 Nigeria needs me, and guess who's saying that, Bola Ahmed Tinibu. And INEC declares about 45% of new voter registrations, registrations invalid in the ongoing voter registration exercise. This is Plus Politics, and I'm Kofi Bartel. You're welcome. Former Lagos State Governor and all Progressives Congress President, Bola Ahmed Tinibu has said Nigeria needs him, just as he needs Nigeria. He also maintained that he has contributed more than other persons contesting for the presidency. Tinibu said Nigeria has all it takes, the brilliance, resources, focus, but lacks the know-how to run the race and gear of the process. He also stated that his joy will not be full if Nigeria's passport is not one that he will be proud of, while stating that he was pushing for the support of former speakers and their deputies for him to be elected President of Nigeria in 2003, as he says he has all it takes to make Nigeria prosperous. Now, according to Ashiwa Jibola Ahmed Tinibu, he has dotted in the past in Lagos State, and he can replicate it with Nigeria as a whole. Now, can he really do, as he says, join us to discuss this tonight on Plus Politics? Well, like you said, welcome to Francis Chilaka and Shola Oyekomi, they're both political artists and gentlemen. Thanks for joining us tonight. Thank you very much. All right. So what do you say, sir, regarding the accession by Bola Ahmed Tinibu, who is one of the aspirants under the APC that Nigeria needs him, does Nigeria need Tinibu? Let's start from there. Let me start by saying that Bola Tinibu as a Nigerian, going by the flawed 1999 constitution, has a right to contest for the presidency of this country. But for me, I would say that we should grow above situations where we think that everything around this country revolves around one man, revolves around you, because you feel that you have fought for democracy, so you say, if you've been one-time governor, and then you feel that the next thing is to become a president. It is normal for these two campaigns and all of that, the politicians to say all sorts of things, make all sorts of promises. But when the troops are on ground, we begin to find out that everything they have said is just talking and talking and talking. Now, for Bola Tinibu to have said this, I would say that I don't see what Bola Tinibu is bringing new to the system because he's already part of this committee that is going out. He's the national leader of the APC, and he's also in the kitchen cabinet of this administration. So if Nigerians are not happy with what has happened, what has played out with APC in the last seven years or so, I wonder what he's really bringing new. And I wonder why he feels that Nigerians really, really need him. What Nigerians think right now is a young, vibrant leader, a man with focus, a man with vision. All right, young, vibrant leader, a man with focus and a man with vision. Thank you, Francis Chilaka. Chilaka, Shola Yekomiz on joining us via phone. Shola, do you agree with Bola Tinibu, who says he's well educated, he has sound, and he has what it takes to fix Nigeria and Nigeria needs him? Shola, are you there, please? Yeah, I'm here at my position on what actually what you, Bola Tinibu, said, he mess with the contest. So much more in regards to, also he's in Nigeria, he's trying himself to market himself in order to get what he wants at the end of the day. I think that what you, Bola Tinibu, thought of him for a minute. There's not no surprises there. Shola, sorry to interrupt you. But I want a point blank answer from you. Your opinion, just like Francis Chilaka says, Nigerians need a young and visionary leader. Of course, a visionary, we can talk about that as far as Tinibu is concerned. He said his visionary young, he suddenly ain't young. Does, in your opinion, Nigeria need Bola Tinibu as its president? Well, I don't know. Francis, Bola Tinibu has previously said, especially at the time, when he went to pay that famous visit to Mr. President at Asorok Villa to inform Mr. President of his decision to contest for the position for the ticket of the presidential ticket of the APC. He also did say that he was not yet ready to inform Nigerians. So we're still waiting for Bola Tinibu to tell Nigerians that he wants to be president. But he said one thing which was striking, that this has been a dream for him as an individual. This has been a dream for him to be the president of Nigeria. So looking at that statement, his intent, his dream, his desire to be the president of Nigeria, is this, in your opinion, from your analysis of all he said, then and now? Is this more about Bola Tinibu fulfilling his lifelong dream for that satisfaction or Nigerians actually needing him amidst the situation in the country? Well, when a man wakes up from sleep and washes his face and comes out and puts the public, you know that, yes, he's doing that conscious of his environment. Bola Tinibu has been very conscious of his environment. He's been very articulate, he's been very sincere with himself and those who have been listening to him. He has come out to tell Nigerians that his life dream is to be the president of this country. So whatever anybody says doesn't matter to him. It's not about Nigeria. And this is where I have a problem with his candidacy or his aspiration. It's not about the people. It's about him. It's about greed. It's about selfishness. He's talking about himself, that this is his dream. I mean, everybody is entitled to a dream, but when your dream begins to consume you, you begin to lose the reality of what is going on. Nigerians today are tired of people who want to be leaders because it is their dream. Nigerians today are looking for leaders who would take them out of what we found ourselves in. We're looking for a leader who can stand upright to defend the lives and properties of Nigerians. If you open the news reports every day, you on your television, you on your radio, what do you hear? All you hear is about killings, death, kidnapping. So Nigerians are looking for somebody who has a solution. And not somebody whose dream is to become a president. Because what it means is that once he's made the president, he goes back to sleep to continue his dream. But we don't want a dreamer who wants somebody who would be able to mark words for action. Shalaw Yekomi, do you agree with Francis Chilaca on that point? You know, if Bola Abetin will having this lifelong dream and ambition, do you think it's more about fulfilling that ambition or actually arising generation because Nigerians need him? Shalaw? Well, it's difficult to, I know, and I ask you that yes, but let us read the issue. I'll stay with you as Shalaw Yekomi. Of course, like you said rightly, so Bola Abetin was speaking at an event held in Lagos for current and past speakers and deputy speakers elected on the platform of the AAPC. That event was held in Lagos where Bola Abetin Buu was governor from 1990 to 2007. And he made a spending effort in reminding or informing those at that event and all who care to read the reports. And, you know, he has all it takes to make Nigeria prosper, that he had done it in the past in Lagos state and that he could replicate it in Nigeria as a whole. Shalaw Yekomi, did Bola Abetin Buu radically transform Lagos and make it prosperous in his eight years in office as governor? And what legacy did he leave behind? Well, thank you very much. I can give you the legacy of Bola Abetin Buu. Are you seriously? Shalaw Yekomi, sorry to interrupt you. Are you telling us that the achievement of Bola Abetin Buu as governor of Lagos state was to have a good succession plan? Are you presenting that to Nigerians as his legacy or score mark of achievements, record of achievements as governor in Lagos state? Shalaw Yekomi, you're saying that Bola Abetin Buu had a good succession plan? I've written that down. That was his achievement. Then you're saying that he was able to increase intently generated revenue in Lagos state. But you know, Lagos state, he came in to meet no civilian administration. So now we're starting from scratch. When you say he increased the IGR, are you going to compare that to military era? Military administration. So what was the IGR used for? Because I'm also expecting you to tell me these are his achievements. Generating intently increased internal revenue is not really an achievement. It's about what you use, what that enables you to do. So what did he, Bola Abetin Buu, in his eight years as governor, use that increased IGR to accomplish? Which is what I told you earlier. That's what this is about Shalaw Yekomi. That is what this is about. If you're saying that it seems that you're struggling and clutching to try and get something to put out as his achievements. And I'm asking you again, what did he achieve? I told the legislators that Lagos state became prosperous and he can replicate that in Nigeria. Now the viewers are listening, are watching and these are the voters who have to decide. You are an analyst in your opinion. You live in Lagos state. What did he do? Number one, he said he had a good succession plan and that is an achievement. Okay. Number two, he said he increased internal generated revenue. I asked you what is that benchmark against that? You've answered the question. Number three, I asked what was the increased IGR used to achieve? Because increasing IGR on its own is not an achievement. Except you use it to do what it's supposed to be used for. Okay. What's the IGR used to do? We have some of the infrastructure developments in Lagos state. Okay. Another developments that are going on. All right. All right. Shalaw, before I go to the next, to back to Francis. What did, what did maybe let's look at? Fashola who succeeded to Numbu. What were Fashola's achievements as governor of Lagos state? Fashola's achievements are close now. Yes. There was a lot that was achieved with Fashola. Give me some. A lot of things that we also do. Just throw some of them at me. Maybe give me a few of what Fashola achieved. I didn't get that. Yes. So what are these things that Fashola did? I mentioned some of them already. Okay. These are some of the agencies that Francis has done. The rule of law. Thank you, Shalaw. It was just a test to see how easy it was going to be for you to reel out the accomplishments of Fashola's governor of Lagos state. Because when it came to Numbu, there were lots of arms coming from you, which means that you were sort of struggling to put some things out apart from increased IJR, and you started from a succession plan, which to me is not an achievement anyway. But you entitled to your opinion. But it was easier, Shalaw, it was easier for you to reel out, I'm sure if I gave you a fool's cup or a plain sheet A4 to write down Fashola's achievement, you find it easier doing it in shorter time than Numbu. So what is the brouhaha about? Maybe Fashola should be the one voting for president. I don't know. So that's why I asked you what transformation did he accomplish as governor of Lagos state that he wants to replicate in Nigeria. But if I answered and you gave me only two, namely three, you talked about IJR infrastructure, including some schools and all that, but you were finding it hard to. But I'll go to Francis Chilaka. Francis, what do you say about this whole talk that he was able to transform Lagos state and he will replicate that in Nigeria? Well, when you talk about transformation, when you talk about transformation, I've always been asking people, what are the transformation that he did? Because the only thing I noticed that was transformation was the fight he had with the federal government creating extra local governments and assisting on it. But in terms of infrastructure, I don't see any. You know, we need to tell ourselves the truth. But the problem with all the problems we've had in order to assist states is that they are always too quick and too eager to talk about their successes, which is known to them alone and people don't know it. Like you rightly said, if we talk about fashionable, you see, when people talk about a social plan, I laugh. When Mr. Pitobi finished his tenure as governor of Anabra State, he had a social plan and that was again, what came out of it? It's not about a social plan. It's about the individual, what the person has to offer, what the person, the vision and the mission statement of the individual. So it has nothing to do with anybody saying, oh, I made him governor. You can make somebody governor and the person will embarrass and disgrace you. You can make somebody governor and then the person would come out with his whole heart to know that he is working for the people. For me, I don't have anything against Ola Ahmed Kimu, but I'll say this to him. If you would listen, Ola Ahmed Kimu would have been better staying as a political leader, somebody of his own courage, somebody people can come to, since he's the man that has so much knowledge about politics and staying in power and how to win elections. People have been a big help for him too. But at his age now, Nigeria is not looking for something of his age. We're looking for people that are younger. We're moving to the 21st century where everything has got computerized. So we're looking for somebody who has that energy to dissipate, that energy to be fought. Francis, yeah, Francis Shilaka. Yeah, do you feel that the gentleman Shira Jibola Kimu Jakaban, as he's called, and his supporters and his admirers are always eager to shine on the achievements of Fashola? Yes, well, that is what is playing out. That is what is playing out. Everybody said, oh, he made Fashola a governor. And everything governor, everything Fashola did was as Palatunumu planned it. And then I asked myself, if that is it, we all know who made the president today the president of this country. Palatunumu was part of those who made him the president. How come he has not been able to bring the same knowledge, same wisdom, the same strength into this president's government? How come he has not been able to do that? So, like I said earlier, it's a different thing for you to say you've made somebody a governor, you've made somebody a president. The thing is that that person has his own free will to decide how he wants to move. Fashola could have come and been like any other governor like the ones we have presently. But Fashola came and he worked. And people saw a man with a lot of energy, a youthful man that had a vision and a political will to change a lot of things. That is what Nigeria is now. We need somebody who has a political will to take decisions and save Nigerians, protect the lives and property of Nigerians. All right. Back to you, Shalwa Yakubi. Shalwa, do you feel that it's right for Shiwaju and his supporters and admirers to take credit for the achievements of Abatunde Raji Fashola? Who was his successor? Why not? Why not? Have you forgotten that Abatunde Raji Fashola was the president of Fashola? Have you forgotten so soon? Have we forgotten that the popular call within the parties, Fashola can be pushed? You're talking about what we shouldn't forget, Shalwa. Why shouldn't we forget? What about Abatunde Raji Fashola? All right. So, Shalwa... Shalwa, can you also remember, Shalwa? It's the collective responsibility. Shalwa, yeah, can we also remember, should we remember that Fashola was lucky to even go for a second term after this political altercation with Tinnubu, who had to later accept all the pleas and then Fashola was able to go for a second term? Well, the eventual leaves. The eventual leaves. Tinnubu supports Fashola. Okay, all right. That being said, yeah, that being said, since we're talking about taking credit, should Tinnubu also take credit for the failures that we're seeing in Lagos in recent years? Agberos everywhere on the streets. The motorcycles that were banned back on the streets, increased insecurity, empowerment of Agberos and touts who are harassing commercial drivers and private drivers on the streets and the fitting away and the decay of the infrastructures of state that you mentioned that Fashola set up that are going down. Lagos state is becoming debtier by the hour. The traffic situation in Lagos state is terrible. So should Tinnubu take credit for that as well? Yes, yes. It's a collective responsibility for the conversation. I made it very clear. Agberos and Tinnubu, they're very strong. We don't think of them as not responsible. They are partly APC-responsible. It's a collective responsibility for the people that are not responsible. Thank you very much. Shala, you called me for your time. I sincerely appreciate it. Francis Chilaca as well, both of them are political analysts and they've been a guest on the first topic here on Plus Politics. Thank you gentlemen. Thank you for staying with us. We'll take a short break. And when we return, the independent National Electro-Commissioner will return.