2023: Tinubu convinced Obasanjo that he was not qualified to recommend president

Tinubu’s conviction stemmed from Obasanjo’s alleged failure as Nigeria’s president between 1999 and 2007.

The former Lagos State Governor said this while speaking at the APC presidential campaign rally held at the University of Benin Sports Complex, Ugbowo Campus, Benin on Thursday, January 5, 2023.

The APC presidential standard-bearer accused the former president of failing to develop the country when he was in power, adding that Obasanjo spent more time fighting his then vice president, abubakar atikusince both accused each other of deploying the country’s resources for their personal comfort.

According to Tinubu, Obasanjo and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) government failed to deliver electricity to Nigerians to make popcorn despite spending $16 billion on power generation.

He recalled his time as governor of Lagos when he contracted with Enron Power to generate electricity and solve the power problem under an Independent Power Project (IPP) deal, but the innovation was thwarted by the PDP government under Obasanjo.

Tinubu’s words: “I brought in Enron to solve the electricity problem and help the Lagos economy, but they were thwarted by Obasanjo and PDP. They punished me and the people of Lagos and even started discounting our money. I created Local Governments in Lagos to speed up development and create jobs for our people, but Obasanjo took our allowance and punished us for it. That was mean and such a man said he endorsed a man for you to vote for president. Can you follow a man like that? Can Obasanjo recommend a leader for someone in Nigeria? A man who does not know the way cannot show the way.”

Tinubu says that Atiku is not fit to be president: Speaking of one of his main rivals in the February 25 election, Tinubu said the PDP presidential candidate did not have the qualification to be Nigeria’s president, having prosecuted himself on his record as a civil servant.

Tinubu continued: “Atiku and Obasanjo accused themselves of using Nigerian money to buy cars for their comfort. Atiku was a customs officer who said that he made money selling cars, that’s smuggling. He did not even know that a civil servant cannot do any other business apart from agriculture. That is enough to disqualify him and he is unfit to be president..”

Tinubu promises to make Edo a center of energy: Laying out his economic agenda and plans for the people of Edo, the APC standard-bearer said it was time for the darkness to be removed in the country and the economy to be productive through massive industrialization, vowing to make the state of Edo a center of industrial activities and an energetic state.

He also praised some Western nations for returning stolen artifacts from Benin, but called on the countries to compensate the Edo state from the profits generated by using the stolen artifacts for tourism and exhibitions.

Tinubu’s comment read: “People of Edo, prosperity has come, happiness has come, hope is back in your homes, knowledge is back in your community. I am happy for the returned artifacts. They’re bringing our artifacts.

“I support the Oba of Benin who said that our heritage must return but I do not agree with the Europeans. They have used our artifacts for exhibitions and tourism for decades in their museums to make money. They shouldn’t just return them without money. When I am president I will ask them to pay us restitution. I will contribute to the construction of the museum in Benin.”