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Bola Tinubu: His Legendary Exploits, Politics And Leadership

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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.

 

 

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Opinion

Why Ibadan North youths are rooting for Repete

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Growing support has continued to trail a youthful politician and technology advocate, Hon. Khalil Mustapha Adegboyega, popularly known as Repete, as many youths in Ibadan North Federal Constituency expressed confidence in his leadership style and vision for development.

Across several communities within the constituency, residents, particularly students, artisans and young professionals, described Repete as one of the emerging political figures with strong grassroots appeal and a passion for youth empowerment.

Supporters said his growing popularity stems from his consistent advocacy for innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development aimed at addressing unemployment and creating opportunities for young people.

As an engineer and technology enthusiast, Repete is also said to possess a deep understanding of the evolving digital economy and the need to position youths for global competitiveness.

Many of his supporters noted that his approach to leadership focuses on practical solutions, mentorship and capacity-building initiatives capable of helping young people become self-reliant and economically productive.

Some community stakeholders who spoke on his rising profile said his humility, accessibility and relationship with the grassroots have continued to endear him to many residents within the constituency.

They added that Repete’s engagement with youths and community groups reflects his commitment to inclusive governance and people-oriented representation.

Observers within the constituency also maintained that the increasing support for the politician reflects a growing desire among residents for a new generation of leaders driven by innovation, competence and accountability.

According to them, many young people see Repete as a symbol of hope and progressive leadership capable of contributing meaningfully to the development of Ibadan North Federal Constituency.

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Politics

2027: APC Perfects Consensus Strategy for Oyo

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Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.

The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.

Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.

It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.

Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.

Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.

Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.

As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.

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Politics

2027: Oyo APC Set for Credible Direct Primaries, Says Alake Adeyemo

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The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.

The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.

Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.

He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.

“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.

“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”

The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.

According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.

“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.

He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.

Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.

Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.

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