2023: ADC Lists Three Leaders Who Built Mega Lagos, Leaves Out Tinubu

2023: ADC Lists Three Leaders Who Built Mega Lagos, Leaves Out Tinubu

  • The claims by the APC that Tinubu built the modern Lagos has been dismissed by the African Democratic Congress
  • The party said former governor Lateef Jakande, and two former military administrators are the fathers of a modern Lagos
  • The opposition party specifically mentioned General Mobolaji Johnson and Brigadier Buba Marwa (rtd)

Lagos - African Democratic Congress (ADC) has claimed that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was not responsible for building a mega Lagos city.

The ruling APC had during one of its presidential campaign rallies claimed that the development of Lagos was masterminded by Tinubu, who was governor from 1999 to 2007.

Tinubu
Tinubu is frequently called the father of modern Lagos by his supporters. Photo credit: @OfficialABAT
Source: Facebook

The party also said Tinubu has been instrumental in choosing his successors, which included Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to continue his good works.

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Debunking the claims, the Lagos state chairman of the ADC, George Ashiru, stated that Lagos was built by former governor Lateef Jakande, famously known as ‘Baba Kekere’ and former military administrators – General Mobolaji Johnson and Brigadier Buba Marwa.

Daily Times newspaper reports that Ashriu said the three former leaders made significant contributions to the development of the state more than what has been achieved by successive governors in the fourth republic.

He added that Lagos state benefitted from special attention from successive federal governments since the days of British colonialism due to its political and economic potential.

According to him, Jakande, Johnson and Marwa established its structure and infrastructure without unduly exploiting the state and creating a dynasty out of it.

Ashiru, who claimed that Lagos has had marginal development since 1999, said Lagosians are tired of the APC just as Nigerians were tired of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

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Present Tinubu for town hall meetings, debates, Obaigbena tells Alake, Onanuga

On his part, the chairman of ThisDay media group and Arise TV Channel, Nduka Obaigbena, has challenged Dele Alake and Bayo Onanuga of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) to present Tinubu for town hall meetings and debates.

Obaigbena gave the challenge in a statement on Wednesday, December 14 seen by Legit.ng in response to an earlier one by Alake and Onanuga where several allegations were made against him.

2023: I thank God I am not Tinubu's running mate, says Dogara

Meanwhile, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, has declared that he is grateful he is not Tinubu's running mate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

Dogara made the comment during an interaction with journalists in Bauchi while reacting to a question that he is not supporting the APC presidential candidate because he was not chosen as the vice presidential candidate of the ruling party.

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He said:

“I am more than grateful to God that it didn’t happen and so many friends and well wishers have also said to me they are thanking God daily that I am not on that ticket granted what they now see and know about the candidate.”

2023: CSO writes INEC, demands delisting of Tinubu as presidential candidate

In a related development, a civil society organisation the Action Alliance of Virginia Pavilion, has called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, to disqualify Tinubu from the 2023 presidential contest.

The group in a letter seen by Legit.ng on Tuesday, December 13, stated that Tinubu by virtue of his forfeiture of the sum of $460, 000 to the United States government in 1993 is not fit to hold public office.

In the letter dated Monday, November 14 and signed by the group's lawyer, Mr Kalu Kalu, the group argued that Section 137(1)(d) of the 1999 Constitution forbids anyone under a fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud from vying for the office of president in Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Jerrywright Ukwu avatar

Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.