Jonathan Spent Huge Amount Of Money To Stop Ambode From Becoming Lagos Governor - Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu

The national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wednesday disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan spent huge amount of money to stop Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, from being elected in the 2015 elections.

Despite Jonathan’s sustained struggle to take over the state, Tinubu acknowledged that party members stood by Ambode and the APC during the election.

He described the period as the most challenging since he left his flourishing career in a multinational oil company for active politics.

He gave an account of how Jonathan struggled to take over the state at a stakeholders’ meeting he addressed at the APC secretariat, Ogba alongside Ambode, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and the party Chairman, Chief Oladele Ajomale, among others.

The party convened the stakeholders’ meeting, which was the first of its kind since the 2015 elections were concluded to chart a new path for the local government election scheduled to hold on July 22 and resolve all issues that might give rise to disaffection and internal rift ahead the electoral process.

At the meeting the party faithful attended across the state, the national leader specifically, commended all party members for supporting Ambode in the 2015 election, noting that the candidates of the party for the forthcoming local government elections should also be supported.

He said the 2015 elections were the most challenging, recalling how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Jonathan moved “to take over the state by all means including spending huge cash, but the APC members resolutely stood their ground and ensured the victory of the party.”

With the support of the people, the national leader said Ambode won the election and had not let the APC down in any way, thereby citing the governor’s sterling performance.

Tinubu said Ambode “has not let us down. He is doing a fantastic job, in an environment where there is economic recession is a big challenge. Initially, they said he might not be able to do it, but he is doing it and doing it perfectly. He has a very good team of performers. It takes a leader to lead a team to victory and a leader to think and dream. He thinks and performs and he is doing a great job, we are very proud of him.”

On the council elections, the national leader urged party members to accept the decision, which he said, had been taken by the party leaders at the state and local government levels with respect to the forthcoming election.

He said 18 chairmen, who were promised automatic ticket for their efforts in the party and the state, would be allowed to return, while all sole administrators who took over from executive secretaries of 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas would not be allowed to contest.

Also, the national leader urged party leaders and members in all the 57 councils to give special concession to youths and women and party leaders in Surulere to give peace a chance and drop all forms of public disorder.

However, he said the party would not disallow members, especially executive secretaries from pursuing his/her aspiration, noting that doing such would amount “to denying them their rights having left office more than a year ago. It is just like saying Ambode or senators and other party leaders should not be allowed second term.

Also at the meeting, Ambode charged all party members in the state “to ensure that the party wins all available elective positions in the forthcoming council elections.”

He said it was important for the party to come out top in the elections, adding that it would go a long way to ensure that the state continues to make steady progress.

The governor attributed his success in the 2015 governorship elections to the dedication of party members and chieftains of the party, especially the national leader, thereby charging them to rally round the party yet again to ensure victory for the APC in the polls.

“Almost two years after, we have caused to thank God. I am able to look back that the confidence you give me two years ago and all of you working together to make sure I defeated the PDP candidate was no small feat. I have come here not only to attend this meeting but to say a big thank you to all of you.

“I want to thank you for being the first set of people that believed in me and thereafter God has been so gracious, he has not allowed me to disappoint u. I want to say a big thank you to Tinubu, the state APC Chairmen and Exco members for supporting that course.

“If there is any party remaining in Nigeria today, that party is manifested in all the good things coming out of Lagos State. Why are we here? We are here to count our blessings and renew the course of unity to move forward as one great party.

“I want to implore all of us, whatever it is that would have transpired, it is very clear that the next council elections is all in your hands; just the same way we have done in the last two years. My call to all members of our great party is that all 57 councils must be won by APC without exception,” Ambode said.

Only Crazy People Will Say I Did Not Visit Buhari – Tinubu

A National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said only people that are crazy will say he was not with President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

In a statement on Monday, Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State, said mischief makers were behind the news that he did not visit the President.

The statement, signed by his spokesperson, Alhaji Tunde Rahman, said Tinubu was in London with the Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, to visit Buhari.

Rahman said they met the President at the Abuja House.

The statement reads in full: “The report about the so-called denial of the visit is the handiwork of mischief- makers.

“I felt we should not dignify that with a response.

“That report beggars belief.

“Asiwaju Tinubu and Baba Akande were in London.

“The reason they travelled to the United Kingdom was to see President Buhari.

“And they visited him last Thursday and held discussions with him at the Abuja House in London.

“After the visit, the President, as a mark of respect, saw off his guests to the door.

“Pictures were taken during and after the visit and released to the media by The Presidency.

“These pictures were international headlines.

“How can anybody in his or her right senses be saying there was no such visit?

“It’s simply crazy! I can’t just get it.”

Nigerians React To New Photos Of Buhari In London With Tinubu And Akande

The Presidency has released a photos of President President Buhari receiving party leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, in Abuja House, London this afternoon.

Photos below;

However, Nigerians are seriously questioning the photos, insisting that if indeed the President is hale and hearty, he should speak live and address the country. 

See tweets below: 

Tinubu Criticizes Buhari's Economic Policies, Says I Won't Ignore The Truth

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has urged the Federal Government to get Nigeria out of recession by urgently reviewing its monetary policies.

Tinubu spoke on Wednesday as a guest lecturer at the National Defence College Course 25, titled, “Strategic Leadership: My Political Experiences.”

He argued that Nigeria’s current inflation rate of 18 per cent was unbearable and that Nigerians were suffering for it.

He said, “In the situation we face, deficit spending is essential to bolster aggregate demand and direct funds to projects that build infrastructure and bolster employment. We must better harmonise monetary policy with fiscal policy. It undercuts our goals if monetary policy is unduly tight at a time when fiscal policy begets deficit spending.

“We must also realign trade policy with our need to create a meaningful industrial base and more potent agricultural sector. We can no longer allow cheap imports to preclude the development of industries and sectors strategic to our enduring economic future.

“What am I doing if I have a billion, and you are ready to give me 180 million, that is 18 per cent upfront, do I have to work or do anything again? These are the factors they have to look at quickly to ease the monetary policy.

“You have to stimulate this economy, you have to spend yourself out of this recession and you cannot do that by consistently stifling the banks of liquidity. It is their money; it is their saving. We have to criticise ourselves when it is necessary, speak truth to power.

“We are the power, we speak truth to ourselves. The monetary policy must be consistent with the environmental need of our domestic requirements, you cannot hold on too much or too tight to a policy.”

Tinubu added that the leadership of the APC was right to criticise the Federal Government, because “when it is necessary, speak truth to the power, we are the power, we will talk the truth to ourselves.”

“Our fiscal policy does not mesh with monetary policy. Trade policy undermines industrial policy, thus the ease of doing business is inhibited. Overseas peacekeeping missions do not always harmonise with core foreign policy interests. A nation in progress seeks to minimise, not harvest additional contradictions, otherwise its leadership strategy is doomed to fail.

“Strategic objectives during this period of economic uncertainty must be to re-engineer the economy bottom up, diversify the economic base, strengthen our industrial base, modernise infrastructure, enhance agriculture, and provide employment and of course, ease of doing business,” he added.

Tinubu’s Private Plane Flies Jammeh Into Exile

Troops secure Banjul for Barrow’s return

More details of the peaceful battle to restore democracy in The Gambia became known yesterday.

After days of stand-off, former President Yahya Jammeh suddenly agreed to quit office, yielding to last-minute pressure from Guinean President Alpha Conde and his Mauritanian counterpart Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, who were with him between Friday and Saturday.

After agreeing to leave and save The Gambia from a major crisis, Jammeh was confronted by big challenge – how to fly out.

The leaders, The Nation learnt, reached out to All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who authorised his private aircraft to be used to fly Jammeh out of Banjul, sources said.

Jammeh’s exit paved the way for the return of President Adama Barrow to take office after he was sworn in on Thursday in Dakar, Senegal.

Tinubu’s VP-CBT Falcon Jet had been with President Conde, who is a close friend of the leading politician.

It was not until late on Saturday night that Jammeh agreed to go. Sources said Tinubu was contacted to allow the use of his jet to fly Jammeh out of Banjul.

He reportedly gave a condition: it should only be used “if it will facilitate the quick exit of Jammeh and lead to the restoration of peace and democracy in The Gambia”.

The plane eventually flew out with Jammeh, his wife, mother and President Conde on board.

Senegal, it was learnt, insisted on knowing those on board before allowing it to overfly its airspace. This wish was granted. Jammeh was flown to Equitorial Guinea where he will be on exile

Jammeh arrived at the airport amid a large convoy of vehicles and throngs of cheering supporters.

He stood on a small platform to hear ceremonial music performed by a military band and then walked down a long red carpet, surrounded by dignitaries.

He climbed the steps to the plane, turned and kissed and waved a Qur’an at those assembled.

It was an emotional farewell. Many soldiers, supporters and dignitaries were crying. Others in The Gambia were glad to see the end of a 22-year dictatorship which had little respect for human rights and freedom of speech.