15 APC Chieftains Who Followed Bola Tinubu to Chatham House
- Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is an independent policy institute headquartered in London
- Its mission is to provide commentary on world events and offer solutions to global challenges by offering its platform to global leaders
- On Monday, December 5, Bola Tinubu was the guest of the institute, and arrived with a large delegation from Nigeria
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London - All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was at Chatham House on Monday, December 5 to speak on his plans for Nigerians if elected in 2023.
Apart from delegating questions to his associates at the event which raised eyebrows, Tinubu arrived the institute with a large delegation from Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
The delegation includes serving governors, a former governor, APC women leader, and other subordinates of the former Lagos state governor.
The list includes:
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1. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The executive governor of Lagos was at Chatham House with his political godfather and he was also one of those assigned to answer questions on Tinubu's behalf. The governor has since returned to Lagos.
2. Nasir El-Rufai
The Kaduna state governor was a key member of the delegation. He also answered questions on security on behalf of Tinubu. Hours later, El-Rufai was seen dancing a video with Tinubu and other members of the delegation in a London restaurant.
3. Badaru Abubakar
The Jigawa state governor was the second northern governor on Tinubu's entourage. He was also visible at the dinner after the Chatham House event. Some analysts have questioned his presence at the event, mainly because his state is one of the worst affected by flood in Nigeria.
4. Dave Umahi
The Ebonyi state governor was also in London. Umahi has been very vocal in his support for Tinubu in recent times. His presence in the United Kingdom is seen mainly as a sign of solidarity with his party's presidential candidate.
5. Dr Kayode Fayemi
The immediate past governor of Ekiti state was also on the entourage. Fayemi's visibility in Tinubu's campaign team is expected as he was one of those who stepped down for the APC presidential candidate during the party's presidential primary election.
6. Abdullahi Ganduje
The Kano state is perhaps Tinubu's most trusted associate from northern Nigeria. His loyalty to Tinubu even before the APC presidential primary was never in doubt. Ganduje has been with the former Lagos state governor all the way.
7. Ben Ayade
The governor of Cross River state was also on the entourage and even answered a question on his behalf. Ayade's defection to the APC in May 2021 to clinch the presidential ticket of the ruling party didn't materialise and he has since aligned himself with the powers that be.
8. Betta Edu
The APC national women leader was also on the entourage of Tinubu. Apart from holding a strategic position in the ruling party, she is also a loyalists of Ayade and it is only expected she pitches her tent with her principal.
9. Hadiza Bala-Usman
The former Nigeria Ports Authority managing director is no stranger to campaigns. She was visible in the APC campaigns in 2015 and 2019. She is also an associate of Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna state.
10. Dele Alake
One of the core loyalists of Tinubu. He served as Lagos state commissioner of information and strategy under Tinubu. He has been very visible in his principal's campaign team and also helped in shaping the narrative about his former boss.
11. Wale Edun
He served as commissioner of finance under Tinubu in Lagos. Known as an economic guru, Edun has been around Tinubu for a long time even after their time in office. He answered a question for his principal on the economy.
12. Femi Gbajabiamila
Another core loyalist of Tinubu is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Lagos-born politician has enjoyed the support of Tinubu for decades and also reciprocated by standing behind his godfather in all his political battles.
13. Abdulrahman Dambazzau
The former Chief of Army Staff and former minister of interior was also on the entourage of Tinubu. The Kano-born politician was also seen in the dinner after the Chatham House event. Dambazzau played a frontline role in the APC presidential primary election in Abuja.
14. Femi Pedro
The ex-banker served as a deputy to Tinubu after a successful stint in Nigeria's banking sector. Although the duo had a fall-out at a time, Pedro has since retraced his steps and is now in the good books of Tinubu.
15. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
The former labour leader has been a loyal apostle of Tinubu's school of politics. Oshiomhole holds the record of the first Action Congress of Nigeria governor outside the southwest region. The defunct party was founded by Tinubu to wrestle power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007.
7 APC chieftains who answered questions for Bola Tinubu at Chatham House
Legit.ng had earlier reported that seven APC chieftains answered questions for Tinubu in his recent appearance at Chatham House, London.
They include Gbajabiamila, El-Rufai, Ayade, Sanwo-Olu Edun, Alake and Betta Edu.
The event which was televised live on national television had many Nigerians glued on their screens.
2023: Go home and take a deserved rest, Atiku’s aide tells Tinubu
Meanwhile, Phrank Shaibu, the special assistant to Atiku Abubakar on public communications has described Tinubu's recent outing at Chatham House as disgraceful.
The media aide to the PDP presidential candidate advised Tinubu to quit the race, go home and rest.
Shaibu also expressed disgust that Tinubu could not respond to questions on healthcare and the economy despite claiming to have developed Lagos.
Source: Legit.ng
