A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Tunde Bank-Anthony, says the presidential candidate of the ruling party for the 2023 elections, Bola Tinubu, cannot claim credit for the successes recorded by the administrations of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode.
However, Tinubu alone has been responsible for the chosen the three governors that have ruled Lagos State after his two terms as governor of the state. So, how true is the claim by Tunde Bank-Anthony?
BASIC FACTS
- Tunde Bank-Anthony, APC Chieftain in Lagos State have said that Bola Tinubu shouldn’t be praised for the success of his successors.
- The APC Chieftain insist Ambode did well as governor of Lagos state, despite the way he was treated by Tinubu.
- The APC Chieftain also indicated that the APC presidential candidate may not get their vote in the February election.
WHAT WE KNOW
Tunde Bank-Anthony, an APC chieftain in Lagos, on Wednesday said the presidential candidate of the ruling party for the 2023 elections, Bola Tinubu, cannot claim glory for the successes recorded by the administrations of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode whose single term tenure ended in 2019.
Featuring in a television programme monitored by Clariform on Wednesday, the APC Chieftain noted that Fashola and Ambiode tenure were more rewarding for Lagos State than the eight years of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, Ambode was a performing governor who was “yanked off” and disallowed to return to office for second term.
Bank-Anthony, who doubles as the spokesman for Concerned Nigerians, said Tinubu is not the founder of modern Lagos and his men should not trivialize the contributions of Ambode and Fashola in Lagos or make them inferior to Tinubu’s.
The APC Chieftain who said those who accused Ambode of not following the blueprint of Lagos development were unfair. He challenged such people should make available to the public such blueprint if it does exist.
Bank-Anthony, speaking on why Ambode lost his 2nd term bid, said the APC primaries in Lagos in 2019 was manipulated.
Speaking further, Bank-Anthony said that Ambode didn’t protest the outcome because he is a loyal party man. He then said that he is not sure they will support the Bola Tinubu`s presidential ambition in 2023.
NOTABLE QUOTE
Speaking on the live television program, the APC Chieftain, Bank-Anthony said:
“The people that succeeded Asiwaju, BRF succeeded him and his eight years was more visible than Bola Tinubu’s eight years…He cannot claim glory for what they did; it’s not possible,”
“I read something not too long ago, the chairman of the party in Lagos said Ambode did not follow the blueprint of Lagos. What is the blueprint of Lagos? It should be online for people to see.”
“The primary was held in Lagos, Clement Ebri was in Lagos and he said it loud and clear that there was no primary but he later turned around and said, ‘Okay, let’s accept it like that’.
“Ambode was a loyal party man and he stood by it and accepted it. And he has never made a comment about it since that day but people are insinuating so many things about him.”
“I am surprised that you said Tinubu has not forgiven Ambode; it should be the other way round that Ambode has not forgiven Tinubu. Saying that Tinubu has not forgiven Ambode, on what basis is that? Is it on poor performance or what? Is it that he didn’t do well as governor of Lagos State or as an accountant general? For me, it is more or less that a performing governor was yanked off for no reason, for personal reason.
“Since Ambode left office, he has not said a word against Bola Tinubu. All he has said is that please go and register for your PVCs. He is still an APC member, he is still loyal to the APC. He is not leaving the party.”
“I don’t see why not…As I sit down here now, if I tell you I am going to vote for you, I can change my mind.”
COMMENTARY
Recall that Akinwumi Ambode was the governor of Lagos state between 2015 to 2019, during which he had a running battle with Bola Tinubu, his godfather.
Former governor Ambode’s bid to secure a second tenure in 2019 suffered a blow as he lost his party primaries largely because Bola Ahmed Tinubu the party national leader did not want him back.
As the politics of 2023 heightens, some politicians see it as a payback period for those against whom they bear grudges. This would now naturally give political connotations and twists to facts, which should have ordinarily be straight and incontrovertible.
However, the claim by the APC presidential candidate over the success recorded by his successors in office has been a very controversial one.
Bola Tinubu have variously maintained that the credit of the two governors that came after him in the state should go to him. This by implication also includes any success recorded in the current administration of Governor Sanwo Olu.
Tinubu says that he laid the foundation, and established what they have referred to as “blueprint” for Lagos State, which others after him have followed for the development of the state.
By this claim, the APC flagbearer suggests that he is the father of modern Lagos State, a claim that have been roundly rejected by his critics.
Those who disagree with Bola Tinubu, instead accuse him of emasculating the state and its finances for personal gain, rather than for development of the state.
They say that the revenue of the state are directly controlled by the “Tinubu cabal”, which has made it impossible for governors after him to free themselves of his influence and control.
Clariform however notes that the merits to these claims goes deeper than mere allegations and counter allegations.
Some of those who make this allegations and claims have in different occasions spoken from both sides of their mouths, as they switch sides and change loyalty, mostly for selfish reasons.
However, irrespective of whatever anyone believes, one thing that goes without doubt is the fact that since the inception of civil rule in 1999, Senator Bola Tinubu has left no one in doubt that he is in charge of virtually everything in Lagos State.
He has single handedly chosen his three successors, since after leaving office, including members of the state house of assembly, Senators and House of Representative members from Lagos State.
As he is fondly called by his admirers and some critics, Bola Tinubu, the man who seeks to succeed President Buhari is the Jagaban of Lagos State and the lion of Burdillon. There is no question about that.
