Former Lagos State governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described the Jonathan government as one that routinely abuses power and manipulates the people.
Speaking as after-dinner speaker and special guest of honour at the NG Annual Dinner in Lagos at the Muson Centre on Thursday February 6, 2014, Tinubu drew a distinction between the PDP and the APC.
He blamed the Jonathan-led PDP government as one spinning recklessly out of control in terms of spending, corruption in the oil sector and other slush funds channelled through government programmes to fill the pockets of party loyalists.
Tinubu noted that Nigerians are yet to get a satisfactory explanation on the 400,000 barrels per day that is stolen. He opined that the NNPC has been converted into an automated teller machine (ATM).
Tinubu said: “Like I have maintained previously, the Sure-P project is a drain pipe; a slush fund for political patronage. For instance, the N253.5 billion alleged to have being spent on projects by the Federal Government as at December 2013 is not reflective in the lives of ordinary Nigerians. In 2012, about N180 billion accrued to the Federal Government in Sure-P alone.”
“Under the heavy weight of corruption, heavy dose of insecurity, the ticking time bomb of youth unemployment and a near total absence of institutional rationalisation, Nigeria under President Jonathan clutches on like a battered engine in need of a complete overhaul. In fact, a change of engine.”
Tinubu, who spoke in a very conversational tone at the dinner, used his experience as a former governor of Lagos State as a tool to examine what is wrong with Nigeria politically and economically.
According to him, Nigeria punches below its weight and is trapped in a disarticulated economy occasioning poverty and frustration on people. “The AFDB, in its African Economic Outlook report of 2013 revealed that poverty has worsened since 1996 and through 11 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rule. The efforts of President Jonathan’s government at combating poverty were also faulted.”
The former governor of Lagos State asserted that under the current economic environment, it is almost impossible for Nigeria to meet any of the predictions about its prosperity.
“The projection that Nigeria will soon emerge, at least in the next 30 years alongside three other countries as an economic giant by the British Economist, Jim O’Neil, will for long be a mirage. O’Neil predicted that Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey are to become what he refers to as “MINT’.
“We all know that this is another Vision 2020 gimmick. A very distant hope with no chance of coming to fruition. Let us not for once delude ourselves that this is possible. A country that is yet to export the smallest plastic product or one that generates a miserable 12 per cent of the total energy needs of the country can never be a candidate for “MINT”, “BRICS” (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and as we now know, Vision 2020. Our energy woes abide.”
Tinubu was on call to explain the vision and mission of the new party, APC and offer an insight into the ideology of the party.
He said: “We formed this party to improve the lot and the lives of those who don’t have. We formed it to bring dignity, hope, justice and the reality of prosperity to those Nigerians who seek these things.
“The PDP has never been a friend of the people and each year, it becomes less of one. They have turned their backs on the people. Now it is time the people turn their backs against the PDP.
“The PDP claims we don’t have an ideology. We have an ideology but it is one PDP can’t understand. What the arrogant and mean don’t understand, they pretend does not exist.
“One can no longer dance on both sides of the fence. Either you are resolute for justice or for injustice. Stake your claim and sign your name to it so history may record your decision and your deeds at this critical hour.
“For me, I have but one life thus I have but one choice. I choose the right way. I follow the APC. I urge you all to hitch a ride on the rescue mission APC is about and rally for change and the re-building of a Nigeria that meets our dream.”
He added: “We have come to a moment in time when there is no time to waffle, obfuscate or prattle. Beginning from now and as we march toward the elections of 2015, the people shall decide whether they want to enshrine injustice, inequality and the rule of arbitrary might over their lives or do they want to build a finer existence where the light of fairness, prosperity and the rule of law shines on all. “
The NG dinner, held once a year, is an association of core professionals drawn from diverse fields and mostly Lagos based. The NG group formed in 1998 has produced a number of governors, ministers, commissioners and other key government functionaries. It is an informal think tank, a sounding board of sorts for government types and policy makers.
Mr. Wale Edun, the chairman of the NG group, welcomed all members and expressed delight that Governor Tinubu found time to honor their invitation. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Mouted man ......u get mout to talk father of looters corrupt man...oloju opolo eyes kongba
ReplyDelete"A good leader must show a good example" Asiwaju, u hv shown so many examples u and ur colleage the most influencial General in Africa Muhammad Buhari. Our problem, we the masses is nothing but centiment,such as ethnicity, tribalism and religeon. We re been brain washed by politicians mostly PDP that APC is Muslim party. Which is not like that having this great opposition is very good development in the success of democracy of this coutry. Please let us unite and vote PDP out for our own sake
ReplyDeleteSo why are they begging PDP to join them? They are jelous and will do worse
DeleteTinubu every body knows you as a thief. stop telling us rubbish ok.Jonathan is more better than you. thief.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the ATM machine of Lagos State treasury Mr Tinubu? You simply want to go for a bigger ATM machine at the federal.
ReplyDeleteThe question now is; what point did you use to siphon Lagos State money when you were the Governor for eight solid years?
ReplyDeleteSo why is APC begging these same corrupt PDP elite membes to join them? It means their agenda is to take over looting and corruption so I am waiting for all PDP devils to join APC then I will vote PDP that will then be a clean party.
ReplyDeleteONLY SENSELESS NIGERIANS WILL COMPARE GEJ AND TINUBU...
ReplyDeleteNigerians Should Go And Do Their Research Properly....... WHEN ABACHA CHASED HIM (Tinubu) AND HIS Co Thuggs Away from NiGERIA What Was Tinubu's Work ABROAD ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Even Those Who Live Before CHRIST Have Their Biography.......... Tinubu Shouldn't Be Talking......
Tinubu, then you must be using Lekki toll fee as your birth right. Please just take a seat.
ReplyDeleteTinubu Talking rubbish all in the name of politics. You can only fool the ignoramus people of APC. If you say MINT is not a possibility then your party is indirectly saying that even if she wins the 2015 election (God forbid), there we should not expect any change because you have just shown that you people don't believe in the success of Nigeria. Now we know what you are looking for in Aso Rock-- a bigger ATM machine. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak.
ReplyDeleteYOU PEOPLE ARE TALKING THRASH. TINUBU IS A BETTER POLITICIAN ANYDAY, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. SUCCESS WITHOUT SUCCESSOR IS FAILURE, BUT WE HAVE SEEN TINUBU'S SUCCESSOR AND HE IS WORKING. AGAIN, WITHOUT SENTIMENT, ALL APC GOVT ARE WORKING IN THEIR VARIOUS STATES. NO MATTER HIS STAINS(I HAVE NO POLITICAL AFFLIATIONS WITH ANYBODY), HE AS PROVING TO BE THICK. WHY DON'T WE WANT TO EMBRACE CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY. LETS TRY AN OPPOSITION, AT LEAST TO COMPARE. I LIKE JONATHAN AS A PERSON BUT HIM THEY FALL MY HAND WITH HIS POLICIES.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good Tinubu wants all PDP corrupts to join APC so we will be left with Clean and Improvised PDP.
ReplyDeleteThis is a case of Pot calling Kettle black.
Lemme borrow from the great Bob Marley himself -you can deceive some people sometimes but you can't deceive all the people all the time.
Tinubu that stooped so low to enforce your daughter on the market thinks he has the wherewithal to convince Nigerians, this is pure tacid blackmail of the PDP and it will not work.
If I were you (Tinubu), I will go and hide myself bcos you are an enemy of progress in Nigeria
ReplyDeleteTinubu is a senseless man,has noting to offer nja,you can't win election on the pages of newspapers
ReplyDeleteIf Apc win in 2015 all Tinubu family will be in minitry of finance and his wife or daughter will be minister of finance so the equation will now balance......what he is eager for will now come to pass .....frm fry pan to fire i pity naija......
ReplyDeleteIf the combine team of Tinubu and his band of action congress of Nigeria could not remove Iroko as gov in the last election, is it Jonathan they will remove?
ReplyDeleteTinubu, the entire Lagos state is your own ATM, your son in-law is in the national Assembly, your wife is a senator, your daughter is the iyaloja of Lagos, you installed Babatunde Fahola who is also making financial retrurns to you,aside your many thugs if today your party wins, you will not only make NNPC your ATM, but even the CBN, FIRS etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks that you have found a loosed mouthed Sanusi who is helping you discredit the very Government he is part of.
Elections are not won on the pages of newspapers and you are part of the politicians who is milking Nigeria dry, besides, you don't even believe in the success of Nigeria base on your utterances, Nigeria will be great and you and your sojourners will be disappointed. Emergency social activist.
so Tinubu is South West as wat?his kalokalo.
ReplyDeleteso Tinubu is using South West as what now?kalokalo.
ReplyDeleteMy brother pls ask him for me ooo
ReplyDelete