“Nigeria has promised so much, but disappointed way too many times for equity investors.” Financial Times of London
Babatunde Fashola SAN is one of the young Turks that President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu made a household name by tapping him as his successor as governor of Lagos State, the fifth largest economy on the continent of Africa.
Speaking on a Channels Television programme just before the Presidential elections with Seun Okinbaloye, Minister Fashola said the All Peoples Congress is a smart and sovereign organisation that has decided to make Bola Tinubu its candidate and it’s our choice as voters to say yes or no. On 25 February 2023, the voters said yes and we have a President-elect coming into office with a lot of questions about his moral character and credentials.
Also speaking at the book presentation “Azinge: Born to Serve” a biography of renowned Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Epiphany Azinge. Minister Fashola said leadership was about responsibility, and as the country prepared to elect new sets of leaders in a few months, the electorate should endeavour to make the right choice by voting for someone, who had been tried and tested. To him that person is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on the theme, Leadership and Service to Humanity, the minister, who also served as governor of Lagos State between 2007 and 2015, stressed that responsibility was the core of leadership. He stated that since the frontline presidential candidates had been governors for eight years, the electorate should use their performance in judging who was best for the position of president.
Fashola said, “I urge Nigerians to make their choice of candidate from the presidential front-liners by critically assessing the impact of their past performances and responsibilities while in office. Although Peter Obi’s Anambra experience was fraught with impeachment and jungle fight with the state legislature while Bola Tinubu ride in Lagos was smooth “There is no better candidate than that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.” Fashola noted.
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He said Tinubu introduced various reforms that were still being copied by other states today, hence, he should be elected president.
We are all aware about the different accusations against the President elect and one wonders if we should continue to interrogate the past of this person or focus on the future because we can’t undo the past. The voters, the people with the power to choose have spoken and we wonder if the President elect should focus on future governance or clear his name of these accusations and counter accusations. One wonders if this baggage of uncertainty would be an albatross or would he over look it and move on his quest to serve .
For the records there are no convictions in Nigeria of the President elect of any crime therefore he should put his energy into the new job he has been hired for and we would see how we progress as a country from here.
Priority for the President elect should be the lack of power for domestic and industrial consumption. He should also move fast to remove the shame of the lack of refined crude in an OPEC member state. Also deserving immediate attention is the spate of terrorist attacks across Nigeria. Investors are losing interest in our case as a country and they are looking elsewhere. We need to help the President elect bring back our lost glory.
According to the Financial Times of London Nigeria’s President would inherit a fragile and battered economy. Can the BAT nurture this sick giant to good health? Lagos is not Nigeria, Nigeria’s diverse Interest can be a challenge for the untested. Can the BAT rise to the occasion now that we have given him the mandate in this election with the lowest voters turnout in 30 years? Can the President elect up his game despite the controversies around him and join the pantheon of great Nigerian Statesmen at the end of his 4 or 8 years at the Aso Rock Villa?
Time and action would tell. Congratulations President elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, The Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom.
Michael Umogun is chartered Marketer with interest in Public Policy
