President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shot into national limelight after the annulment of the June 12 Presidential elections by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Alongside other democrats, he joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and battled the military regime of General Sani Abacha from exile in the UK.
When he returned to Nigeria in 1998, against all odds, he became the Alliance for Democracy Gubernatorial Flagbearer, though some critics opine that the late Engr. Anthony Olufunsho Williams was robbed because the latter was a beneficiary of the military rule, having served as the Commissioner for Works between 1994 and 1996 under the regime of Brigadier-General Olagunsoye Oyinola.
The News Magazine, founded by Dapo Olorunyomi, now Publisher of Premium Times, Babafemi Ojudu, Bayo Onanuga, and four others, broke the story of his alleged certificate scandal at Chicago State University. It raised a lot of dust before dying down. A source who pleaded anonymity allegedly confided in me that some Ghana must go bags from Alausa found their way into the newsroom of The News Magazine for the story to be killed with immediate effect.
Then came the age scandal – two different dates of birth, 1952 and 1954. That again was buried. Then his heritage came into question. Who really are his parents? Who are his siblings? Some quarters said that he hailed from Iragbiji in Osun State and that the late Abibatu Tinubu adopted him as a child. The late Afenifere Spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said that he didn’t go to Osun State for his biological mother’s funeral.
During the presidential campaigns in 2023, he bluntly refused to participate in the debates – was he hiding something? Why would he claim to be a servant leader as well as a democrat and still not be humble enough to subject himself to public scrutiny?
Then, more scandals came out – Deloitte in the US said that he never worked with them, even though it was on his resume.
I am even beginning to doubt the Mobil claim, as there has been no official statement from the American multinational that he was once a treasurer there beyond a lame statement from a former ‘colleague.’
We have not forgotten about the forfeiture of close to $500,000 in proceeds from the sale of narcotics. The forfeiture was invariably an admission of guilt.
What about his controversial relationship with Gilbert Chagoury, a former money launderer for General Sani Abacha, who forfeited millions of dollars in a plea bargain. He gave him lucrative contracts without competitive bidding, including the one for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road valued at over 11 trillion naira. He even went as far as giving him the second-highest national honour – GCON, reserved traditionally for vice-presidents, and his son Seyi sits on the board of directors of one of the Lebanese businessman’s companies. How about the appointment of Atiku Bagudu as Budget and National Planning Minister? An ex-money launderer for Abacha.
Going forward in 2027, all presidential candidates must be subjected to rigorous debates so that discerning Nigerians can ask all the critical questions. This is a democracy, not an oligarchy. How can a so-called democrat be acting like a totalitarian monarch?
I hope Tinubu can be courageous enough to write his memoirs after his term in office so that Nigerians and indeed the world can really know who he truly is.
Nigerians are tired of being led by a shady and shadowy character whose origin is largely unknown. As the nation’s chief ambassador, we deserve to know who Tinubu truly is. The contempt is too much.
Enough is Enough!
