Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commonly known as Bola Tinubu, is a prominent Nigerian politician and a major figure in Nigeria’s political landscape. He has played a significant role in Nigerian politics for over three decades and is widely regarded as one of the most influential politicians in the country. This essay will examine Tinubu’s place in Nigerian politics, including his political career, his role in the formation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, and his influence on the current political landscape in Nigeria.

Bola Tinubu’s political career began in the early 1990s as a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He later joined the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party and was elected governor of Lagos State in 1999. Tinubu’s tenure as governor was marked by several notable achievements, including improvements in infrastructure and the implementation of policies that led to an increase in the state’s GDP. He also played a key role in the formation of the Action Congress (AC) party in 2006, which later merged with other opposition parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.

The formation of the APC was a significant development in Nigerian politics as it marked the first time that major opposition parties had come together to form a unified front against the ruling party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Tinubu played a key role in the formation of the APC and was instrumental in bringing together various groups and individuals with different political ideologies. This helped to create a broad-based coalition that was able to challenge the PDP and eventually win the 2015 presidential elections.

Since the formation of the APC, Tinubu has been a major influence on the party and the current political landscape in Nigeria. He is widely regarded as one of the most powerful politicians in the country and has been described as the “godfather” of Nigerian politics. Tinubu’s influence extends beyond the APC as he is considered to be a major power broker in Nigerian politics and has been credited with playing a key role in the formation of various alliances and coalitions in the country.

In addition to his political career, Tinubu has also been involved in business and philanthropy. He is the founder and chairman of the Tinubu Square Group, a conglomerate with interests in several sectors including oil and gas, real estate, and financial services. He is also known for his philanthropic work and has established several foundations and organizations to support education, health, and poverty reduction.

Bola Tinubu in the Development of Lagos State

Although a national figure, Bola Tinubu’s influence cannot be separated from the development of Lagos State, especially during his tenure as governor when he orchestrated various policies and projects that revamped the state’s economy and infrastructure.

As earlier noted, Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State began in 1999, when he was elected as the governor of the state on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party. During his tenure, Tinubu implemented several policies and initiatives that aimed to improve the state’s economy and infrastructure. One of the major initiatives was the creation of the Lagos State Property Development Corporation (LSPDC), which aimed to increase the state’s housing stock and improve the quality of housing in the state.

Tinubu also implemented policies aimed at improving the state’s infrastructure. He initiated the construction of new roads, bridges, and flyovers, which helped to ease traffic congestion and improve mobility in the state. As governor, Tinubu constructed new roads and bridges, which helped significantly in improving mobility and reduced traffic congestion.

In an attempt to revamp the electric power sector, Tinubu approached the Obasanjo-led federal government, seeking approval to generate and distribute electric power in the state. Citing constitutional restrictions, the Obasanjo-led PDP government denied Tinubu the opportunity while, in an unexplained manner, granted similar power to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Notwithstanding this challenge, Tinubu’s improvement in the existing Lagos State’s power supply helped to attract investment, created jobs, and improved the state’s power supply.

Additionally, Tinubu implemented policies and projects that aimed at improving the state’s environment. These included the creation of a greenbelt, the developments of amusement parks, which helped to attract tourists and boost the state’s economy, as well as planting of trees along major roads.

In general, there is no gainsaying the fact that the policies and initiatives implemented by Tinubu during his tenure as governor had a significant impact on the state’s economy with the attendant improvement in the standard of living of the people of Lagos State. In addition, his policies helped to attract private investment and led to an increase in the state’s GDP – leading to a period of economic growth and development in the state.

It cannot be denied that Bola Tinubu played a significant role in the development of Lagos State during his tenure as governor. Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State serves as a model of good governance, and his policies and initiatives continue to shape the development of the state till date.

Bola Tinubu’s Corruption Scandal

Not minding the sterling record of achievements, Bola Tinubu has been involved in several corruption scandals throughout his career. One of the most notable scandals occurred in 2007, when he was accused of embezzling public funds during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

The scandal broke out when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Tinubu of diverting over $4 billion in public funds for personal use. The EFCC alleged that Tinubu used the funds to purchase properties, invest in companies, and make other personal investments. The commission also accused Tinubu of using the funds to influence the outcome of the 2007 presidential elections.

In response to the allegations, Tinubu denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the accusations were politically motivated. He stated that the funds in question were used for legitimate government purposes, such as infrastructure development and poverty reduction programs.

Despite Tinubu’s denials, the EFCC launched a formal investigation into the matter. However, the investigation was later dropped due to lack of evidence. Despite that Tinubu has never been formally charged or convicted in relation to the scandal anywhere in Nigeria, the corruption scandal surrounding received widespread coverage in the Nigerian media and caused significant damage to Tinubu’s reputation. It also led to significant public scrutiny of his administration and raised questions about the transparency and accountability of Nigerian politicians.

This scandal also unearths a drug-related case involving Tinubu while he was in the United States. As court records in the United States, Bola Tinubu, Remi Tinubu, and Alhaja Habibat Mogaji forfeited huge sums of money to the US government in a drug-related case. As noted in the court papers, the forfeited monies were proceeds of crime.

There are also controversies surrounding his origin, with many claiming that he hailed from Iragbiji, Osun State and that the name ‘Bola Tinubu’ was not his but of Mrs. Habibat Mogaji’s late daughter of similar age. While many of Tinubu’s supporters disproved the claims, records available at the various institutions he attended in the United States showed that the ‘Bola Tinubu’ was a ‘she’. In the US Court records, Bola Tinubu described Mrs. Habibat Mogaji as his ‘surrogate mother’.

His actual age was also a source of controversies, with many arguing that he was older than he actually claimed. For this writer, issues around his age are of little to no consequence, as proper and accurate records of birth and death are fairly recent in Nigeria. Hence, any one of his age cannot possibly say with mathematical exactitude when he or she was born.

Following his emergence as governor of Lagos State, Chief Ganiyu Fawehinmi approached the court to nullify Tinubu’s electoral victory on the ground of false claims in his educational records, especially his claim of attending an elementary school at Aroloya in Lagos and Government College, Ibadan. There were no records of his admission and graduation from those schools. Tinubu, arguing through his Counsels before the Lagos State House of Assembly, the errors were perpetrated by Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi who assisted him in filing and submitting his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.

By law, the Lagos House of Assembly can only try Tinubu or any governor for that matter on charges committed while in office; hence, the House cannot nullify his electoral victory.

By Way of Conclusion

Whatever the circumstances surrounding the different issues Nigerians have raised about Bola Tinubu, the fact remains that he is a significant political figure in Nigerian politics who has played a major role in shaping the country’s political landscape for over three decades.

His influence extends beyond his political career and extends to his business and philanthropic activities. He is widely regarded as one of the most powerful politicians in the country and continues to be a major influence on the current political landscape in Nigeria. He is the APC candidate for the coming election and possibly the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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[1] Emi Lo’kan means “It is My Turn”. This was culled from a speech given by Mr. Bola Tinubu in Ogun State in 2022. At the speech, he enumerated the various efforts he and the Yoruba people of the Southwest made in ensuring electoral victory for the incumbent president, Alhaji Muhammed Buhari and that the current electoral dispensation is Yoruba’s turn and that amidst Yoruba contestants, it is his turn. Many have twisted to mean that he was not only desperate to rule Nigeria but was ready to turn Nigeria into his personal fiefdom. This is simply unfortunate.