By Banji Ayoola
The coordinator of Asiwaju Tinubu/Shettima Coalition for Good Governance, ATSCGG., in the South West, and Secretary of the Labour Directorate of the defunct APC.’s Presidential Campaign Council, PCC., Ambassador Sola Iji, has congratulated the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on his 71st birthday.
In a statement signed on his behalf by Chief ‘Wole Iroaye, the Onibudo of Ugboland in Ondo State and a member of the defunct Election Planning and Monitoring Directorate of the APC.’s PCC., he described Tinubu as a man whose time to put to use the unusual leadership talents with which he has been specially endowed by his Creator for the benefits of his Country, has come.
He said that the fact that everything fatefully worked for the emergence of Tinubu, a prominent pro-democracy activist, and former Lagos State Governor as Nigeria’s next President from May 29 this year, just two months away, is a strong indication that his triumph could not have been ordinary.
Iji, a former aspirant to the seat of Ondo South Senatorial District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, expressed deep gratitude unto the Lord for protecting Tinubu throughout his life of bitter and bloody struggles for a better Nigeria, amid rains of bullets, and bombs, hunger, deprivation, intense suffering, and hurried flight to exile, during which many of his colleagues were killed or maimed by enemies of democracy.
He recalled Tinubu’s historic role as a leading financier and strategist of the defunct National Democratic Coalition, which was the arrowhead of the prodemocracy struggles, which arose spontaneously to fight for the revalidation of the 1983 presidential election, Nigeria’s freest and fairest election ever, won by the late multibillionaire publisher, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, but which was annulled by the military regime led by retired Gen Ibrahim Babangida.
Also, the former envoy recalled that Tinubu put everything he had into the pro-democracy struggles, and even put his life on the line in the fight for a better Nigeria.
To Iji, the fact that Tinubu stood by suffering Nigerians who were crying for freedom during their Country’s darkest days next only to the needless horrible Civil War, which claimed millions of promising lives, and caused massive destruction of properties across the nation, is a strong indication that he will put in his best to build Nigeria of the dreams of the founding fathers to the benefit of all regardless of the tongue, faith, social status or whatever other artificial social barriers.
He said: “Tinubu’s superlative performance as two-term Lagos State Governor between 1999 and 2007 is another glowing testimony to the towering quality of this exemplary leader of men, and that he can be safely entrusted with resources and opportunities on a larger scale, to work out miracles and really help the masses of the people of this great Country, who look up to their political leaders full of hope.”
Noting that a new Dawn has broken for Nigeria, Iji believed strongly that Tinubu would hit the ground running from his first day in office, “for which he seems to have been preparing for a long time.”
He wished Tinubu good health, wisdom, and courage to perform in the most exemplary manner as Nigeria’s President from May 29, 2023.
