What I will do if Tinubu succeeds in 2023
OpenLife Nigeria reports that in different camps and enclaves, stakeholders are already mapping out strategies on how to shape 2023 general elections.
2023 is Nigeria’s general election year. Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed February 18, 2023 as the date for presidential and National Assembly contest. Governorship and House of Assembly will be conducted shortly after the Presidential election.
Within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abubakar Atiku, former Vice President between 1999 and 2007, is consulting and reaching out to critical stakeholders across the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
There are many other aspirants on PDP platform who are also engaged in the reach out game.
Social Democratic Party, SPD, on Thursday, led a protest in Abuja demanding for responsiveness from the APC led government. The party has vowed to unseat APC in 2023 and restore Nigeria’s dignity through a people oriented government.
The party stated that it has array of aspirants including Donald Duke.
In the All Progressives Congress, APC, governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has been up and doing to be Nigeria’s president in 2023.
There is also Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.
He has registered visible interest in the 2023 contest.
Only recently, he was up north, donating handsomely to individuals and institutions.
He has also been speaking statesmanly, admonishing those calling for segregation to sheath their sword saying Nigeria will be greater and better as one.
However, at the home front, all does not seem to be well.
In Lagos State where he hails from, Tinubu, has over the years, garnered lots of political enemies who see him as selfish and self centred.
This group easily points at the Lagos Central senatorial ticket he has kept in his bedroom for his wife, Oluremi Tinubu who is currently in the Senate for a record 3rd term.
They also see him as greedy having amassed so much wealth to himself and family on the instrumentality of Lagos funds. He is said to own 50 percent of the property in Ikoyi and Victoria Island axis.
Though most of these accusations are discussed in hush tone among APC leaders, one man who has come to the open to express reservations about Tinubu’s greed is Olabode George, a retired Commodore in the Nigerian Navy and one time military governor of Ondo State.
Bode George who is gradually getting on in age is also a stalwart of PDP.
Bode George on Friday, once again, raised his voice about Tinubu’s aspiration and called on Nigerians to vote against him should he succeed in securing APC ticket which he believes might not be possible in the first instance.
George questioned the rationale behind Alpha Beta, a consulting firm, handling the computation, tracking and reconciliation of Internally Generated Revenue in Lagos State in return for commission.
He requested to know why the firm, reportedly owned by Tinubu, which has been severally accused of fraud and money laundering should be offering service to the state government with huge commission running into billions.
He pointed out that Dapo Apara, a Nigerian chartered accountant and former Chief Executive Officer of the firm, has accused Tinubu of sundry corrupt practices.
Apara, in a writ of summon deposed to at a Lagos High Court, claimed that Tinubu has reneged on agreement and control of the firm.
He further claimed that the firm is being used by Tinubu to evade tax and divert funds abroad.
In the face of these heavy allegations, Bode George feels Tinubu lacks the faintest integrity to aspire to be Nigeria’s president in 2023.
“Nigeria has grown. The younger ones need brighter future. There is need to do what is just and right and if we must thread on the right way, Bola Tinubu should not be on the ballot in 2023.
“Tinubu is corrupt. He uses Alpha Beta to siphon Lagos money and nobody has had the courage to question such day time robbery.
“To continue in his looting, he is amending the laws so that investigation of corrupt cases can now be handled at the state level and by the same people he put in office,” he lamented.
George however called on the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to do the needful and create a chapter for himself in Nigeria’s history.
He opined that Bawa, who is still very young at 40, should not leave any stone unturned in prosecuting Tinubu.
He promised to meet Tinubu in court with damaging evidences of his fraudulent activities and cautioned Nigerians from worshipping fraudulent billionaires.
“Tinubu is a clown. If he is allowed to be President in 2023, the only thing he will achieve is to produce more clowns.
“I am ready to go to court with him. We will speak under oath. I have documents to back up my claims.
“For many years, Tinubu has pocketed Lagos. He has turned it to his personal empire. He has been deceiving Nigerians and throwing monies around to silent the poor.
“He is not fit to be president. He does not have the certificates he claims he has. I challenge him to present his original certificates and I also challenge him to a debate in defence of everything I have said.
“If he uses his crooked ways to become Nigeria’s President in 2023, I will leave the country,” Bode George vowed.