House of Representatives member Akeem Adeyemi on Tuesday urged Nigerians to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, if he decides to run for President in 2023.
The party chieftain, who represents Oyo East, West and Afijo Constituency, described the former Lagos State governor as a political phenomenon, an astute administrator and shrewd businessman who has within the span of 23 years become the “Generalisimo of Nigerian politics”.
Adeyemi, a prince of Oyo Kingdom, described Tinubu as a tactician who has the antecedent of being a pro-democracy crusader, a bridge builder, risk taker, humanist and a man of foresight.
The former council chairman also noted that Asiwaju Tinubu is a reference point in the political class, judging by his refusal to collapse his political structure into the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Paying tribute to Asiwaju Tinubu’s resilience and capacity for survival, the lawmaker said the former governor withstood the antics and manipulative tendencies of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who tried to cripple Lagos State by withholding allocations to the newly created councils.
Adeyemi said Tinubu adorned the cap of creativity, deployed new strategies for internally-generated revenue to pay workers’ salaries and funded many developmental projects.
Hailing him as a staunch opposition leader, Adeyemi said the APC leader never wavered in his constructive criticism of the PDP-led administration for 16 years.
Going down memory lane, Adeyemi said Tinubu’s achievements have strategically placed him on a high pedestal of national politics.
He paid tribute to him for his frontline role in the formation of the defunct Action Congress (AC), its transformation into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and the fusion of the legacy parties into the APC.
Noting that Tinubu has never held party positions, despite his efforts, the lawmaker said he has remained an embodiment of loyalty and commitment to party causes.
Adeyemi added: “His strategic political roadmap of aligning the West with the North was key to APC’s victory in the 2015 general elections.
“Against all odds, he ensured the emergence of his preferred candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.”
The Oyo prince also described Tinubu as a hunter for talents and a leader keen on nurturing young people for leadership.
He recalled that the former governor was instrumental to the rise of prominent leaders, including Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Information Minister Lai Mohammed and Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Other included Governors Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and AbdurRahman Abdur-Razak (Kwara), as well as former Governors Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos), Adeniyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Babatunde Fowler, Ben Akabueze, Joe Igbokwe, Mr. Supo Shasore, Femi Pedro and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
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