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Bola Tinubu: His Legendary Exploits, Politics And Leadership
Only a few men get lucky enough to have their lives being celebrated while they are alive. But for some of these men, it is more than luck. They are simply so great that the world cannot afford to wait till they are gone before they are celebrated.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one man whose life and legacy in business and politics continue to be a source of attraction for many of us.
It is that time again when the world celebrates his birthday and as usual, several annual events have been ongoing in that direction
According to INEC, Youth – 18 and 35 years – constitute the highest number of voters with 51.11 percent at 42,938,458 voters.
This means that out of the 84 million registered voters in Nigeria today, 51.11% were either unborn or were kids in 1993 when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu came into limelight.
Perhaps, this 69th birthday is a good time to tell the youths a bit about their history, which is incomplete without this man we love to call by one his several traditional titles – Jagaban.
From the private sector, Tinubu won the 1993 election as the Senator representing Lagos West constituency on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The military take-over in December 1993 set our generation back and destroyed what was going to be Nigeria’s smoothest return to democratic government.
I met Asiwaju during the SDP days. While he won the election in Lagos state as a senator, I also won the election as House of Reps member from Oyo state then as a 30-year-old man.
Since then, the relationship has blossomed. He is a leader, a mentor and an inspiration to me and several of us who have learned a lot from his leadership style.
When the Third Republic hit the rocks, thanks to Abacha, Senator Tinubu, along with several other heroes in exile, with the NADECO movement, fought the military government for the mandate of the winner of the presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola to be restored.
We lost the battle to have Abiola sworn in as president because in 1998 the great man died, but NADECO never lost the war. In 1999, Nigeria returned to what we now enjoy as our longest ever run of democratic leadership.
Tinubu was elected governor of Lagos state on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and created the master plan for today’s Lagos – Nigeria’s only true metropolitan mega city.
The test of his ingenuity came in 2003 during the general elections when he contested for a second term.
His fellow AD governors from the southwest had aligned with then President Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP to secure his second term in office.
After delivering their states in the presidential election, they all lost their governorship elections and PDP took over their states. Only Governor Bola Tinubu was unbeatable. He won his election and remained in office for two terms.
We all saw that there was more to this man than just his generosity, he was also a political genius.
After the political crash-landing, Tinubu’s doggedness saw to the rebuilding of the progressive movement in the southwest and it dawned on many that the Yoruba race might have unearthed a true leader they had needed since Obafemi Awolowo.
Tinubu ensured that the southwest remained relevant in all political permutations at the federal level.
Only few Nigerians will forget his tenacity during that epic battle with the Obasanjo government that stood against the creation of LCDAs in Lagos. For Tinubu, the development of his people was more important than anything else.
Still wondering why his fame grew beyond his generation? Wondering why he is loved and idolized by millions of Nigerian youths? He defines his leadership by the number of people he has empowered.
The day he amazed me was at the end of his tenure as Lagos state governor in 2007, when he sacrificed his ambition to return to the Senate and relinquished the senatorial ticket to Ganiyu Solomon to make peace within the party.
This is what true leaders do. This culture of sacrifice, loyalty, compromise for common good and selflessness is why Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has remained not just relevant but pivotal to Nigeria’s democracy.
This is why he remains one of the biggest icons of modern democracy in Nigeria and indeed the African continent.
Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi represented Oyo South Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019.
A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, has been sworn in as the Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging members of the party to rally support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo formally assumed office on Friday following the inauguration of the newly elected State Executive Committee members who will manage the affairs of the party in the state for the next four years.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the party’s State Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, marked the climax of the party’s 2026 congresses in the state.
The South-West Zonal Legal Adviser of the APC, Kolawole Majaro, administered the oath of office on Adeyemo and 35 other members of the State Executive Committee.
The executives had emerged through a consensus arrangement during the March 3, 2026 state congress held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, under the supervision of a committee led by Amos Gombi from the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
In his acceptance speech, Adeyemo described his emergence as a renewed call to service, pledging to strengthen the party and sustain unity among members.
He appreciated party leaders within and outside the state for ensuring a smooth and successful congress process.
Adeyemo also commended members of the Local Organising Committee, particularly Fatai Ibikunle and Afeez Bolaji Repete, for their contributions to the success of the exercise.
He said, “This new State Executive Committee under my leadership is being put in place to add value and strengthen our great party in view of the challenges ahead.
“We have used the opportunity of the congresses to showcase our collective commitment to unity and harmony as progressives and democrats.”
The new chairman expressed optimism that the atmosphere of peace within the party would be sustained ahead of future party primaries and the 2027 elections.
According to him, the party’s target is to secure 90 per cent of the votes in Oyo State for President Tinubu while also reclaiming the state’s Government House in 2027.
Adeyemo praised the President’s leadership, saying the administration was delivering on its promises.
“President Tinubu is, no doubt, performing beyond our expectations and the best way to appreciate his good work is to retain him in Aso Rock until 2031,” he said.
“Against all odds, the President is pursuing his Renewed Hope Agenda with vigour and passion, while the positive results are being felt across sectors of the economy and national life.”
Other members of the newly inaugurated executive include Taofeek Lamidi as Deputy Chairman, Fatai Adesina as State Secretary, Adekemi Opatunde as Woman Leader, Olawale Sadare as Publicity Secretary, Olalekan Oladejo as Youth Leader, and Remi Adepoju as Organising Secretary.
Also inaugurated were Ajiboye Akinsanya as Treasurer, Sunday Aborisade as Legal Adviser, Tinuade Adigun as Auditor, Lukman Owonikoko as Assistant State Secretary, Fatimah Hassan as Deputy Woman Leader, and Jimoh Osundara as the Leader of Persons Living With Disabilities, among others.
The Kano State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and breach of public trust.
The notice was presented yesterday during plenary by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action follows Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dala said the allegations stem from Abdussalam’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government (2023–2024) and his current role as deputy governor. He accused the deputy governor of diverting funds meant for the 44 local government councils.
According to the majority leader, Abdussalam allegedly received N1.5 million monthly from each council between June 2023 and January 2024, totaling N462 million. Between February and July 2024, he allegedly collected N3.255 million monthly from each council under the guise of special assignments, amounting to N726 million.
Dala also accused the deputy governor of abuse of office, claiming he facilitated payments of N10 million from each council to NovoMed Pharmaceuticals Limited, totaling N440 million, in violation of state procurement laws.
“The misuse of official capacity to confer undue advantage constitutes abuse of power and undermines public trust,” Dala told lawmakers, adding that the allegations amount to gross misconduct under the Constitution.
The impeachment notice was reportedly endorsed by 38 lawmakers, meeting the constitutional threshold to proceed. The Speaker has acknowledged receipt, and the House is expected to serve the allegations on the deputy governor.
If approved, a panel may be constituted by the state Chief Judge to investigate the claims.
As of filing, Abdussalam had yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that he had joined the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, made the announcement during a media briefing in Abuja, attributing his decision to what he described as irreconcilable differences within the PDP.
The lawmaker said the emergence of the NDC would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system by providing a credible opposition platform.
According to him, the party recently received its certificate of registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “Last week INEC issued a certificate of registration and we now have the newest party in Nigeria known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress and our symbol is victory, the victory sign.
“So, my dear Nigerians, you now have a credible alternative opposition party known as the Nigeria Democratic Congress.”
Dickson noted that although the party’s registration took longer than expected, its eventual approval was a welcome development for the country’s democratic landscape.
“Yes, it is coming at this time. We would have wished it started some years or months back. We don’t control INEC and their processes; they delayed. We don’t also control the judiciary, but thank God it has finally arrived,” he said.
The senator also stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not slide into a one-party system, insisting that political diversity remained vital for national stability.
“This nation cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state. Nigeria is not designed to be a one-party state.
“We are a very diverse nation culturally, religiously and politically and that is the beauty of our country.
“So anyone or any party promoting one-party rule in Nigeria is mistaken. We build political parties and get involved in movements to access power for the good of the people, not for our personal benefit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission recently announced the registration of two new political parties.
The parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The announcement was made by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with political party stakeholders for 2026.
According to him, the Democratic Leadership Alliance completed the required verification process, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
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