JAGABAN OF BORGU IN TROUBLE
BY ABEL ADA-MUSA
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the strongman of Lagos politics and the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) is a familiar actor in stormy waters. He is known to controversy of various kinds, especially his source of stupendous wealth, age, nativity, real name and educational qualifications.
Since 1999, when contested and won the governorship of Lagos State, these have been his Achilles heel; to wit, his political challenges. The good news, however, is that he had always weathered the storms.
As a politician, Tinubu has often acted as a disciple of Machiavelli and a worshipper of Mammon, than a disciple of Abraham Lincoln. He believes in coercive or authoritarian democracy. He knows all the instruments of acquiring power and how to keep it. He plays the game both fair and rough, depending on the circumstance. He is good at what he does! I count it as a plus for him, though.
His influence in Lagos is dorminant and unfettered, especially since when he became governor in 1999 till 2007. He has built political structures that made him lay hold of Lagos and its resources with a very firm grip. Rumour has it that he owns almost half of Lagos, in property and in affluence. His name looms large and easily reverberates across all political spectrum in Lagos State, especially.
But one thing that has besmeared his politics over the years, is the opaqueness of his character, lifestyle and accomplishments.
When he was elected governor, in 1999, one Mr. Wasiu Balogun wrote a petition against him, alleging that the information he pleaded in his Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) form CF001were false. It was a daring move that also attracted the indefatigable and firebrand lawyer late Gani Fawehinmi, who went to court to challenge Tinubu’s certain information on the INEC form. He contended that the state governor perjured; especially in the information regarding his university certificate.
He said the claim that his certificates were stolen by “unknown soldier” when they raided his house between 1994 and and 1998, in Lagos was not true.
TheNews magazine did an investigation into the story. What it came out with was deep and damning. It was discovered that he did not attend St. Paul Children’s Home school, Ibadan. And also that the St. Paul School Aroloya, Lagos, which he quoted on the INEC form did not exist!
He also claimed to have attended the famous Government College, Ibadan between 1965 and 1968. When the Old Students of the college learned that the governor of Lagos State was also an “old student”, they proposed a grand reception for him. But at a point, they paused to find out the actual year he graduated. His name could not be found anywhere. That was how the planned event died a natural death.
While the controversy was going on, it was rumoured that the then Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina ordered that all documents relating to the graduates of Government College, Ibadan, be submitted and stored in his office. The principal of the college was reportedly barred from speaking with any journalist or anybody, on the matter.
What was most worrying is the conspiracy of silence on that part of his supposed classmates, schoolmates and teachers, IF ANY. No old student of Tinuhu has ever spoken for or against him, except the ‘bad boy’ like Femi Aribisala, who has gone public to deny that Tinubu was their mate. At least, if he doesn’t have a certificate, he should have a classmate! But none! No certificates, no classmates, no former teachers.
Also punctured was his claim that he attended Richard Daley College in US, between 1969 and and 1971. The same for his averment that he studied at University of Chicago, between 1972 and 1976.
The APC presidential candidate is mature enough to know the difference between University of Chicago and Chicago State University. Recently, fact emerged that Chicago State University confirmed that he attended the institution. A sigh of relief there, I think!
Meanwhile, the case filed by Fawehinmi was decided by the Supreme Court in 2002, in favour of Tinubu, of course. The apex court ruled that the diehard lawyer was statute barred by the immunity clause in the constitution, which said that the governor could not be sued while in office.
So, he escaped on a technical ground, but the substance of the case remained. It should be stated here that the Jagaban of Borgu kingdom, as he is fondly called, has never lost any legal battle. But he knew then that the snake had merely been bruised, not killed, as the matter keeps resurfacing.
In 2003, Tinubu stirred further controversy, when he filled the same INEC form CF001. This time around, he removed all the educational qualifications he pleaded in 1999. In the columns meant for primary school, secondary school, university attended, he wrote NOT APPLICABLE.
The matter has recently aggravated because of 2023 election. The summary is that Tinuhu has integrity issues around his personality. He needs to come clean of all the baggage alleged to be in his kitty?
Tinubu’ past and present are haunting him direly. One issue that has failed to leave the front burner of presidential politics is his alleged involvement in drugs trafficking, for which he was arrested in 1990.
In the course of a sting operation, one Abiodun Agbele sold white heroin to an undercover FBI agent on November 28, 1990. The fact of the matter is that the drug charges brought against Tinubu by the FBI, sounded very clear, detailed, and unambiguous.
Upon his arrest, he named one Mueez Akande as his drug boss. Upon investigation, it was revealed that funds from Mr. Akande’s white heroin drug cartel had found its way into Mr. Tinubu’s account and that they could not be justified by his legitimate income, then which stood at about $2400 a month.
Bola Tinubu was found to have shared accommodation with the said Mr. Akande, who had been his known associate for years. And that rather than fight the charges of laundering money for a drug cartel, Bola Tinubu entered into a plea agreement with the US Federal Government to forfeit $460,000 in drug money to the government.
These are the undeniable FACTS!
The APC presidential candidate has not come out clean on the allegation. The fact that he entered a plea bargain, did not exonerate him of the offence!
The fact that they go in and out of US is not a proof that he was exonerated. If a US permanent resident is convicted and imprisoned and serves his sentence, he can fly in and out of America without hindrance.
The grounds for inadmissibility into the United States are found in Section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) and they do not apply to Bola Tinubu, who was carrying green card.
The fact remains that Bola Tinubu was involved in drug case, and by accepting a plea bargain, in which he voluntarily agreed to forfeit his assets, rather than go to trial, he is seen in the eyes of the law to have admitted to being a drug lord.
Other controversies surrounding the Jagaban are his age, nativity and real name. Who is Tinubu? Who is his real father? Identity is very important. His identity is still shrouded in controversy.
Late Secretary General of Pan-Yoruba Cultural Organization, (Afenifere), Yinka Odumakin gave an insight into Tinubu’s origin and age. In a direct mail to him in 1999, Odumakin confirmed that he came from the same state with him – Osun. He went further to remind him that he came from Iragbiji. Odumakin, who obviously knew so much revealed that when Tinubu’s mother died, it was Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi that led a delegation from Lagos that attended the burial, on behalf of Tinubu. The reason was because, he had chosen another home and another family in Lagos.
Tinubu should not be ashamed of his nativity, especially when almost every Yoruba in Lagos originated from somewhere, outside Lagos.
In 1999, Tinubu was quoted as saying that he was 66 years old. Odumakin, in the said memo to him, reminded him that one of the sons of Tinubu’s elder brother, had just celebrated his 63 years of age! And that he could not be senior to his nephew by just three years.
He also said that he saw a photograph of Tinubu taken in 1974 at the palace of Soun Ogbomoso, during the installation of the royal father. He said Tinubu was cooling off with a bottle of beer and a packet of cigarettes in his front, on the table. Odumakin rightly concluded that his age was seriously doctored, for no known reason.
The certificate controversy whirling around somebody of his stature is so unfortunate and sad. Yoruba people are very diligent when it comes to education and record keeping. It is very difficult to see a Yoruba man with questionable educational qualifications. Tinubu’s case is quite different and amazing.
Tinubu has once stated why he could not attend regular education, as other Yoruba children, citing poverty. The question is, why should he quote at all, in his 1999 INEC forms. And why should he removed them in 2003, when filling the same form? This is where allegation of perjury comes. He was not consistent with the information regarding his educational background.
Former political adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri gave insight into why Tinubu could not cite his primary school and secondary school background. He said, they could answer some questions surrounding his nativity, age and real name. Ordinarily, we don’t need this information in order to contest election. We need them for the sake of integrity and responsibility.
Everybody comes from somewhere, no matter how poor and remote. MKO Abiola once told the world that he took egg for the first time in the house of his late wife, Simbiat, whose parents were relatively rich. Your background is who you are. We shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It is part of accountability required of every human being and a responsible leader.
It is so sad that in this era, we are talking about academic certificate for somebody aspiring to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It means if he becomes president, we will be dealing with a leader with identity crisis. This raises many moral questions, for us, as a nation.
But who cares about morality and accountability in Nigeria, when it has to do with politics? Nobody! When will Nigeria produce a president that is a professor. When will the country have a president that is an engineer, a lawyer, a medical doctor, a surveyor, an accountant, et al?
The Buhari matter of 2015 is repeating itself in 2023, in Tinubu. Since 2015, the president of Nigeria has been submitting affidavits, in place of certificates, to INEC. Another question is, why are the presidential candidates of APC having issues with their certificates?
Again, like Buhari his predecessor, Tinubu is dodging television or press interviews, with excuses. This is probably as a result of the various dirty skeletons in his cupboard. Yet, this will not matter when we go to polls in 2023
What manner of country is this?
A Professor of law, and Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo contested the APC presidential primary election with Tinubu, along with others. Osinbajo lost. Tinubu won. This is Nigeria! When you want to rule this country, you don’t need to go to school. The Nigerian electorate say, those that go to school only speak “grammar”; and that they are stingy. To be stingy as a politician, is that you don’t bribe voters with money, during elections.
This is the type of country we have. People with sound integrity and credible certificates cannot win elections
No responsible professor with his hard earned money will give $25,000 to one delegate, in order to win primary election. It is as immoral as it is fraudulent.
Tinubu is a shrew master strategist. He has always bought his way through all the challenges of his life, bearing in mind that he is grossly inadequate. Tinubu is a Mammon worshipper, like many of Nigerian politicians.
Tinubu can be likened to most of the emperor’s of ancient and medieval history, who ruled and dominated their environments by smooth plotting and brute coercion. He is a dictator par excellence. He is very arrogant!
What was his legitimate business before before 1999, when he became the governor of Lagos State? I don’t know. But we are aware that he could not properly fund his governorship election, in 1999. It was said that friends had to rally around him to help him print of his campaign materials and for other essential expenses. He had only a house in Lagos. According to Odumakin, the four cars he was using at that time belonged to one Solomon Ganiyu. There was nothing like Bourdillion Villa, in Victoria Island then.
Let us accept that Tinubu ran away from Nigeria because Sani Abacha’s military junta was looking for his head on a platter, as he claimed, being a NADECO activist. I presume that the first thing that should have naturally come to his mind after picking his transport fare was his school certificates. As we can see, he picked his bag, a few clothes and his money. And left his certificates behind, IF ANY! This is very hard to believe!
Nigeria is such an unlucky country. If Tinubu wins the next presidential election, we would be having a president we don’t really know. Buhari’s case in 2015 could be better. At least, we know that the president is from Daura in Katsina State, even though he is carrying WAEC ‘s “attestation certificate.”
The trend of voting political leaders with only affidavits should stop. In 2015, supporters of Buhari were quoted as saying that even if he was holding ‘toilet tissue paper’ or ‘NEPA bill’ as certificate, they would vote for him. And they did. We are again confronted with a similar situation, with Tinubu, in 2023.
Tinubu’s age, nativity, real name, schools he attended have never mattered; and it will not matter in the next presidential election. We passed through this road before, up to Supreme Court. He has always won his legal cases, brought against him, as long as they are brought before Nigerian judges.
As Nigerians, we are not better than him. As the saying goes, those that vote such leaders in office are accomplices, not victims.
The issue of Tinubu’s certificates will not be on the next presidential ballot. Nobody in Nigeria wins election on the basis of integrity or educational attainment. What matters is the size and content of your bullion van. Tinubu already knows what to do in the next election. He should just deploy bullion vans to each of the 36 states of the country.
A bullion van for a state. This is the expected picture for the next presidential election.
GOD HELP NIGERIA!2023: TINUBU’S MORAL OPACITY & SUNDRY FOIBLES (updated)
2023: TINUBU’S MORAL OPACITY & SUNDRY FOIBLES (updated)
IN MAINSTREAM
BY ABEL ADA-MUSA
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the strongman of Lagos politics and the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) is a familiar actor in stormy waters. He is known to controversy of various kinds, especially his source of stupendous wealth, age, nativity, real name and educational qualifications.
Since 1999, when contested and won the governorship of Lagos State, these have been his Achilles heel; to wit, his political challenges. The good news, however, is that he had always weathered the storms.
As a politician, Tinubu has often acted as a disciple of Machiavelli and a worshipper of Mammon, than a disciple of Abraham Lincoln. He believes in coercive or authoritarian democracy. He knows all the instruments of acquiring power and how to keep it. He plays the game both fair and rough, depending on the circumstance. He is good at what he does! I count it as a plus for him, though.
His influence in Lagos is dorminant and unfettered, especially since when he became governor in 1999 till 2007. He has built political structures that made him lay hold of Lagos and its resources with a very firm grip. Rumour has it that he owns almost half of Lagos, in property and in affluence. His name looms large and easily reverberates across all political spectrum in Lagos State, especially.
But one thing that has besmeared his politics over the years, is the opaqueness of his character, lifestyle and accomplishments.
When he was elected governor, in 1999, one Mr. Wasiu Balogun wrote a petition against him, alleging that the information he pleaded in his Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) form CF001were false. It was a daring move that also attracted the indefatigable and firebrand lawyer late Gani Fawehinmi, who went to court to challenge Tinubu’s certain information on the INEC form. He contended that the state governor perjured; especially in the information regarding his university certificate.
He said the claim that his certificates were stolen by “unknown soldier” when they raided his house between 1994 and and 1998, in Lagos was not true.
TheNews magazine did an investigation into the story. What it came out with was deep and damning. It was discovered that he did not attend St. Paul Children’s Home school, Ibadan. And also that the St. Paul School Aroloya, Lagos, which he quoted on the INEC form did not exist!
He also claimed to have attended the famous Government College, Ibadan between 1965 and 1968. When the Old Students of the college learned that the governor of Lagos State was also an “old student”, they proposed a grand reception for him. But at a point, they paused to find out the actual year he graduated. His name could not be found anywhere. That was how the planned event died a natural death.
While the controversy was going on, it was rumoured that the then Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina ordered that all documents relating to the graduates of Government College, Ibadan, be submitted and stored in his office. The principal of the college was reportedly barred from speaking with any journalist or anybody, on the matter.
What was most worrying is the conspiracy of silence on that part of his supposed classmates, schoolmates and teachers, IF ANY. No old student of Tinuhu has ever spoken for or against him, except the ‘bad boy’ like Femi Aribisala, who has gone public to deny that Tinubu was their mate. At least, if he doesn’t have a certificate, he should have a classmate! But none! No certificates, no classmates, no former teachers.
Also punctured was his claim that he attended Richard Daley College in US, between 1969 and and 1971. The same for his averment that he studied at University of Chicago, between 1972 and 1976.
The APC presidential candidate is mature enough to know the difference between University of Chicago and Chicago State University. Recently, fact emerged that Chicago State University confirmed that he attended the institution. A sigh of relief there, I think!
Meanwhile, the case filed by Fawehinmi was decided by the Supreme Court in 2002, in favour of Tinubu, of course. The apex court ruled that the diehard lawyer was statute barred by the immunity clause in the constitution, which said that the governor could not be sued while in office.
So, he escaped on a technical ground, but the substance of the case remained. It should be stated here that the Jagaban of Borgu kingdom, as he is fondly called, has never lost any legal battle. But he knew then that the snake had merely been bruised, not killed, as the matter keeps resurfacing.
In 2003, Tinubu stirred further controversy, when he filled the same INEC form CF001. This time around, he removed all the educational qualifications he pleaded in 1999. In the columns meant for primary school, secondary school, university attended, he wrote NOT APPLICABLE.
The matter has recently aggravated because of 2023 election. The summary is that Tinuhu has integrity issues around his personality. He needs to come clean of all the baggage alleged to be in his kitty?
Tinubu’ past and present are haunting him direly. One issue that has failed to leave the front burner of presidential politics is his alleged involvement in drugs trafficking, for which he was arrested in 1990.
In the course of a sting operation, one Abiodun Agbele sold white heroin to an undercover FBI agent on November 28, 1990. The fact of the matter is that the drug charges brought against Tinubu by the FBI, sounded very clear, detailed, and unambiguous.
Upon his arrest, he named one Mueez Akande as his drug boss. Upon investigation, it was revealed that funds from Mr. Akande’s white heroin drug cartel had found its way into Mr. Tinubu’s account and that they could not be justified by his legitimate income, then which stood at about $2400 a month.
Bola Tinubu was found to have shared accommodation with the said Mr. Akande, who had been his known associate for years. And that rather than fight the charges of laundering money for a drug cartel, Bola Tinubu entered into a plea agreement with the US Federal Government to forfeit $460,000 in drug money to the government.
These are the undeniable FACTS!
The APC presidential candidate has not come out clean on the allegation. The fact that he entered a plea bargain, did not exonerate him of the offence!
The fact that they go in and out of US is not a proof that he was exonerated. If a US permanent resident is convicted and imprisoned and serves his sentence, he can fly in and out of America without hindrance.
The grounds for inadmissibility into the United States are found in Section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) and they do not apply to Bola Tinubu, who was carrying green card.
The fact remains that Bola Tinubu was involved in drug case, and by accepting a plea bargain, in which he voluntarily agreed to forfeit his assets, rather than go to trial, he is seen in the eyes of the law to have admitted to being a drug lord.
Other controversies surrounding the Jagaban are his age, nativity and real name. Who is Tinubu? Who is his real father? Identity is very important. His identity is still shrouded in controversy.
Late Secretary General of Pan-Yoruba Cultural Organization, (Afenifere), Yinka Odumakin gave an insight into Tinubu’s origin and age. In a direct mail to him in 1999, Odumakin confirmed that he came from the same state with him – Osun. He went further to remind him that he came from Iragbiji. Odumakin, who obviously knew so much revealed that when Tinubu’s mother died, it was Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi that led a delegation from Lagos that attended the burial, on behalf of Tinubu. The reason was because, he had chosen another home and another family in Lagos.
Tinubu should not be ashamed of his nativity, especially when almost every Yoruba in Lagos originated from somewhere, outside Lagos.
In 1999, Tinubu was quoted as saying that he was 66 years old. Odumakin, in the said memo to him, reminded him that one of the sons of Tinubu’s elder brother, had just celebrated his 63 years of age! And that he could not be senior to his nephew by just three years.
He also said that he saw a photograph of Tinubu taken in 1974 at the palace of Soun Ogbomoso, during the installation of the royal father. He said Tinubu was cooling off with a bottle of beer and a packet of cigarettes in his front, on the table. Odumakin rightly concluded that his age was seriously doctored, for no known reason.
The certificate controversy whirling around somebody of his stature is so unfortunate and sad. Yoruba people are very diligent when it comes to education and record keeping. It is very difficult to see a Yoruba man with questionable educational qualifications. Tinubu’s case is quite different and amazing.
Tinubu has once stated why he could not attend regular education, as other Yoruba children, citing poverty. The question is, why should he quote at all, in his 1999 INEC forms. And why should he removed them in 2003, when filling the same form? This is where allegation of perjury comes. He was not consistent with the information regarding his educational background.
Former political adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri gave insight into why Tinubu could not cite his primary school and secondary school background. He said, they could answer some questions surrounding his nativity, age and real name. Ordinarily, we don’t need this information in order to contest election. We need them for the sake of integrity and responsibility.
Everybody comes from somewhere, no matter how poor and remote. MKO Abiola once told the world that he took egg for the first time in the house of his late wife, Simbiat, whose parents were relatively rich. Your background is who you are. We shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It is part of accountability required of every human being and a responsible leader.
It is so sad that in this era, we are talking about academic certificate for somebody aspiring to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It means if he becomes president, we will be dealing with a leader with identity crisis. This raises many moral questions, for us, as a nation.
But who cares about morality and accountability in Nigeria, when it has to do with politics? Nobody! When will Nigeria produce a president that is a professor. When will the country have a president that is an engineer, a lawyer, a medical doctor, a surveyor, an accountant, et al?
The Buhari matter of 2015 is repeating itself in 2023, in Tinubu. Since 2015, the president of Nigeria has been submitting affidavits, in place of certificates, to INEC. Another question is, why are the presidential candidates of APC having issues with their certificates?
Again, like Buhari his predecessor, Tinubu is dodging television or press interviews, with excuses. This is probably as a result of the various dirty skeletons in his cupboard. Yet, this will not matter when we go to polls in 2023
What manner of country is this?
A Professor of law, and Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo contested the APC presidential primary election with Tinubu, along with others. Osinbajo lost. Tinubu won. This is Nigeria! When you want to rule this country, you don’t need to go to school. The Nigerian electorate say, those that go to school only speak “grammar”; and that they are stingy. To be stingy as a politician, is that you don’t bribe voters with money, during elections.
This is the type of country we have. People with sound integrity and credible certificates cannot win elections
No responsible professor with his hard earned money will give $25,000 to one delegate, in order to win primary election. It is as immoral as it is fraudulent.
Tinubu is a shrew master strategist. He has always bought his way through all the challenges of his life, bearing in mind that he is grossly inadequate. Tinubu is a Mammon worshipper, like many of Nigerian politicians.
Tinubu can be likened to most of the emperor’s of ancient and medieval history, who ruled and dominated their environments by smooth plotting and brute coercion. He is a dictator par excellence. He is very arrogant!
What was his legitimate business before before 1999, when he became the governor of Lagos State? I don’t know. But we are aware that he could not properly fund his governorship election, in 1999. It was said that friends had to rally around him to help him print of his campaign materials and for other essential expenses. He had only a house in Lagos. According to Odumakin, the four cars he was using at that time belonged to one Solomon Ganiyu. There was nothing like Bourdillion Villa, in Victoria Island then.
Let us accept that Tinubu ran away from Nigeria because Sani Abacha’s military junta was looking for his head on a platter, as he claimed, being a NADECO activist. I presume that the first thing that should have naturally come to his mind after picking his transport fare was his school certificates. As we can see, he picked his bag, a few clothes and his money. And left his certificates behind, IF ANY! This is very hard to believe!
Nigeria is such an unlucky country. If Tinubu wins the next presidential election, we would be having a president we don’t really know. Buhari’s case in 2015 could be better. At least, we know that the president is from Daura in Katsina State, even though he is carrying WAEC ‘s “attestation certificate.”
The trend of voting political leaders with only affidavits should stop. In 2015, supporters of Buhari were quoted as saying that even if he was holding ‘toilet tissue paper’ or ‘NEPA bill’ as certificate, they would vote for him. And they did. We are again confronted with a similar situation, with Tinubu, in 2023.
Tinubu’s age, nativity, real name, schools he attended have never mattered; and it will not matter in the next presidential election. We passed through this road before, up to Supreme Court. He has always won his legal cases, brought against him, as long as they are brought before Nigerian judges.
As Nigerians, we are not better than him. As the saying goes, those that vote such leaders in office are accomplices, not victims.
The issue of Tinubu’s certificates will not be on the next presidential ballot. Nobody in Nigeria wins election on the basis of integrity or educational attainment. What matters is the size and content of your bullion van. Tinubu already knows what to do in the next election. He should just deploy bullion vans to each of the 36 states of the country.
A bullion van for a state. This is the expected picture for the next presidential election.
GOD HELP NIGERIA!2023: TINUBU’S MORAL OPACITY & SUNDRY FOIBLES (updated)
IN MAINSTREAM
BY ABEL ADA-MUSA
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the strongman of Lagos politics and the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) is a familiar actor in stormy waters. He is known to controversy of various kinds, especially his source of stupendous wealth, age, nativity, real name and educational qualifications.
Since 1999, when contested and won the governorship of Lagos State, these have been his Achilles heel; to wit, his political challenges. The good news, however, is that he had always weathered the storms.
As a politician, Tinubu has often acted as a disciple of Machiavelli and a worshipper of Mammon, than a disciple of Abraham Lincoln. He believes in coercive or authoritarian democracy. He knows all the instruments of acquiring power and how to keep it. He plays the game both fair and rough, depending on the circumstance. He is good at what he does! I count it as a plus for him, though.
His influence in Lagos is dorminant and unfettered, especially since when he became governor in 1999 till 2007. He has built political structures that made him lay hold of Lagos and its resources with a very firm grip. Rumour has it that he owns almost half of Lagos, in property and in affluence. His name looms large and easily reverberates across all political spectrum in Lagos State, especially.
But one thing that has besmeared his politics over the years, is the opaqueness of his character, lifestyle and accomplishments.
When he was elected governor, in 1999, one Mr. Wasiu Balogun wrote a petition against him, alleging that the information he pleaded in his Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) form CF001were false. It was a daring move that also attracted the indefatigable and firebrand lawyer late Gani Fawehinmi, who went to court to challenge Tinubu’s certain information on the INEC form. He contended that the state governor perjured; especially in the information regarding his university certificate.
He said the claim that his certificates were stolen by “unknown soldier” when they raided his house between 1994 and and 1998, in Lagos was not true.
TheNews magazine did an investigation into the story. What it came out with was deep and damning. It was discovered that he did not attend St. Paul Children’s Home school, Ibadan. And also that the St. Paul School Aroloya, Lagos, which he quoted on the INEC form did not exist!
He also claimed to have attended the famous Government College, Ibadan between 1965 and 1968. When the Old Students of the college learned that the governor of Lagos State was also an “old student”, they proposed a grand reception for him. But at a point, they paused to find out the actual year he graduated. His name could not be found anywhere. That was how the planned event died a natural death.
While the controversy was going on, it was rumoured that the then Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina ordered that all documents relating to the graduates of Government College, Ibadan, be submitted and stored in his office. The principal of the college was reportedly barred from speaking with any journalist or anybody, on the matter.
What was most worrying is the conspiracy of silence on that part of his supposed classmates, schoolmates and teachers, IF ANY. No old student of Tinuhu has ever spoken for or against him, except the ‘bad boy’ like Femi Aribisala, who has gone public to deny that Tinubu was their mate. At least, if he doesn’t have a certificate, he should have a classmate! But none! No certificates, no classmates, no former teachers.
Also punctured was his claim that he attended Richard Daley College in US, between 1969 and and 1971. The same for his averment that he studied at University of Chicago, between 1972 and 1976.
The APC presidential candidate is mature enough to know the difference between University of Chicago and Chicago State University. Recently, fact emerged that Chicago State University confirmed that he attended the institution. A sigh of relief there, I think!
Meanwhile, the case filed by Fawehinmi was decided by the Supreme Court in 2002, in favour of Tinubu, of course. The apex court ruled that the diehard lawyer was statute barred by the immunity clause in the constitution, which said that the governor could not be sued while in office.
So, he escaped on a technical ground, but the substance of the case remained. It should be stated here that the Jagaban of Borgu kingdom, as he is fondly called, has never lost any legal battle. But he knew then that the snake had merely been bruised, not killed, as the matter keeps resurfacing.
In 2003, Tinubu stirred further controversy, when he filled the same INEC form CF001. This time around, he removed all the educational qualifications he pleaded in 1999. In the columns meant for primary school, secondary school, university attended, he wrote NOT APPLICABLE.
The matter has recently aggravated because of 2023 election. The summary is that Tinuhu has integrity issues around his personality. He needs to come clean of all the baggage alleged to be in his kitty?
Tinubu’ past and present are haunting him direly. One issue that has failed to leave the front burner of presidential politics is his alleged involvement in drugs trafficking, for which he was arrested in 1990.
In the course of a sting operation, one Abiodun Agbele sold white heroin to an undercover FBI agent on November 28, 1990. The fact of the matter is that the drug charges brought against Tinubu by the FBI, sounded very clear, detailed, and unambiguous.
Upon his arrest, he named one Mueez Akande as his drug boss. Upon investigation, it was revealed that funds from Mr. Akande’s white heroin drug cartel had found its way into Mr. Tinubu’s account and that they could not be justified by his legitimate income, then which stood at about $2400 a month.
Bola Tinubu was found to have shared accommodation with the said Mr. Akande, who had been his known associate for years. And that rather than fight the charges of laundering money for a drug cartel, Bola Tinubu entered into a plea agreement with the US Federal Government to forfeit $460,000 in drug money to the government.
These are the undeniable FACTS!
The APC presidential candidate has not come out clean on the allegation. The fact that he entered a plea bargain, did not exonerate him of the offence!
The fact that they go in and out of US is not a proof that he was exonerated. If a US permanent resident is convicted and imprisoned and serves his sentence, he can fly in and out of America without hindrance.
The grounds for inadmissibility into the United States are found in Section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) and they do not apply to Bola Tinubu, who was carrying green card.
The fact remains that Bola Tinubu was involved in drug case, and by accepting a plea bargain, in which he voluntarily agreed to forfeit his assets, rather than go to trial, he is seen in the eyes of the law to have admitted to being a drug lord.
Other controversies surrounding the Jagaban are his age, nativity and real name. Who is Tinubu? Who is his real father? Identity is very important. His identity is still shrouded in controversy.
Late Secretary General of Pan-Yoruba Cultural Organization, (Afenifere), Yinka Odumakin gave an insight into Tinubu’s origin and age. In a direct mail to him in 1999, Odumakin confirmed that he came from the same state with him – Osun. He went further to remind him that he came from Iragbiji. Odumakin, who obviously knew so much revealed that when Tinubu’s mother died, it was Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi that led a delegation from Lagos that attended the burial, on behalf of Tinubu. The reason was because, he had chosen another home and another family in Lagos.
Tinubu should not be ashamed of his nativity, especially when almost every Yoruba in Lagos originated from somewhere, outside Lagos.
In 1999, Tinubu was quoted as saying that he was 66 years old. Odumakin, in the said memo to him, reminded him that one of the sons of Tinubu’s elder brother, had just celebrated his 63 years of age! And that he could not be senior to his nephew by just three years.
He also said that he saw a photograph of Tinubu taken in 1974 at the palace of Soun Ogbomoso, during the installation of the royal father. He said Tinubu was cooling off with a bottle of beer and a packet of cigarettes in his front, on the table. Odumakin rightly concluded that his age was seriously doctored, for no known reason.
The certificate controversy whirling around somebody of his stature is so unfortunate and sad. Yoruba people are very diligent when it comes to education and record keeping. It is very difficult to see a Yoruba man with questionable educational qualifications. Tinubu’s case is quite different and amazing.
Tinubu has once stated why he could not attend regular education, as other Yoruba children, citing poverty. The question is, why should he quote at all, in his 1999 INEC forms. And why should he removed them in 2003, when filling the same form? This is where allegation of perjury comes. He was not consistent with the information regarding his educational background.
Former political adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri gave insight into why Tinubu could not cite his primary school and secondary school background. He said, they could answer some questions surrounding his nativity, age and real name. Ordinarily, we don’t need this information in order to contest election. We need them for the sake of integrity and responsibility.
Everybody comes from somewhere, no matter how poor and remote. MKO Abiola once told the world that he took egg for the first time in the house of his late wife, Simbiat, whose parents were relatively rich. Your background is who you are. We shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It is part of accountability required of every human being and a responsible leader.
It is so sad that in this era, we are talking about academic certificate for somebody aspiring to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It means if he becomes president, we will be dealing with a leader with identity crisis. This raises many moral questions, for us, as a nation.
But who cares about morality and accountability in Nigeria, when it has to do with politics? Nobody! When will Nigeria produce a president that is a professor. When will the country have a president that is an engineer, a lawyer, a medical doctor, a surveyor, an accountant, et al?
The Buhari matter of 2015 is repeating itself in 2023, in Tinubu. Since 2015, the president of Nigeria has been submitting affidavits, in place of certificates, to INEC. Another question is, why are the presidential candidates of APC having issues with their certificates?
Again, like Buhari his predecessor, Tinubu is dodging television or press interviews, with excuses. This is probably as a result of the various dirty skeletons in his cupboard. Yet, this will not matter when we go to polls in 2023
What manner of country is this?
A Professor of law, and Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo contested the APC presidential primary election with Tinubu, along with others. Osinbajo lost. Tinubu won. This is Nigeria! When you want to rule this country, you don’t need to go to school. The Nigerian electorate say, those that go to school only speak “grammar”; and that they are stingy. To be stingy as a politician, is that you don’t bribe voters with money, during elections.
This is the type of country we have. People with sound integrity and credible certificates cannot win elections
No responsible professor with his hard earned money will give $25,000 to one delegate, in order to win primary election. It is as immoral as it is fraudulent.
Tinubu is a shrew master strategist. He has always bought his way through all the challenges of his life, bearing in mind that he is grossly inadequate. Tinubu is a Mammon worshipper, like many of Nigerian politicians.
Tinubu can be likened to most of the emperor’s of ancient and medieval history, who ruled and dominated their environments by smooth plotting and brute coercion. He is a dictator par excellence. He is very arrogant!
What was his legitimate business before before 1999, when he became the governor of Lagos State? I don’t know. But we are aware that he could not properly fund his governorship election, in 1999. It was said that friends had to rally around him to help him print of his campaign materials and for other essential expenses. He had only a house in Lagos. According to Odumakin, the four cars he was using at that time belonged to one Solomon Ganiyu. There was nothing like Bourdillion Villa, in Victoria Island then.
Let us accept that Tinubu ran away from Nigeria because Sani Abacha’s military junta was looking for his head on a platter, as he claimed, being a NADECO activist. I presume that the first thing that should have naturally come to his mind after picking his transport fare was his school certificates. As we can see, he picked his bag, a few clothes and his money. And left his certificates behind, IF ANY! This is very hard to believe!
Nigeria is such an unlucky country. If Tinubu wins the next presidential election, we would be having a president we don’t really know. Buhari’s case in 2015 could be better. At least, we know that the president is from Daura in Katsina State, even though he is carrying WAEC ‘s “attestation certificate.”
The trend of voting political leaders with only affidavits should stop. In 2015, supporters of Buhari were quoted as saying that even if he was holding ‘toilet tissue paper’ or ‘NEPA bill’ as certificate, they would vote for him. And they did. We are again confronted with a similar situation, with Tinubu, in 2023.
Tinubu’s age, nativity, real name, schools he attended have never mattered; and it will not matter in the next presidential election. We passed through this road before, up to Supreme Court. He has always won his legal cases, brought against him, as long as they are brought before Nigerian judges.
As Nigerians, we are not better than him. As the saying goes, those that vote such leaders in office are accomplices, not victims.
The issue of Tinubu’s certificates will not be on the next presidential ballot. Nobody in Nigeria wins election on the basis of integrity or educational attainment. What matters is the size and content of your bullion van. Tinubu already knows what to do in the next election. He should just deploy bullion vans to each of the 36 states of the country.
A bullion van for a state. This is the expected picture for the next presidential election.
GOD HELP NIGERIA!
SPONSORED ADS 👇👇
Support, Mobilise and Vote Labour Party in the forth coming general elections in Nigeria!!!
A NEW NIGERIA IS POSSIBLE!!!
