A former minister of works has ranked the APC national leader Bola Tinubu the most prominent politician the south-west has ever produced.
According to Adeseye Ogunlewe, Tinubu has achieved more than the late Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola, acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Awolowo, many Yoruba leaders bealive, was the foremost sage of the southwestern dominant tribe–until Ogunlewe’s proclamation.
“He (Tinubu) is the most prominent Yoruba person that has paid his dues and is knowledgeable about the politics of Nigeria. I am confident he can lead Nigeria well if he becomes president,” he told the Daily Independent in an interview.
The former minister denied saying the north will not allow Tinubu get the presidency and that the APC leader may end up like Abiola who was killed in the course claiming his mandate.
“How can I say that the north will deny Tinubu and he will end up like MKO Abiola? All these people are enemies of progress… Hasn’t he (Tinubu) done more than MKO Abiola? Hasn’t he done more than Awolowo?”
He noted that may not be in terms of performance—but as far as skills and tactics go.
.“Look at the number of people he has been able to promote from nothing to be governors, ministers and even Vice-President:
“Believe it or not, whether you like him or you don’t like him, you must give him credit. All those saying negative things are not knowledgeable about Nigerian politics. If you are knowledgeable about Nigerian politics, you should know that you cannot remove the man’s achievements from him.”
Ogunlewe has been granting interviews declaring out loud how qualified Tinubu is to contest the 2023 presidential election that the two leading parties might zone to the southwest.