed by the governor and his nephew.

The governor’s reported involvement in Tinubu’s re-election campaign has attracted attention because of the fierce political contest between the Accord Party and the APC during the Osun governorship election.

Reports published on October 15 indicated that Adeleke had been named among the coordinators of Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign structure in Osun State. The development prompted renewed scrutiny of his political relationship with the president.

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Adeleke had previously explained that his support for Tinubu was based partly on their shared Yoruba background and his desire to encourage the president to continue federal infrastructure projects in the South-West.

In an interview reported in August, the governor said his support was not the result of a prior agreement with the president. He also defended his engagement with Tinubu as an opportunity to discuss the development of Osun State.

The explanation has not ended the debate, with critics questioning how the governor’s current position aligns with the political messaging used to mobilise support for his re-election.

Reactions circulating on social media included accusations of political inconsistency, with some users arguing that the family had opposed the APC in Osun while appearing willing to support the party at the national level.

One commenter argued that supporters who stood behind Adeleke during the governorship contest deserved an explanation for the governor’s subsequent political alignment.

Another questioned the apparent difference between Davido’s earlier criticism of APC supporters in Osun and his uncle’s reported backing of Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Other commenters, however, framed the development as a reflection of the shifting alliances that characterise Nigerian politics, arguing that politicians frequently cooperate with former opponents when their interests converge.

The reactions reflect competing views about political loyalty, the expectations of supporters and the freedom of elected officials to make strategic decisions after an election.

Davido’s role in the controversy stems from his outspoken support for his uncle during the Osun governorship campaign. The singer had publicly criticised the APC and defended Adeleke’s administration, making his earlier posts a focal point of the latest debate.

With his uncle now associated with Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, some social media users have called on the musician to clarify his position.

However, the criticism directed at Davido is largely linked to his previous public statements and his relationship with the governor. It should not be taken as evidence that the singer has changed his political position or endorsed Tinubu’s re-election.

The dispute highlights the challenges political figures may face when their alliances change after elections, particularly when their supporters have been mobilised around strong opposition to a rival party.

For Adeleke, the debate raises questions about how his support for Tinubu will be received by voters who backed him on the Accord Party platform.

For Davido, the resurfacing of his earlier comments illustrates how statements made during election campaigns can continue to shape public perceptions long after the polls have closed.

The development also comes amid growing political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, when parties and political figures are expected to pursue alliances to strengthen their electoral prospects.

Ultimately, whether the controversy will affect the Adeleke family’s political standing in Osun remains uncertain. The online backlash, however, has brought the relationship between political loyalty, electoral promises and shifting alliances back into public debate.

The criticism quoted in this report represents the views of social media users, not established findings of wrongdoing. The available information does not establish that Adeleke or Davido personally insulted Osun voters or independently verify claims that people died specifically because of their political support for the governor.

Adeleke, Davido Face Backlash Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Bid

Politics

Tinubu Speech Controversy: Reno Omokri Fires Back at Critics, Cites Live TV Footage

Published

17 hours ago

October 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Reno Omokri and President Bola Tinubu

Tinubu Speech Controversy: Reno Omokri Fires Back at Critics, Cites Live TV Footage

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has challenged claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s speech at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council was pre-recorded, pointing to television coverage and footage he said showed the President delivering the address at the event.

Omokri argued that the presence of journalists, reported live broadcasts and footage showing Tinubu moving to the podium contradicted suggestions that the speech had been recorded before the inauguration.

The controversy followed questions raised by human rights lawyer Chidi Odinkalu, who expressed doubts about the circumstances surrounding the President’s appearance in the video of the event. Odinkalu questioned the camera work and transitions in the footage and called for additional recordings to establish what happened at the venue.

Responding to the allegation, Omokri cited coverage by television stations, including Arise Television, as part of his argument that Tinubu attended the inauguration and delivered his address in person.

According to Omokri, the footage showed Tinubu rising from his seat in the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, walking to the presidential podium bearing the Coat of Arms and delivering his speech as cameras followed his movements.

He also pointed to shots showing the President’s empty seat after he stood up, different camera angles capturing him at the podium and footage of his interactions with attendees.

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Omokri further referred to exchanges involving Tinubu and some participants, including Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, whom he identified as the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council.

The former presidential aide maintained that these details undermined the allegation that the President’s address had been pre-recorded. However, his arguments about the footage should be distinguished from independently established facts about the event.

In a separate report published on October 15, 2026, Premium Times said it had independently confirmed that Tinubu was physically present at the inauguration. The report provided an additional basis for assessing claims about the President’s attendance, beyond Omokri’s response.

Odinkalu’s concerns centred on what he described as unusual transitions and production-style camera work in the video. He challenged the organisers to release footage showing Tinubu walking to the podium and a wide-angle view of the hall to help clarify the circumstances surrounding the address.

The competing accounts have made the original footage central to the dispute. While evidence of Tinubu’s physical presence would challenge claims that he was absent from the venue, questions about how the address was recorded, edited and broadcast must be assessed against the available footage and other verifiable evidence.

Omokri also criticised those questioning the speech, arguing that critics of the administration should focus on examining the substance of Tinubu’s address rather than disputing whether it was delivered live.

He described the speech as well received and said it highlighted the administration’s economic performance and achievements.

According to Omokri, Tinubu used the occasion to discuss Nigeria’s economic performance, including claims of sustained gross domestic product (GDP) growth above four per cent, 14 consecutive cycles of trade surpluses and Nigeria’s contribution to global economic growth in 2025.

Omokri also referred to claims about the performance of the Nigerian stock market, which he said had been described as the most profitable in the world, citing Bloomberg.

These economic figures and assessments were presented as part of Omokri’s defence of the President’s address. They require separate examination against the relevant economic data and reporting and should not be treated as independently verified merely because they were cited in the political exchange.

The former presidential aide argued that opposition figures should scrutinise the administration’s economic claims and present alternative assessments of its performance rather than focus on the recording controversy.

He accused critics of failing to provide what he considered a substantive response to the President’s address and described the pre-recording allegation as disappointing.

The dispute has brought renewed attention to Tinubu’s APC campaign council inauguration, the circumstances surrounding his address and the wider political debate over the administration’s record.