I Invoked Ogun Spirits Against Emefiele Naira Scarcity That Threatened My Presidential Ambition: Tinubu Boast

President Bola Tinubu says he invoked the “spirit of freedom” in Ijebu land against President Muhammadu Buhari and former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, when they appeared to be threatening his political ambition.

“Your monies were confiscated. The cash swap didn’t work. It was terrible then. I realised that I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom for which we are noted for,” Mr Tinubu said.

“I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba (referring to Awujale). The spirit of Baba – Emi l’okan (it’s my turn), that’s Baba. The spirit for being blunt and that is him. And the second spirit is that of money (naira scarcity), ‘ama dibo ama wole’ (we will vote and we will win) even if there is no money. And that, ever since, has been the spirit that is driving me to serve.”

Mr Tinubu disclosed this at the Palace of Awujale of Ijebu Land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, when he paid a courtesy visit on Thursday.

Speaking with All Progressives Congress delegates in June 2022 in Ogun state, in the run-up to the party’s primary, Mr Tinubu declared that ’emi lo kan’, while narrating how he helped former President Muhammadu Buhari to clinch the presidency in 2015.

“He tried the first time and failed. He tried a second time and failed. He tried a third time and failed. He even cried on television that he would never run for president again,” Mr Tinubu said. “I went to meet him and told him this is not a crying matter: ‘we will support you and you will be president’.”

Again, in January 2023, during APC presidential campaign in Ogun state, Mr Tinubu accused the Buhari regime of using the raging fuel scarcity and naira redesign and cash handling policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to blunt his chances at the ballot box at the February polls.

“You’re hoarding fuel and hoarding the naira,” Mr Tinubu said in Abeokuta. “Still, we will vote, and we will win this election.

“Whether you change the ink of the naira or spend money till you are in debt, things won’t turn out as you hope, we are the ones who will win the election, and our opponents will fail,” he had boasted.

Governor Abiodun Pledges Ogun People’s Support For Osinbajo Presidential Ambition

 

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has declared the state’s support for the presidential ambition of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

 

Mr Abiodun said that this would enable him to continue with some of the projects embarked upon by the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor made the pledge at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Akarigbo Palace in Sagamu, where he said Mr Osinbajo had in the last seven years, contributed to many successes recorded by the federal government.

The stakeholders’ meeting continued at the Alake’s Palace in Abeokuta, the Presidential Lodge, Ibara, Abeokuta, as well as the Palace of Olu of Ilaro the Paramount ruler of Yewaland.

“We have no doubt that you will do well as the president and we will support you,” Mr Abiodun said.

In his remarks, the vice president said he was not in the state to campaign, but to inform his people of his intention to run for the office of the president.

Osinbajo said he had consulted widely across all sections of the society, including with president Buhari before he decided to succeed his boss.

He said his working with Mr Buhari had exposed him to governance at the highest level and placed him in a position to tackle the country’s serious issues.

Commenting, the Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, said the vice president was competent with the required qualification to lead the nation.

 

Drop Your 2023 Presidential Ambition, North Has Chosen Orji Kalu – Lamido Tells Tinubu, Osinbajo, Others

The Director-General, Arewa Summit International, Dr. Bashir Lamido, has advised Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and other presidential hopefuls from Southern Nigeria to drop their presidential ambitions by backing Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

Lamido, a chieftain of the APC, made this submission while entertaining questions from journalists in Yola.

Lamido advised the southern APC aspirants to throw their weight behind the former Governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to emerge as the President in 2023.

He noted that Northern Nigeria were backing the Senate Chief Whip because of his nationalistic background.

According to him, “the North won’t support a regional candidate like Tinubu, Osinbajo, Umahi or Amaechi. It is about trust and who can truly defend Nigeria.

In 2023, we won’t support any regional candidate; Kalu has what it takes to lead Nigeria. He knows Nigeria too well having been in close and brotherly relationship with the North in the past 38 years. We won’t support someone that would emerge and destabilize Nigeria.

“It is important they step down now and adopt Orji Kalu because the North won’t support them. Politics is a game of interest, and Orji Uzor Kalu is the interest of the North and millions of other Nigerians,” he said.