Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has made bold to declare that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rise to the presidency was a result of a concerted effort by Yoruba leadership. Chief Osoba, a Yoruba leader therefore urged Nigerians to rally behind President Tinubu. This statement was made while the former Ogun Governor was speaking at the All Progressives Congress South West Zone Assembly meeting held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.....Read Full Article>>
In a viral post sighted on X platform on Sunday, key political leaders from the region reflected on the pivotal role they played in the political rise of President Tinubu. Chief Osoba, during the assembly, underscored the strategic decision taken by South West leaders in 2007 to elevate Tinubu from state-level politics in Lagos to the national political arena.
“Bola didn’t make himself the President of Nigeria; we did,” Chief Osoba said.
“Seventeen years ago, in 2007, after his tenure as the governor of Lagos State, we gathered at a luncheon organized by Alhaji Hamsa, our leader in the South West at that time.
“It was at that meeting we collectively decided that Bola should move from Lagos politics to the national stage, to represent the interests of the Yoruba people at the topmost level of Nigerian politics,” Chief Osoba explained.
The assembly also reflected on past political struggles faced by the Yoruba people, especially their long-standing pursuit of leadership at the national level.
“Many of us here today worked tirelessly to support the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s quest for the presidency, but he wasn’t allowed to get there,” Osoba continued.
“Similarly, we rallied behind the late MKO Abiola’s presidential ambition, but we lost him, and with him, the opportunity. They killed many of us because of our mission to make this country better. But we thank God that some of us are still alive to witness Bola Tinubu’s success.”
Chief Osoba further called on members of the assembly, as well as the wider Yoruba community, to support President Tinubu, despite any perceived shortcomings in his leadership.
“Now that Bola Tinubu is there, I want to plead with all of you to accept his shortcomings. He will do better. After his first four-year term, he will serve another four years as a Yoruba son.”
President Tinubu, who was elected as Nigeria’s president in 2023, has often been regarded as a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, especially for his role in transforming Lagos into an economic powerhouse during his tenure as governor.
While his presidency, seen as a victory for progressive politics, has garnered widespread support from the South West region, he has also faced criticism in some quarters for economic challenges and political decisions.
Nevertheless, Chief Osoba reiterated, “The South West Assembly’s message is clear – the Yoruba leadership stands united behind Tinubu’s presidency and remains confident in his ability to deliver on his promises during his tenure.
“Bola didn’t make himself the President of Nigeria; we did. Seventeen years ago, in 2007, after his tenure as the governor of Lagos State, a luncheon was organized by Alhaji Hamsa, our leader in the South West at that time.
“At that meeting, we collectively decided that Bola should move from Lagos State politics to the national stage to represent the interests of the Yoruba at the highest level of Nigerian politics. We thank God that today, Bola is the first progressive President of this country.
“Many of us here today worked tirelessly to support the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s quest for the presidency, but he wasn’t allowed to get there.
“Similarly, we rallied behind the late MKO Abiola’s presidential ambition, but we lost him, and with him, the opportunity.
“Many of us were killed because of our mission to make this country better, but we thank God some of us are still alive.
“Now that Bola Tinubu is in office, I want to plead with all of you to accept his shortcomings. He will do better. After his first four-year term, he will serve another four years as a Yoruba son.”
While Chief Osoba and Yoruba leadership declared their support for President Tinubu, Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has said that she trusts the president’s judgement amid the planned reshuffling of the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
The minister said this during her guest appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
Asked whether she was worried that the President would drop her from his cabinet because of the “controversies” around her person, the minister said, “I don’t think there is a controversy about my person, and I don’t think there is a controversy about my office. What I can tell you is that I campaigned for the President and I trust his judgement.
“What I know of the President is that he has a vision and a mission to make Nigeria better than he met it. He is a very courageous man. As a leader, you have to take courageous decisions.
“For him to give Nigerians his deliverables, he needs a team of lieutenants to do that. I think it is healthy in any democracy and any administration for him to look at his cabinet and his lieutenants to see who are working in tandem with him to give those deliverables and if anybody isn’t, I think we have to trust his judgement.
“So, I am not worried because I know that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the best interest of the nation and whatever he would make in terms of the restructuring or otherwise of his cabinet is going to be in the best interest of delivering his mission and vision for Nigerians.”
There have been calls from different quarters for the President to remove some of his ministers termed as underperforming.
In late September, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said his principal had expressed a desire to reshuffle his cabinet but no date was fixed for the exercise.
In other news, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged President Tinubu “to direct Mr. Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, to immediately withhold federal allocations to states that have failed and/refused to conduct credible local government elections, and to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account is paid only to democratically elected local government councils and no other body or institution.”
SERAP also urged him “to provide details of the number of local government councils that have directly received federal allocations and whether the councils are democratically elected, as provided for by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and ordered by the Supreme Court in its judgment of 11 July 2024.”
SERAP urged him “to promptly invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to jointly track and monitor the spending of FAAC allocations by democratically elected local government councils across the country.
In the letter dated 5 October 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Your government has the obligation to enforce the Nigerian Constitution and to prevent public wrong, including by state governors.”
SERAP said, “A democratically elected local government council does not and should not exist at the pleasure, whims and caprice of governors or their ‘political godfathers’.”
According to SERAP, “Your government also has the constitutional obligation to ensure accountability for the spending of federal allocations and immediate compliance with the judgment by the Supreme Court and the rule of law.”
The letter, read in part: “Local government councils are entitled to a direct payment from the Federation Account to promote good governance, people’s welfare and development of local government areas across the country.”
“Where the rule of law reigns, political expediency ought to be sacrificed on the altar of the rule of law so as to guarantee the continued existence of institutions created to promote social values of liberty, orderly conduct and development.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
“It will be entirely consistent with the rule of law to immediately withhold federal allocations to states that have failed and/refused to conduct local government elections and to ensure that any allocations from the Federation Account are paid only to democratically elected councils and no other body or institution.”
“According to our information, the Supreme Court of Nigeria recently ordered the Federal Government to forthwith directly pay funds in the Federation Account only to democratically elected local government councils and no other body or institution.”
“The court also ordered the 36 state governors to ‘ensure democratic governance at the local government level.’”
“The court ruled that state governors have no power to dissolve democratically elected local government councils within their states and replace the councils with caretaker committees.
“The court also made ‘an order of immediate compliance by states with the terms of this judgment.’”
“According to our information, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu recently stated that ‘the conduct of Local Government elections in virtually all the States of the Federation has become mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties. It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections.’”
“SERAP is concerned that local government elections in several states are susceptible to manipulation by governors and other actors.”
“SERAP is concerned that several state governors are failing to organize local government council elections, contrary to section 7(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.”
“SERAP is also concerned about the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending by governors of federal allocations meant for the local government councils in their states. Trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states have allegedly gone down the drain.”
“The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.”
“Despite the increased allocation from FAAC, millions of residents in several states continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.”
“The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the flotation of the naira by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.”
“SERAP notes that Section 162(3)(5) of the Nigerian Constitution provides that the amount standing to the credit of local government councils in the Federation Account shall be distributed to them and be paid directly to them.”
“State governors have no power to keep, control, manage or disburse in any manner allocations from the Federation Account to local government councils.”
“By the terms of the Supreme Court judgment, the 36 state governors are restrained from further collecting, receiving, spending or tampering with local government council funds from the Federation Account for the benefit of local government councils.”
“SERAP notes that section 165 of the Nigerian Constitution and the Allocation of Revenue Act No.1 1982, stipulate that the revenues generated by the government should be credited into the federation account and disbursed monthly among the federal government, states and local governments.”
“SERAP notes that former president Muhammadu Buhari had in December 2022 stated that, ‘If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100m, N50m will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.’”
“According to Buhari, ‘If the money from the Federation Account to the State is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.’”
“The 36 states in Nigeria and the federal capital territory, Abuja, have reportedly collected over N40 trillion federal allocations meant for the 774 local governments areas in the country and FCT.”
“The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed to states N225.21 billion federal allocations meant for local governments in November 2023 alone. States also collected N258,810,449,711.47 federal allocations meant for local government areas in December 2023.”
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