News Thumb Magazine ..news reporting..
The All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said former President Olusegun Obasanjo was not qualified to recommend or endorse anyone as President of Nigeria because of his failures.
Tinubu said this on Thursday in Edo State while speaking at the APC Presidential Campaign rally held at the University of Benin Sports Complex, Ugbowo Campus, Benin.
The APC flagbearer said Obasanjo failed to develop the country when he had the opportunity, but rather was fighting his then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, accusing each other of spending the country’s money for their personal comfort.
Tinubu also noted that after spending $16billion on electricity, Obasanjo and the PDP government could not deliver electricity for Nigerians to make even popcorn.
As Lagos governor, Tinubu recalled how he brought Enron Power to generate electricity and solve the power problem in the commercial nerve centre of the country but the project was frustrated by the Obasanjo-led PDP government.
Tinubu said, “I brought Enron to solve the electricity problem and help Lagos economy but Obasanjo and PDP frustrated it. They punished me and Lagos people and even began deducting our money. I created Local Governments in Lagos to accelerate development and create employment for our people but Obasanjo siezed our allocation and punished us for that. That was wickedness and such a man said he endorsed a man for you to vote as President. Can you follow such a man? Can Obasanjo recommend a leader for anyone in Nigeria? A man who does not know the way cannot show the way.”
The former Governor of Lagos said the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku was not qualified to be President of Nigeria having indicted himself on his record as a civil servant.
“Atiku and Obasanjo accused themselves of using Nigeria’s money to buy cars for their comfort. Atiku was a custom officer who said he made money selling cars, that is smuggling. He didn’t even know that a civil servant cannot do any other business apart from agriculture. That is enough to disqualify him and he is not fit to be President.”
On his plan for the economy and Edo people, Tinubu said it was time to eliminate darkness and make the economy of the country productive through massive industrialisation, promising to make Edo state a hub of industrial activities and an energy state.
He applauded the return of Benin artefacts by some Western nations but urged the countries to pay some money to Edo State having made huge money from the returned artefacts through tourism and exhibitions.
He said, “Edo people, prosperity has come, happiness has come, hope is back in your homes, knowledge is back in your community. I am happy about the returned artefacts. They are bringing our artefacts.
“I support the Oba of Benin who said our heritage must come back but I disagree with the Europeans. They have used our artefacts for exhibitions and tourism for decades in their museums to make money. They should not just send them back without money. When I become President I will ask them to pay us restitution. I will contribute to the building of the museum in Benin.”
Tinubu told the Edo people that his administration would focus on job creation through small-scale industries, build a credible credit system for capital formation, bring multibillion-dollar investments to Edo State and end estimated electricity billing.
