Not that it was completely unexpected but when it happened, the political space has not been the same again. The duo of OYEDAPO OYEWOLE and FLORENCE OLUGBODI examines reactions of some prominent Nigerians on the declared interest of the former governor of Lagos State to contest for the number one office in the land.
Chief Olabode George
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition is a huge joke. This so-called ambition must be a huge joke. The Presidency of Nigeria is not for characters like Bola Tinubu. Look at how he mismanaged the resources of Lagos State. Surprisingly, he can even dream of becoming the President of Nigeria. He is living in cuckoo land.
Tinubu will be shocked by how things will go and how he will be double-crossed by those he is trusting.
The South-West has quality leaders who could produce the next President of Nigeria. Tinubu is not one of them. It will be an insult for the South-West, which is the most sophisticated region in the country, to settle for Tinubu.
It was unfortunate that a hallowed ground like the Presidential Villa would be the location for Tinubu to declare his ambition.
Chief Alex Ogbonnia
Spokesperson for the Igbo apex body, Ohaneaze Ndigbo
The declaration of Tinubu to contest the Presidency in 2023 is against the rules of natural justice and unfortunate.
Regrettably, the former Lagos State governor had chosen to add to the crisis of Nigeria instead of joining hands with patriots to save the corporate existence of the country.
It is an assertion rooted in history and experience that any project that is not supported by justice and equity will not succeed.
Tinubu knows that he is doing the wrong thing, by embarking on a project that was not rooted in equity, justice and fair play. His presidential ambition is a project that is dead on arrival. Because God is a universal entity that he is always interested in truth, fairness and equity. So for anybody embarking on anything that is not rooted in equity and justice will not succeed and this is a countervailing force that has sustained this world from the beginning.
So Tinubu knows that he is embarking on a cause that has no foundation in anything: foundation in equity and justice, and of course is a project that will not succeed.”
Unfortunately, Tinubu had decided to add to the crisis in Nigeria, because there is this collective conscience that has been guiding this country. The collective conscience is to culturally determine what is right and what is wrong and to pursue the right one and ignore the wrong one.
Ayodele Fayose
Former governor of Ekiti State
I have no interest in the 2023 presidential ambition of the former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu. I have never met Bola Tinubu in the last three years and never talked with him on the phone once.
I have not abandoned my ambition to be Nigeria’s president. The office of the President is a noble one and I will love to be the president of Nigeria if the opportunity permits.
I have confidence that my party, the Peoples Democratic Party, would produce Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general elections.
Bola Tinubu is a leader in the West. It is a statement of fact but I have not met or spoken with him in years.
To the best of my knowledge, I am not a member of APC. I do not influence how he will become if he wants to become. I have no interest; the only interest I have is that a PDP president must be put in place.
If this country exists for the peace and enjoyment of all of us, we will not be talking about APC, it is PDP. A PDP man cannot attend a function with an APC man. An APC man cannot greet a PDP man; we can’t continue like that; it shows the level of hypocrisy.
Senator Orji Kalu
Senate’s Chief Whip
Tinubu and I have a deep friendship and the former Lagos State governor’s presidential ambitions do not constitute any threat to mine.
Tinubu is not a threat to my ambition and I am not a threat to his ambition. We are very close friends and our friendship is deep-rooted. When my wife and I went back to Abia as governor, nobody was occupying my house in Victoria Island, Lagos. So my children were in school at that time and some were schooling at Corona Schools while one was in French International School in 1998 and they were living with Senator Oluremi Tinubu. So we are like a family and politics cannot separate us.
In 2003, when Tinubu was seeking re-election and I saw that he was lagging, I assisted him and it was part of what caused my problem with former President (Olusegun) Obasanjo. So we are a family and we cannot quarrel because of politics. He might have his idea on how to do it and I might have my idea on how to do it. But all I know is that if we meet at Eagle Square I will give a very good account of myself.
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN)
Bola Tinubu’s presidency would improve the welfare of our members if he becomes president in 2023.
We recounted how he (Tinubu) intervened in the crisis in Benue State when he was the governor of Lagos State.
We are also scanning the people showing interest in the presidential seat with Bola Tinubu. He was the one who intervened in our matter while he was governor of Lagos and when we had a crisis in Benue State.
Tinubu came all the way, got us on a round table, and reconciled us. So, someone who could do this at that time, we believe can do more when he is at the helm of affairs.
BABAFEMI OJUDU
Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters
I know Tinubu. I respect and adore him. Many of his latter-day supporters do not even know him. If they do, they won’t resort to emotional and physical blackmail. When Tinubu decided to go against Afenifere and the Yoruba elders in 2003 by not supporting President Olusegun Obasanjo, he wasn’t betraying the Yoruba nation or a traitor to Afenifere.
He made a choice and history has been his judge. Let history be my judge too. When he supported Chief Olu Falae against Chief Bola Ige, our respected leader, who fought for him to emerge as the candidate of Alliance for Democracy in Lagos, no one shouted betrayal.
For the irritants that have been sending threatening messages to me and members of my family or calling to abuse me for not supporting Tinubu, do know that this is not democracy. It is something else. I spent my youth years fighting autocracy and intolerance of the military and I am still willing and ready, even now, to stand up for what I believe, even if it will cost me my life. Enough said.
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Public Opinion Leaders Group
The Chairman of the Public Opinion Leaders Group, a unit of The Progressive Project (TPP), one of the groups rooting for Osinbajo presidency in 2023, Shettima Umar Gana,
Tinubu’s declaration would not change our minds, Both Osinbajo and Tinubu should go and test their might.
What is happening is democracy. He (Bola Tinubu) wants to run, we want our own man (Osinbajo) to run. That is the beauty of democracy; we want our man to come out because we believe he has some good qualities.
Bola Tinubu also has some qualities, let them all come out; democracy cannot be only one aspirant let them all come out that is democracy.
In a democracy, everybody has his own opinion, his wish and his vote. Let them come out and let us go to the field.
Ours is that this man is good, let him come out and we’ll support him. What we’re doing has nothing to do with Bola Tinubu coming out or not, let him come out and let everyone that wants to come, come. It’s a democracy that is not a problem.
Chief Ekene Enefe
Convener. South East Destiny Movement, Igbo Socio-Political Group
Tinubu has proven to be fit for the position and should be supported.
Tinubu’s good leadership ability has qualified him for the position.
Our group has assessed the value that Tinubu had brought to Nigerian politics as well as the economic and infrastructural foundation laid in Lagos State, and most importantly, the human capital he built during and after his reign as governor of the state.
He is one of the most detribalized Nigerians, who, as governor, had appointees from every part of the country. BAT (Tinubu) is one man that believes in merit; if you have the competence he is looking for, he engages you; that is the kind of man Nigeria needs now. We are supporting him because what Nigeria needs in a president is capacity, competence and national acceptability. The country does not need ethnic champions.
What we need in Nigeria is a good leader, who is informed and who can harness and allocate the resources of this country equitably.
We cannot continue to advocate for a president based on ethnicity. There was a time when people from the South-East occupied good positions in government, but it did not translate into improved infrastructure in the region.
As a matter of fact, some of the champions of the President from South-East extraction are doing it for selfish reasons. How have they used their former opportunities to better the lots of the people in their immediate environment?”
The SDMBAT is largely made up of youths, who were desirous of national cohesion and progress with a presence at the grassroots in the South-East region.
We are in touch with every community in the South-East; we have been existing and decided to provide our platform for BAT, because he represents a better opportunity for the APC and better leadership for Nigeria, because of his proven experience.
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