3 minute read
TinubuWillBeAListeningPresident-Adefuye
from Asiwaju
Whatisthesignificanceof today's (Wednesday) event where you hosted about 20 groups supporting Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's presidentialbid,especiallyonyour birthday?
It is very significant to do this for AsiwajuBolaTinubu.Hehasdoneso much for some of us. So this is a payback time for some for us to ensure that he becomes the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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On this occasion of my birthday, I thought about adding colour to it by promoting BAT and honour the groups that have made me their patron to be recognized. There are verymanyvoluntarygroupsallover the country, hence we want them to speak with one voice so that they wouldbeabletoachievetheirdream, so that we can all benefit from his governmentcome2023.
What does Nigeria stands to gain if BATbecomesPresident?
Well, I know Bola Tinubu will be a listening President. You know that the problem we have now is that we are unable to gain access to Mr President.And he has been there for oversevenyears,butIhavenotbeen able to see him. I have booked an appointment several times but it has notbeenpossible.
Before the elections it was easy for heads across the country and ethnic divides to show that he is a panNigeria patriot. Some of them are serving at the national level now in different capacities. He raised the state's internally generated revenue astronomically to the benefit of the state.
Though he was in the opposition whenChiefOlusegunObasanjowas the President, he created 37 local governments, but Obasanjo failed to allow them to be listed in the NigerianConstitution.Ifyoulookat the population of Lagos State, it is almostatparwiththatofKanoState. Since then, Kano State has been dividedintothreestateswhichhavea total of about 90 local governments. Kano alone today has a total of 44 localgovernments.
Obasanjo did not fight those who split Kano State into three, but he fought Lagos State from having additional local governments He thoughtitwasunnecessaryforLagos to have additional councils and withheld our Federal Allocation to thesecouncils.
Tinubu also transformed the infrastructural landscape of the state after finding a way around the issue offundstomakesurethatpeopledid not feel the impact of the seizure of thelocalgovernmentfunds.Heeven went as far as generating electricity becausewesufferedalotofblackout during the period. Even at then, Obasanjo still fought him, saying hedidnothavesuchpower someofustotalktohim,butsincehe became President it has been impossible.Thatisnotgoodenough. You would not be able to know or hear what people are saying when youblockthemfromreachingyou. But Bola Tinubu has an open door policy Andtherefore,hewillbeable to listen to the people and identify with their needs and find the way to solvethem.Sowhatwereallyneedis a Bola Tinubu government that will replicatewhathedidinLagos.
What specifically do you mean by whathedidinLagos?
If you remember, when he was governor of Lagos State, he effectively utilized human resources across the country for the development of the state He is reputedtohavediscoveredmanyegg
Thisisthetypeofpersonwewant, somebodywhowillfightdoggedly for the people; who will feel the painofthepeople;whowillmake sure that people are happy all the time by responding to their needs and aspirations I think that Nigerianswillnotloseanythingby votingforBolaAhmedTinubu.In fact I assure them that Bola Tinubu's period will be the best Nigeriawilleverhave. The same faith issue has been a matter of concern. How do you see it?
Well, if you look at it this way, presently, we have a strong Muslim asPresidentandastrongChristian,a pastor and a strong pillar in the Redeemed Christian conglomerate asVicePresident,haveyouseenany major difference? Is there anything theyhavedonethatisdifferentfrom when they had Muslim/Christian or Christian/Christianticket? Now,thedichotomyalongthelineof religionisameredecoration,itdoes not have any significant impact on the progress and development of the country What we need right now is people who can provide for the people –satisfy the four cardinal programmes- free education, free health service, housing for all and security That is what we want and Godwillhelpustoachievethese. How do you see the various securitychallengesinthecountry? Well,thereisnodoubtthatthereare serious security challenges in the country, but all the same, the social media has over-exaggerated it. You see, security is one of the major globalproblemsatthismoment.Soit isnotpeculiartoNigeria. Also, the journalists have not done theirjobverywell,becauseeachtime there is a security breach they will say they are from one part of the country Mostofthekidnappingand other crimes happening in Southern Nigeria are carried out by Southerners, but the journalists call them Fulani herdsmen, without investigation.
So they have exaggerated the issue beyond what is happening. I am not saying there are no infringements, butitisexaggerated.
Don't forget too, that some of our people in the South-East, whether you call them unknown gunmen or not, are also part of the problem. I remember there was a man who stormed a church and wanted to kidnapapriest,butwasarrested.
Ifhehadsucceededtheywouldhave said the kidnap was carried out by Fulani herdsmen. If a Fulani man is goingtokidnapanyonewillhewear theculturaldressofaFulani? So let us stop giving ethnic colourationtocriminality.Whenour peoplekidnapandyoupeoplereport that they are Fulani, you will not allowthepolicetodotheirownwork. Police will be looking for Fulani whereas the perpetrators are Southerners themselves. We have to be very careful about what we publish especially in the social media.
A major measure of good governance is responsiveness on thepartofthegovernment.Would you say the APC government has been responsive when it comes to security?
Now,unknowntomostofyou,bythe time Buhari took over government, 12localgovernmentswereunderthe control of Boko Haram and nobody didanythingwhiletheterroristwere expanding their territories It was when Buhari came to office that he took over those local governments. He didn't make noise nor interact with the people when he dislodged Boko Haram from those local governments.
Boko Haram is now doing damage control attacking soft targets and runningaway Howcanpeoplederail atrainwhentheyknewlotsofpeople, including children would be affected? What do you want to achieve?Isthatareligiouswar? No, rather, wanton destruction. By the grace of God all those who carriedoutthatcrimewouldbedealt withbyoursecurityagencies.
