*HON JAMES ABIODUN FALEKE: WHY K
OGI IS INDEBTED TO ASIWAJU TINUBU*
Even as Asiwaju Tinubu has informed the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by extension the people of Nigeria of his intention to contest the presidential election come 2023, he will no doubt continue to remain a major political figure that will continue to dominate national discourse.
The former Lagos State Governor, Senator Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom has been widely acknowledged as a force to beat in the run up to 2023 presidential contest.
Despite the intra-party political development in the APC putting some concerned Nigerians in suspense with regards to the zone that should produce the next president of the nation, it appears the tide is finally settled in favour of the Southern part of the country.
The Executive governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in recent time openly endorsed the zoning of the presidency to the South in 2023, citing an unwritten agreement amongst the founding members of the party in 2013 which to him must be kept or the party pays “a heavy political price.”
Indeed El-Rufai remarked what seemed like a warning that in view of the understanding reached during the formation of APC as a party, no northerner should put himself up to be president under the party in 2023.
As a principled political party, El-Rufai’s position on this issue and the affairs of the party will no doubt command the respect of not just northern northern elites, but that of every well meaning Nigerians.
In the APC today, the personality of reckoning to have put himself forward to be the next president of the country in 2023 is the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. If the understanding by the party leaders at the formative stage is anything to go by, every aspiration of anyone from the Northern part of the country may be weeded and when that is done with all things remain same as they are, then Asiwaju Tinubu will coast home to becoming the consensus candidate the party is being rumoured to adopt.
Although a few number of persons mostly drawn from South East and South South in the party have been championing agitations for micro-zoning in favour of their respective geo-political zones; such calls have been infamous even when nobody from the zones has seriously shown an open interest.
It is obvious that all eyes are on the South West with some persons tinkling the rumours that Professor Yemi Osinbanjo is interested, the latter has been putting some disclaimers in the wrists of what appears to be the popular “fake news.”
Again, the rumour mills have been grinding the undeclared aspiration of the Executive governor of Ekiti state, Fayemi Kayode. It is however unclear as to what will happen when he openly declares such aspiration and how it will fly in view of the massive declaration of supports by Nigerians to back Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
It is also remarkable to note that following the unity of the South and the North and of course the backing of the entire party stalwarts for Asiwaju Tinubu, his aspiration has been waxing stronger even in growing acceptability all over the country.
Asiwaju Tinubu remains a greatest threat to many aspirants in the APC and even the opposition parties. His fortress of progressive movement to Aso Villa remains his track records and sacrifice in entrenching a viable democracy to the country.
No aspirant under any party standing close to his political stature has been seen tall to his knee in the race for the presidency 2023.
Across the country, Asiwaju is a household name for development, progressive politics, defender of democracy which has earned him the rank of a political mentor of many even those in the opposition party. His indelible legacy as widely credited to him is his great investment in human resources.
The incumbent vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,Yemi Osibanjo, Minister of Works and Houses, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Interior, Abdulrauf Aregbesola, Minister of Youth and Sport, Sunday Dare, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed, Kogi state born Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, member Federal House of Assembly representing Ikeja Federal constituency of Lagos State etc are few of his many landmarks in human mentoring and development.
His leadership building cut across states of the federation. There is hardly any state in the federation that has not benefited from Tinubu leadership tutelage and political empowerment.
Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke a worthy son of Kogi State has served as a Chairman of a Local Government Area in Lagos state and subsequently rose to become a member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in Lagos and currently in his third term.
Faleke is a pride and model of political representative in Nigeria today. This could be evidenced from the recent chieftaincy title conferred on him by the Ikeja Oba-In-Council in recognition of his excellent service to his people of Ikeja Federal Constituency.
In 2015 gubernatorial election in Kogi state, because of his strong belief and tremendous conviction in the ability and capabilities of Hon. James Abiodun Faleke to be the running mate to the gubernatorial aspirant under the party, Prince Abubakar Audu to compliment the duo tastes for responsible governance and quality leadership with excellence.
But for the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, Hon. Faleke would have emerged the state number two citizen.
As we approach 2023 presidential election, now that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has made known his intention to contest the presidency of the nation, there is no gainsaying the fact that the entire people of Kogi state known to appreciate good gestures owes a debt of gratitude to not only supporting Tinubu’s bid to becoming our President but also endeavor to reciprocating his love to bequeathing a functional leadership and progressive governance to the state and to do everything humanly possible to ensure Tinubu wins the race.
Asiwaju’s love and focus will no doubt reflect on Kogi state when eventually elected the president of the nation by the grace of God.
*Abdullahi Suleiman Otiwe,*
Director, Media and Publicity
Tinubu Support Organisation
Kogi State Chapter.