The six Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) lawmakers in Lagos State, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, visited the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at his Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos home.
They were led by the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
The legislators are Jude Idimogu, Famakinwa Adedayo, Mosurat Sangodara, Akeem Bello, Oluwa Olatunji and Sokunle Olusola Hakeem.
Tinubu, who received them warmly, urged them to be loyal.
Tag: tinubu
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Six defectors visit Tinubu
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Tinubu hails Buhari over 82 Chibok girls’ freedom
Former Lagos State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians over the release of 82 of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
He said the release at the weekend showed that the president has kept his eyes on the true objective.
In a statement by the Tinubu Media Office yesterday, the former Lagos governor said:
“The release of 82 Chibok schoolgirls demonstrates President Buhari’s unwavering commitment to freeing these and other innocent children from the cruel hand of Boko Haram and returning them to their families and community.
“The release of the girls shows that President Buhari has kept his eye on the true objective. That is to reunite families and communities under the reign of peace and rule of justice so that northern Nigeria, and for that matter, all Nigeria may begin to rebuild in a way that brings a decent life and a taste of enduring prosperity to all Nigerians.
“This the ultimate goal and the release of these girls is an important step on this pathway. I congratulate the President. I congratulate our gallant armed forces. After waiting so long for the return of their children, the parents of these girls must feel a great sense of relief and elation.
“Yet, we must keep this good news in proper context. The released children need to be nurtured and cared for in a special way in order to overcome the sad experience that they had to suffer. Our government must help their families do this.
“Moreoever, we must not forget the girls still being held by Boko Haram and we must not forget the grief of their families. We owe it to them to press forward until all the girls have regained freedom and family and Boko Haram is so defeated that it may never again be able to do what it did in Chibok.
“Boko Haram must be defeated. President Buhari has said as much. We all must stand with him and support his strategy to accomplish this humane and necessary goal.”
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Tinubu to critics: let Buhari be
Those speculating on President Muhammadu Buhari’s health must pull the brakes, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu cautioned yesterday.
The former Lagos State governor warned that such speculators were out not only to derail the President but to decisively pit a section of the country against another for selfish gains.
According to Tinubu, the President, who Nigerians overwhelmingly voted for on March 28, 2015, because they believed in his capacity to fix the country, is on a mission – to right many of the nation’s wrongs.
He said the prevailing economic challenges were not of Buhari’s making, adding that the effect of the tumbling oil prices at the international market would not have been so biting had the immediate past administration saved for the rainy day.
Tinubu, however, said the Buhari administration has been battling to avoid the pitfall of the past by diversifying the economy from oil.
In statement entitled: “Stop the hoopla over Buhari’s health, allow the president to do his job as he deems fit”, the respected political leader, said much had changed since Buhari took over the reins of governance two years ago.
The statement reads: “Nigeria is a place of numerous challenges and the home of vast human potentials. Our greatest challenge has always been how to best direct our vast potentials so that we overcome the challenges that plague us.
“This cardinal challenge is why the APC was formed and why the party presented then General Muhammadu Buhari as its standard bearer. The people rightly chose him as their president, believing he was the best person to make Nigeria into a better nation.
“His electoral victory was historic. More importantly, like most Nigerians, I believed his presidency represented a historic mission to right many of our nation’s wrongs. I still believe so.
“The previous administration treated Boko Haram softly, appearing to view the terrorists as part of their political equation rather than a lethal threat to national security. President Buhari has gone after Boko Haram without condition and without fear. He has pushed them back, saving lives and giving northern Nigeria a chance to breathe again the air of peace and normalcy.
“My recent visit to Borno State to inaugurate projects opened my eyes to the progress President Buhari has made in the anti-terror war. An enabling environment has been created for Governor Kashim Shettima who has taken advantage of the peaceful space to initiate laudable projects, such as the provision of housing for and rehabilitation of Boko Haram victims.
“The previous administration treated corruption as its co-tenant in office. President Buhari has fought it with tenacity, equal to that with which he has confronted Boko Haram.
“We currently face stiff economic challenges. This is neither President’s Buhari’s doing nor choosing. The steep decline in oil prices caused the downturn which exposed our nation’s long-time failure to plan ahead by diversifying our economic base. It has fallen on the Buhari government to fix the immediate problem while also diversifying our economy so that we will no longer be as vulnerable to the price of oil again.
“His policies have begun to bear fruit. We are moving out of recession and toward the long-term reshaping of the national economy. Given the complex menu of problems he has faced, President Buhari has done well in a tough situation. While I seek not to diminish the hardship still faced by many of our people, we also must be cognisant of the important progress made these past two years.
“President Buhari has moved us from the path of failure to a path where we have a fighting chance to realise a better nation. Had we stuck to the ways of the former administration, our present situation would be worse than untenable.
“Those who publicly speculate about the issue of the President’s health must keep all of this in mind. Much is at stake. We owe a responsibility to be wise and circumspect in what is spoken into the public ear.
“We voted for President Buhari because we trusted his ability to make decisions regarding complex issues of state. If we can trust him to handle difficult matters of governance, we can also trust him to make correct decisions regarding his personal health. The President Buhari I have come to know is an honest and responsible man and leader.
“When he returned to Nigeria on March 10, he disclosed to the nation that he had been sick to the extent that he received blood transfusion and would leave for further treatment at some future date. He said he would follow the counsel of his doctors and there is every reason to believe that he has been true to their counsel.
“Many people have openly speculated about the President’s health. Some have done so for their own selfish reasons. These people shall be found out in time. There are many who have done so out of sincere concern for the President.
“These people should not be condemned for their heartfelt concern. However, they should be advised not to allow fear to ambush their better judgment and their courage.
“They should not give themselves to idle speculation. We should not buy into the myth of some cabal at work. Dwelling in empty speculation on the existence of some mythic cabal is not what the country needs at present. From what I can see, the President remains at the helm and his policies are being implemented.
“The President is also showing his belief in process and partnership by assigning more responsibilities to the VP, which included presiding over meetings of the Federal Executive Council, thus demonstrating his trust and implicit confidence in him.
“Unfounded speculation serves no purpose other than to encourage those who would rather derail the President’s progressive agenda and who would divisively pit one aspect of this nation against another. Such chatter may foment division where there was none and this might come to impair the management of the affairs of this country.
“By fomenting animosity among groups that have heretofore been allied, those who hold to the bankrupt politics of yesterday seek to thwart the President’s mission while claiming to support him.
“Those who truly care about the President and the important work he still must do should not allow themselves to become the unwitting tools of these regressive forces.
“We must stand with and beside our President. The unfounded speculation around his health should stop. We must not covet fear and rumor but should engage our creativity and enterprise to help the President accomplish his historic mission.
“Our greatest energies should be focused on righting this economy so that it provides a decent livelihood for all people. This critical path towards economic recovery must be followed for the sake of our children.”
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Tinubu hails Buhari’s nephew on his wedding
All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf, as a man of character and integrity.
In a personal letter to Sabiu on his wedding, Tinubu said Buhari’s nephew, who is also the president’s personal assistant, has come a long way in just a few years.
Sabiu married his heartthrob last Saturday in Kaduna.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, some governors including Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-rufai and other party chieftains attended the event.
The former Lagos governor described Sabiu as a very diligent and dependable personal assistant “who continues to be a resourceful administrator in the president’s personal office”.
He added: “Whenever I see the President and you interact, the affection and loyalty are obvious and admirable.”
Tinubu’s emotional letter reads: “I present nothing, but congratulations and best wishes on your wedding and for your marriage. This is a great moment in your life and I pray that you relish this day and the memory of it to the fullest. You have come a long way in just a few years. Those of us who have witnessed your growth as a man of character and integrity cannot help but be touched with a sense of pride in the path towards maturation that you have taken.
“I recall the build-up to the 2015 presidential elections. It was a season of great but uncertain expectations and high tensions. It was a period when the true nature of a man would be repeatedly tested. President Muhammadu Buhari was fortunate to have a young man by the name of Sabiu Yusuf (aka Tunde) by his side.
“Tunde, you proved to be a loyal and diligent assistant, who stood ready to contribute to the historic mission upon which we had embarked. You served then candidate Buhari with dedication and singular purpose. You paid attention to the minutest details. You kept the paper flow and communication line going.
“Tunde, you may be young and physically unimposing, but you played a strong and important role during those critical moments. You became a very diligent and dependable personal assistant, who continues to be a resourceful administrator in the president’s personal office. Whenever I see the President and you interact, the affection and loyalty are obvious and admirable.
“I have watched you mature both in your professional assignment and as a man. That you have taken the step to establish a household with a woman you love is a sign of that maturation. I wish you a happy married life.
“I pray that you continue to grow in all spheres. May your household be one of peace, love, prosperity and joy. Congratulations.” -
Tinubu mourns Famakinwa
•Says he breathed life into South-west economic integration idea
Former Lagos governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) national stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said the Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr. Dipo Famakinwa, who died at the weekend, breathed life into the South-west regional economic integration idea.
In a condolence message by his Media Office yesterday in Lagos, Tinubu said though Famakinwa’s death at 51 was unpleasant, he pointed out, however, that the late DAWN Director-General lived an eventful life.
He said, “The death of Dipo Famakinwa, the Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), left me distraught. Leaving us at such a young age of 51 is unpleasant. But his was an eventful life. He lived a life of mission.
“And he pursued that mission with vigour. Famakinwa was a partner, soul mate, fellow advocate and foot-soldier for the economic integration of the states in the South-west geopolitical zone for the development of the region and for regaining the prosperity of the past.
“He breathed life into that economic integration initiative. He was busy arranging the building blocks for the realisation of that ideal. He set a huge task for himself at DAWN and was working on this with all his energy. I learnt that he had to be forced recently to take a short leave after working ceaselessly over the years at DAWN.
“The Yoruba race has lost a strategist and an organiser. His death is not only a loss to his family, the DAWN Commission, Yoruba race, but also to Nigeria. The academic world has also lost a soul mate because Dipo was very cerebral and serious-minded.
“What we must all do across the South-west is to ensure that the idea of regional economic integration he worked and died for does not die with him. It should be pursued with more drive and force. That is what we must do for Famakinwa.
“I commiserate with his family. I mourn with his relations and friends. I mourn with the entire Yoruba race”.
The statement was issued by the Tinubu Media Office.
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Easter, another opportunity for Nigeria’s redemption, says Sen. Tinubu
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, on Sunday felicitated with Christians at Easter, saying it was another opportunity to redeem the nation from the throes of challenges that had plagued her.
Tinubu in her Easter message entitled – ‘A Second Chance’, said that it was another chance to set in motion the change that each person would like to see, and build the nation.
”We must lovingly accept one another, extending a helping hand to those around us, regardless of religious affiliations and belief. In this moment, more than ever, we must strive to be more like Jesus.
”For us as a nation, it is also a second chance to redeem our nation from the throes of the challenges which have plagued her.
”A second chance to set in motion the change we would each like to see, and to build the Nigeria of our dreams, ”she said.
Tinubu urged Nigerians to strive to be more like Jesus who died to redeem mankind.
” The death of Jesus to pay a debt he did not owe, for the salvation of you and I, is the ultimate story of a second chance at redemption. This is the crux of our faith, the proof of God’s love for mankind and the centre of Christianity.
”This second chance is our hope of freedom. We must not live in fear, depression or like those who do not know that Christ is risen.
”We must proclaim the resurrection of Christ in our daily lives, actions and conduct,” she said. (NAN) -
El-Rufai under fire over Tinubu, S/West’s role in Buhari’s victory
The controversial memo sent to President Muhammadu Buhari by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State is still generating reactions from within and outside the ruling party. El-Rufai had, in the leaked memo, complained about certain things in the way the country and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were being administered.
Barely 48 hours after the Kaduna governor’s visit to the presidential villa where he took a swipe at unnamed presidency insiders who he alleged leaked the memo, which was written as a private correspondence to the president, reactions are again trailing his comment on the contributions of the various legacy groups within the party to its victory at the 2015 presidential election.
In the memo, El-Rufai had posited that, “the Lagos group more or less led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the most organised and proactive. This group made a key contribution in our electoral success, but like all groupings it naturally exaggerates its role in order to increase its influence in the coming administration. The group will use the media to promote its own “GMB Boys” or suggest “Northerners” of their choice that they think would do their bidding.
“Some already are boasting that they will choose the next petroleum minister and the executive leadership of the NNPC. They will seek direct control or great influence over key economic portfolios, including agencies involved in revenue generation (NNPC, FIRS, Customs, etc.) law enforcement (Attorney General, EFCC, etc.) and financial services regulation (CBN, SEC, PenCom, etc.). This group will seek an alliance with some GMB family members to help strengthen their pre-eminent position in these areas.”
The memo, according to some revelations that trailed it, was written by the Kaduna governor, and received by the President, sometime in 2015, before the nomination of ministers by President Buhari. Consequently, many of those who spoke with The Nation accused El-Rufai of fanning the ember of discord with his argument.
A cross section of prominent Nigerians including elder statesmen and politicians who spoke with The Nation, expressed dissatisfaction with El-Rufai’s attempt to water down the roles played by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the South West in Buhari’s victory at the polls and hoped that the Kaduna governor as well as those commenting on his controversial memo will not create problems for President Buhari and the ruling party.
Former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, who is also the National Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), cautioned El-Rufai and his likes against causing unnecessary friction within the ruling party. According to him, it is very true and undeniable to say that Asiwaju Tinubu and the South-West won the presidency for the APC in 2015.
While admitting that the various legacy groups played significant roles in the party’s victory, Balarabe insisted that Buhari could not have won the presidency without the support of Tinubu and his camp. He therefore warned against any attempt by anybody or group within the party to deny Tinubu his dues.
“It is undeniably true that Asiwaju Tinubu and the South-West won the presidency for the APC in 2015. Buhari could not have won the presidency without the support of Tinubu and his camp. I therefore want to say that nobody or group within the party should attempt to deny Tinubu his dues.
“Come to think of it, it is actually Tinubu and his people in the South West that galvanised the entire nation to support the candidacy of Buhari in the last election. They led the way and others followed. It is therefore a statement of fact that Tinubu facilitated the eventual victory of APC and Buhari in that election. So, I disagree with El-Rufai’s position on that matter.
Speaking further, the former Kaduna State governor averred that it is not for El-Rufai or anybody to say whether the South West has been fairly treated by the current administration. According to him, it is left for Tinubu and his people to appraise the situation and decide whether they’ve gotten their fair share of the victory.
“I will say it is up to Tinubu and his associates to say whether he has been fairly treated by his party and the government he help so much to install. It is not for me to say that. It is also not for El-Rufai to say that. I don’t know what Tinubu asked for or what he got in the arrangement. Only him and his people will know that,” he said.
Also, frontline PDP chieftain and former gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu, asked El-Rufai to tell Nigerians the role he played in the victory of both the ruling party and President Buhari in the 2015 general election before his statement about Tinubu can be taken seriously.
The female politician described the Kaduna governor as someone who is fond of seeking attention at all times. “That is the reason why he usually talks balderdash,” she said while submitting that rather than contributing to Buhari’s victory, El-Rufai merely benefited from the political success that the likes of Tinubu turned APC into in 2015.
“I will want El-Rufai to tell Nigerians the role he played in the victory of his party and President Buhari in the 2015 general election before I can take his statement about Tinubu serious. I’ve known the Kaduna Governor as someone who is fond of seeking attention at all times. That is the reason why he usually talks balderdash. There is no way Buhari could have been President without Tinubu or the South West behind him.
“El-Rufai contributed nothing to Buhari’s victory even in his home state of Kaduna. He merely benefited from the political success that the likes of TInubu turned APC into in 2015. Without Buhari and the APC platform in 2015, he wouldn’t have even contested not to talk of winning the election. He benefited from the politics of Asiwaju Tinubu. He is not qualified to question Tinubu’s place in the party or government,” Adiukwu said.
Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said while it is true that all parties to the victory played one role or the other in the presidential victory of the ruling party, it is on record that Tinubu and his people from the South West worked exceptionally hard for the emergence of Buhari as President in 2015.
“All the people involved played their parts well. I think victory should not be attributed to one person or group. But it is important to state that Tinubu worked hard to see Buhari win the election. The fact that he agreed to the merger that led to the formation of APC should give him a lot of credit. They should give him credit. I think El-Rufai is talking too much. He should know better than to say such things.
“The South West played the major role in APC’s victory in 2015. Buhari cannot win the presidency without the support he got from the southwest and this was made possible largely by Tinubu. El Rufia should not create disaffection within his party with such claims as he is said to be making about the role of TInubu and the South West.
“Tinubu is the arrowhead of APC’s emergence as a ruling party. As to whether he has been fairly treated, I will say yes. But if someone like El Rufia is now trying to water done his importance in the ruling party, or in the government he laboured so hard to put in place, he is not being treated with the respect he deserve,” he said.
When asked for his take on the raging controversy, Afenifere chieftains and frontline PDP leader, Chief Ebenezer Babatope declined comment, saying, “Thank you very much for interviewing me. But the matter at hand is not a PDP affair; it is strictly an APC issue. As such, it is of no interest to me. I can only wish them good luck.”
But fellow Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin sees the issue differently. According to him, it is only an ingrate that will make the type of statement being credited to Governor El-Rufai. Odumakin accused APC leaders of denying the South West its rightful place in the scheme of things after the region worked hard to install Buhari as President in 2015.
“It is only an ingrate that will make such a statement. Buhari contested three times before 2015 and though he won in the north, he lost the presidency. Buhari will always win in the north. But he won the presidency in 2015 because he won 52 percent of the votes in the South West. That was what gave him victory. If the South West had voted the way South East and South-South voted, APC couldn’t have won the presidency.
“Sadly, apart from ministerial slots which is statutory, South West have not been fairly treated by APC and Buhari. Look at the security chiefs, except for the Chief of Defence Staff, which is even ceremonial, all other service chiefs are northerners. And that is also the situation in many escorts of the country today.
“The contribution of the likes of Asiwaju Tinubu to the victory of President Buhari during the last presidential election have not been properly appreciated. And when one now begin to hear the type of statements said to have emanated from Governor El Rufia of Kaduna state, it shows the party is unappreciative of Tinubu’s sacrifice for the APC,” Odumakin explained. -
Tinubu: A chance to redeem nation
Easter offers an opportunity to redeem the nation from nagging challenges, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) has declared.
In her Easter message titled second chance, Tinubu said Jesus Christ died for mankind.
She said the death of Jesus to pay a debt be did not owe was for the salvation of mankind.
According to her: “This second chance is our hope of freedom. We must not live in fear, depression or like those who do not know that Christ is risen.
“We must lovingly accept one another, extending a helping hand to those around us, regardless of religious affiliations and belief.
“For us as a nation, it is also a second chance. A second chance to redeem our nation from the throes of the challenges which have plagued her, a second chance to set in motion the change we would each like to see and to build the Nigeria of our dreams.” -
Reps member pledges loyalty to Tinubu
TO House of Representatives representing Mushin Federal Constituency II in Lagos, Bolaji Yusuf Ayinla, the foundation laid by former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu cannot be erased.
Reaffirming loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Ayinla said Tinubu has always being futuristic in all facets of life.
“Asiwaju Tinubu laid the foundation that stood the test of time and will continue to stand the test of time because his legacy was a product of good thinking”, the lawmaker said at a constituency meeting at the Mushin Playing Ground, Ilasamaja, Mushin.
According to him, the former governor has shown himself as a Pan Nigerian leader, “who is rare among various politicians in the present day Nigeria.”
He said: “His (Tinubu’s) welfare policy for the masses is outstanding and the political leadership he offered is exemplary. You can’t but marvel at the kind of leadership he provided for his followers.
“I, for instance, am proud to call him my leader and mentor for he has re-shaped my thought positively on how to play politics.
“Nigerians will never forget how he led a merger of opposition forces that installed the President for the opposition party for the first in the history of our country.”
Presenting his scorecard, Ayinla said he has carried out several empowerment programmes to assist his constituent, adding that the programmes were designed to complement Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s giant strides in the Centre of Excellence.
He described Ambode as another product of Tinubu’s political power house.
“Less than two years after he took the saddle, Ambode has performed creditably. His pace of work is quite fast and focuses on the masses’ needs. You cannot but praise Tinubu for discovering a visionary governor like Ambode, who has his signatures all over Lagos within a short time”, he said.
He urged his constituent to continue their support for the APC leader and the efforts of Ambode to take Lagos to a new height.
“If you love Asiwaju Tinubu, you must support Ambode. If you are for BYA, you must work and pray for Ambode’s success,” he told his supporters. -
Dangote’s life is inspiration to many, says Tinubu
Former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday congratulated astute businessman and philantrophist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, descibing him as an inspiration to many people.
In a letter to Dangote personally signed by him on the anniversary of his 60th birthday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart commended the industrialist for his boldness and bravery in taking the business risks he took, which he said have now paid off.
According to Tinubu, Dangote has broken all business barriers and now helping to industrialise Africa, with the operations of his Dangote Group in 17 African countries and beyond.
In his letter dated yesterday and released in a statement by his Media Office, Tinubu said: “Dear Alhaji Dangote, my family and I congratulate you on your 60th birthday. Your life has been an inspiration to many. From a lowly background, you rose to the top by dint of hard work and perseverance.
“The boldness and bravery you demonstrated in taking the business risks you took have paid off. You have shown that with resilience, we can always convert risks and challenges to opportunities.
“Today, you are that African man that has broken all barriers. With operations in over 17 African countries including Nigeria, the awesome Dangote Group you established is helping to industrialise Africa.
“You have made people and made lives a lot better through the employment opportunities you have created and your other humanitarian activities.
“I wish you many more years in life. I pray that Allah grants all you need to continue to impact the lives of many more people.”