In this interview, the chairperson of the ‘Women in Focus Group’, Hajiya Ramatu Ibrahim, a well known women leader and one of the frontline proponents of the Seyi Tinubu for governor of Lagos state come 2027, spoke to us extensively on this project which she said was self-direct and self-funded for the sake of continuation of good government in Lagos state. She said Lagos will only be successful going forward when the son of the President, whom she said towers above all already being speculated of showing interest in the coveted office, because he has the credentials and leadership pedigree to make Lagos state work better for all.
Excerpts:
You are not from Lagos. Why are you in the front row of campaigning and urging the son of the President, Seyi Tinubu, to contest for the governorship of the state?
At the root of the great plaudits, democracy as a system of government has drawn over the ages is its capacity to make those that emerged through the democratic process work for the people that elects them, because democracy is built around the people, meeting the desires and interests of the people remain the very soul of democracy and it functions best where there is reasonable interface between the performances of a democratically elected governments and the expectations of the majority of the people. The next election in the state and where the people of Lagos have every constitutional right to chose who governs them is not about who is the son of who or whom but about who have the requisite charisma, credentials and political experience to move the state forward. It is therefore trite to say that it does not matter who the person is, be it the son of a governor, President, widow or a marketer etc., the people of Lagos are expected to have the last say in the next two years.
To most people your call for the son of the President to contest the next gubernatorial election in Lagos state is greed taken too far, as the father is the President of the country. What will you say to those critics?
If we can hear the voice of the people clearly, the call by the people of Lagos state for the son of the President and the prince of the great political progressive family and master strategists of our time, Seyi Tinubu, the son of our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to throw his hat into the ring and contest the next governorship election in Lagos is not new to the world. History, they say, is replete with examples as just not long ago in the United States of America where we copied our own model of democracy from, the George W. Bush political family held sway. Mr. George W. Bush Snr was the President and his son George Bush jnr was the governor of a state in America and later became President. All democratically elected and nobody raised any eyebrow as long as the elections that produced them fulfilled all the constitutional requirement to be acclaimed as being free and fair. Who judges if a people of a given state are right or wrong in a democracy, I think the answer is no one, So also it is in Lagos where there are already many voices in the wilderness calling on the son of the President, Mr. Seyi Tinubu, to hear the clarion call and contest the next election for the governorship of the state.
Are you indeed sure that this is the right way to go even though his father is today, the President of the country and base on the fact that our democracy today can still be described as anything but nascent?
Those making this calls to me are indeed right and I believe it is their constitutional right to do so because I think the last time I checked, Mr. Seyi Tinubu is every step qualified to contest for that office, leaving sentiments aside, I support 100% those marking that call. These calls have a lot positives as it above all shows that the people of Lagos are as expected, politically matured and more sophisticated than those of other states in the country and this is a fact. Mr. Seyi Tinubu, the suave and urbane business man and reluctant politician, to many have the capacity to preside over the great rejuvenation of faith in the failing concept of democracy in Nigeria. He is expected to do this so very well that today he is conveniently seen by many, even his unrepentant critics alike, as the poster boy of the functional democracy in the largely dysfunctional democratic space Nigeria has been saddled with just like his father, our President, Bola Ahmed Tinibu, is doing in the last 2 years since the advent of democracy in our country.
Why are you making this calls beckoning on Mr. Seyi Tinubu to contest for governorship of Lagos State even though he has not said he will and considering the fact that there are equally more qualified individuals to choose from?
The people are making these calls, including my very self, are to the best of my knowledge doing this out of the greatest sense of patriotism and for us who are not from the state, Lagos state is the centre of excellence, and so what is good for the state is good for the country because for a man hewn out of the rigged school of practical progressive policies ably led by his father and President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the great political strategist of our time. Not a few people would strain their necks to actually find out about him and what to expect from his administration when he suddenly accepts to contest and surely win by emerging as the front runner in an expected tightly packed contest expected in the state even before the election day proper, packed race made up of great political heavies and accomplished political aficionados in Lagos. His expected emergence will be like an unheralded comet that will shake the political calculations of 2027 in Lagos state even before it starts, because it will have the signature of the best man for the job. The business of engaging in the very difficult but efficient mission of selling Seyi Tinubu to Lagosians that are yet to have digested the surprise factor that will encase the emergence of someone that is aloof and politically disengaged over a bevy war tested political parties will have been defeated if Seyi Tinubu is the APC’s candidate.
Are you 100% sure, Seyi Tinubu can fit in into the shoe to be left behind by the present governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu, who many are of the view have performed creditably and excellently well?
The task of fitting into the big shoes to be left behind by the present governor is today seen as a task only a matured political player and an astute administrator would fit into, Seyi Tinubu, though promoted as a meticulous administrator, missed on the political issue as he was formerly seen as a greenhorn before now with a discoverable aloofness to politics but his maturity today politically has already dismissed that notion and everyone can attest to this fact with his political activities of recent. What struck many of the promoters of Seyi Tinubu like me is his queer politics was because I was present during some of the pre-election meetings with strategic interest groups when he was leading some of the campaigns for his father in the 2023 presidential race is that he was not campaigning like a politician but was very candid, simple and straight. He demonstrates better faith in his insistence that he is not a politician that panders to peculiar problems of any interest groups in but the interests and well-being of all, whatever the tribe, tongue or creed. Such to many is enough for them to know the sincerity of purpose of nicking all the supports for him than promises of giving each person an aeroplane as a normal politician would do during pre-election periods. He is seen today as the best among the contending politicians who are already showing interest for the job or would in the nearest future before 2027 show interest even though he had not declared interest to any that he will. It is trite to say, thanks to his solid political base that will always be there to back him and the tremendous good will that he is expected to garner as he sells his candidacy if he agrees to contest in quite laconic and candid ways to various groups in Lagos.
What gives you the confidence that indeed if he decides to contest the next guber election as governor of Lagos State he will be a success in office?
He is expected to be in office as governor, to turn to such an instant success that will further inflects the confidence of those that will never support him even though when they know that he has more than the needed capacity to give Lagos, which has always been, the complicated, but sophisticated hot spot for Nigerian’s most literate and most enlightened political people that needed a government that will reflects its metropolitan outlook. Seyi Tinubu is the man to many that has the capacity today to achieve tremendously in the hard task of governing Lagos and thereby, completing the job started by his father, our President. He will come and give governance in Lagos, the needed democratic dividend that the people craved for over the years since democracy. He is expected to shore the sagging image of democracy by his stellar performances in four years and many who are won’t to give that misused system some benefits of the doubt just because it will have succeeded in churning out such good products and leaders like Seyi Tinubu, who to me is an apostle of the new ways of playing politics with the people as kings. It is also expected by many that as governor of Lagos and within a short time of his coming to power, Seyi Tinubu will achieve so much ground breaking achievements on such gigantic level as infrastructural renewal, urban transportation health, environment, education, security, justice system reforms, job creation, etc. and I think he will also excel equally in given the much needed attention to the little things that matters. These are the often neglected areas that serves as the glue that holds the society together and ensures that the people of Lagos sleeps soundly in their homes, ensures that traffic gridlocks are managed to the extent that their nauseous effects are reduced by a great level. He will also ensures that the environment is kept clean by putting in place an aggressive greening culture to bring out the unknown natural beauty of the state, makes sure that the poor, the needy and indeed the defenseless accesses justice without cost just to mention a few areas that many Lagosian are oblivious of and which many people may underestimate but plays critical roles in ensuring that group living is enhanced and the society functions with less pressures on individuals and the entire society. Taking care of this often neglected essential problems encourages business, enhance community living and promotes the general standards of living in a giving space. His achievements in his first term is expected to sparkle in the big and gigantic projects that will be easily seen by all and which always often, forms the attention and focus of most citizen.
Since you started beckoning on him to come out and signify his interest in contesting, what is the endorsement level like especially of your activities?
But then the people are not also unmindful of the fact that Seyi Tinubu is expected to do tremendously well because he has a solid foundation to build on as governor. His worthy predecessors especially his father cleared the soil, tilled the ground, planted and tended the sapling of growth in Lagos and he is expected to nurture, and jealously water them to full grown plants where they have started bearing fruits. What is needed now is to gather the groundswell of endorsements which we are overwhelmingly receiving everyday because of this calls for Mr. Seyi Tinubu to contest the next election as governor of Lagos state for the tress to become fruitful in Lagos. Many of his opponents and rivals will find his flavor too strong to ignore and handle I tell you if he decides to run and I assure you, he will..
It seems you are of the view that Seyi Tinubu would finish the job his father started as governor of Lagos state and the questions still remains, what do you and your group leading this proposals see in the young man to justify your confidence in him?
The qualities of leadership he possesses all aimed at enhancing democratic governance and accountability at all levels. His administration of Lagos state should able to put in place policies that will engender participatory governance and accountability, democratization of the governance process, enforcements of the rule of law and fundamental human rights, ensure a professional, well trained and highly motivated civil service, institute a culture and process for long term development planning, improve the internally generated revenue base of the state by 50%, establish a framework for fiscal sustainability and improve the ongoing budgetary process reforms and ensure budget security on a sustainable basis. His government will work to ensure reduction in the percentages of those in Lagos living below the poverty level from 7% to 20%, strengthen the institutional capacity of the state; civil service for improved service delivery, ensure value re-orientations and participatory citizenship and work for a regional integration plan and a robust and good cordial relationship with federal authorities.
If he accepts to now contest the election, what do you see him do differently when it comes to the infrastructural development of Lagos state?
Oh, so many because motivated by the desire to establish optimum developments that will improve the quality of life of citizens and attract maximum investments to the state – with provision of electricity, well maintained roads networks, portable drinking water, affordable shelter, and security for all Lagosians, Seyi Tinubu will pursuer vigorously. This goals in such a way that in the annals of the state, people will regard him as the best governor ever in this regard. He will be determined to perform even more than his father.
What is he expected to do differently in the quest to providing qualitative education and human capital development in Lagos state which is today acclaimed as the center of excellence.?
To improve access to and provide quality education in Lagos state towards the creation of and consolidation of a knowledge economy, the Seyi Tinubu administration will be unequivocal. He will be determined to do more than it is done today through ensuring a computer and computer based education at all levels, free and compulsory education up to secondary school for all, strengthening vocational education to build a cadre of highly skilled workforce, and a special initiative for the physically challenged students, promotion of indigenous languages by the medium of instructions in schools. This will be complimented by educational infrastructural development and upgrade capacity building for teachers and educational administrators, scholarship and proper findings.
As expected, Madam, you know we shall ask you of what you expect if he accepts to contest to be his agricultural development agendas. Please tell us your expectations?
The realization that making agriculture a viable source of revenue and sustainable livelihood by ensuring that it is suitable to create employments opportunities, food security, provision of industrial raw materials and poverty alleviations, is a faster road to self-sustainability, especially since over 60% of the state’s population are involved in peasant farming , Seyi Tinubu is expected to as governor of Lagos state continue the commodity – based value chain approach to agriculture development, ensure that agriculture contributes like in china, 50% of IGR, expand commodity chains, build capacity in mechanized agriculture towards food security.
What do you expect will be his agenda for the health sector in Lagos state as it is one of the most important but neglected sector in Nigeria today?
Seyi Tinubu knows that it is only a healthy people that can be a productive people. Hence, he will aim at prevention as the key goal of Lagos Health service under his watch and will seek to ensure the provision of a holistic and comprehensive health care services and facilities for the people of the state. He should be able to ensure to this end, the provisions of free medical services for children, the aged, pregnant women and senior citizens.
We will not do justice to this interview without talking about the tourism potential and agenda of Seyi Tinibu for Lagos state if eventually he chooses to contest. What are your expectations in this regard?
Making Lagos, with its abundant tourism potential, a tourist destination of choice in west Africa should never be lost in him. To achieve this, he will expand the scope in the sector and launch Lagos state to stardom through the aggressive development of its tourism potentials. He has to from day one, optimize governments investments in the state’s flagships tourism destinations and evaluates all major festivals and strategically integrate them into a year long service of traffic to the state, build and encourage the development of more world class hotels and accommodation facilities, create activities and media attentions around Lagos natural environments to drive traffic to the state to develop its tourisms corridor. This is expected to stimulate local participation in the tourism industry and ensure continuous expansion of tourist destinations in the state.
Is that a promise you are making on his behalf as one of the most formidable group beckoning on him to contest for governor of the state?
Yes. This is also going to be Seyi Tinubu’s promise, his offerings and his creed that may guide the governance of Lagos state during his time, Insha Allah, as governor of Lagos state. He shall gather a confluence of brilliant mind that will earn the state more glory as the nation’s “Centre of Excellence”. This is his next civil duty and which is that he will only serve as the “chief Servant” of Lagos state. This should be his modest agenda for a collective rescue mission of Lagos state. He will discourage personalized agendas and pursue a collective agenda and struggle to help provide a mechanism for monitoring governance over the long-term.
