GBAJABIAMILA’S CHARGE TO NORTHERNERS

 The Speaker of the House of Representatives urges the North to rally support for the Presidential candidate of the ruling party, writes Olu Adele

They move from city to city convincing voters why Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, deserve the nation’s top jobs. Tinubu and Shettima are both achievers. The former Lagos State Governor turned around the fortune of a state at a precipice in 1999. 

The military had run everything aground before the return of democracy when Tinubu was elected governor of Lagos State on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He brought his sophistry in financial management and administration in turning around the fortune of the state.

Today, Tinubu is eminently regarded as the builder of modern Lagos. He earned the name by his sterling records in office and the master plan he envisioned for the nation’s commercial nerve centre. 

From paltry N600million Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR) per month, he steadily grew Lagos IGR to about N6billion before he left office in 2007. Buoyed by his working template, Tinubu’s successors leveraged the strong foundation laid in financial re-engineering to grow the IGR to its current staggering N51billion per month.

On the other hand, Shettima, presided over a state plagued by terrorism but excelled in all human development indices. Borno State today is on a recovery path. The incumbent governor, Zulum is also building on the successes and achievements of former governor Shetimma. 

So, it was exciting for chieftains of the ruling party to join the campaign train. Tinubu/Shettima ticket is a highly sellable product. It is a joint ticket based on achievements. The Rt. Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila was one of the national leaders of the party who have been giving the campaign a major boost.

When the campaign came to Lagos late last year, Gbajabiamila addressed Nigerians on why Asiwaju Tinubu and Shettima are the best options for the nation. He replied to Tinubu’s traducers who are doubting his age to meet the mother of the former governor to authenticate it. His words at the mega rally, “They will ask you how old he is. Tell them he is the age his mother said he is. And if they are in doubt of his age, tell them go and meet his mother to reconfirm.

“If they say he’s not educated, tell them he is more educated than all the contestants put together.

“If they tell you he is wanted in America, America has said repeatedly they do not know what they are talking about. When they say he is corrupt, tell them he is the most investigated in Nigeria’s history and nothing has been found against him”.

Gbajabiamila has been very consistent with his support for Tinubu since the campaign kicked off. He has been everywhere with Tinubu campaigning with him. Gbajabiamila who is one of the many illustrious products of the Tinubu leadership mill, knows that Tinubu/Shettima presidency will herald the desired development the nation eagerly yearns for.

The speaker spoke with the same vigour and conviction when he visited Bauchi alongside Asiwaju Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari amongst other prominent leaders. He told the people of Bauchi, and by extension, the Northerners not to disappoint Buhari. In the view of the speaker, the 2023 presidential election is Buhari’s project. And it is imperative for them to rally support for the Presidential candidate of the ruling party. 

Tinubu stood firmly and supported Buhari when it mattered most. After three failed attempts at the presidency, Buhari clinched the nation’s coveted seat in 2015 when he got the much needed support Tinubu mobilised for him in the west and other parts of the country.

Buhari leveraged Tinubu’s media, human capital and material resources to get to the throne. It is a pay time for the Jagaban Borgu. Tinubu has paid his dues in politics and sacrificed a great deal for the lifting of others into national prominence.

So, when Gbajabiamila said the northerners should not disappoint Buhari, it was against the background of the consistent support of Tinubu for the Buhari and by extension the north. 

Bauchi is one of the states, President Buhari was billed to attend presidential rallies. The PCC expresses its profound gratitude to President Buhari, the leader of our great party, for his sterling and inspirational leadership at this time and for galvanising our teeming members and supporters across the country.

“We urge our party faithful and supporters to turn out en masse, as usual, in the forthcoming campaign rallies. The zero hour is nigh; our spirits must be high; we must not relent in this our collective march to our victory that is divinely ordained”, APC Presidential spokesman, said in a statement.

The north has a lot to benefit from the Tinubu/Shettima presidency. The nagging insecurity and allied crises and widespread poverty will be tackled headlong. He has hinted that in Makurdi, Benue State capital. He told the people that he will ensure the return of displaced persons back to their respective homes.

Schools will be provided for thousands of kids who are out of schools. Tinubu has also pledged student loans for indigent students for quality higher education.

Tinubu has great plans for Nigeria. What he did in Lagos, he is ready to replicate across Nigeria. He had recently declared in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital that he will address the problem of PMS and other crises bedevilling the nation. The former Lagos State Governor remains the best choice for Nigeria among other candidates seeking to become Nigeria’s president.