Mr. Asari Dokubo who is the leader of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force has offered reasons why he is seriously behind the candidature of former governor of Lagos Sate and All Progressive Congress (APC) standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Dokubo pointed out that Tinubu has created enduring and sustainable institutions in the past that are germane for national development than any of the people contesting in the 2023 presidential elections, going to add that no candidate among the contenders can boast of his legacies.
In his response to question on Presidential candidates and their campaign promises on Arise TV recently, the Ijaw Nationalist leader said: ‘We’ve been hearing rhetorics and this is not the first time we hear people making all sorts of promises and when they come into government, the reality will hit them. They become mischievous, and unable to fulfil the promises they made during campaign.
‘We have seen the candidates, we also have to wait and see those who will fulfil their campaign promises. But if you look at each of the candidates with a view to knowing where he belongs to, you will know that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has always been with the Progressives. From SDP he became a Senator, then he was a member of the AD, from AD to ACN, from there to AC and to APC now.’
He further added that; ‘Bola Tinubu has always been with the Progressives and has identified with them visibly. He has as his legacies strong institutions which no candidate among the contenders can boast of. He was governor almost the same time with Peter Obi.’
He chose his successors -Babatunde Raji Fashola, then Ambode, and now Sanwo-Olu.
‘The same thing happened in Anambra and Obiano succeded Obi and so on. Now, let us put them on the scale, Anambra and Lagos, let’s give them a dispassionate look and you find out that you cannot compare Bola Ahmed Tinubu along side the institutions he has put in Lagos with that of Peter Obi in Anambra.
‘In fact, a few months after Peter Obi left as governor, there was fiasco and disagreement, Obi had to leave APGA for PDP and even became Vice Presidential candidate of PDP. Again, he was a Presidential aspirant in the PDP before he joined the Labour Party.’
‘So, if we are to believe anybody, from what we have in the past, it is Ahmed Bola Tinubu. I have always pitched my tent with the Progressives.’
‘We also have Kwankwaso who was also a governor. The same thing said about Peter Obi could be said about Kwankwaso. He chose his successor and it was also a fiasco to the extent that he had to leave the APC for PDP. From PDP, he formed a new party called NNPP.
‘You see, these people cannot have sustainable and enduring institutions. The leader we need is the person that will put in place sustainable and endurable institution. When we have strong institution that commands respect, that can enforce law and other, strong institution that will follow due process and the rule of law; we will have quick development.
‘That is why Lagos is different from all other states in Nigeria. So for me, I will believe Bola Tinubu more than any other candidates because he has left institutions that are enduring and produced so many people who are very relevant in the system today.’
While commenting on the Sovereign National Conference, Dokubo said in any pluralistic society that has hiccups like Nigeria, we can only pretend that these religious and ethnic differences do not exist, adding that they have polarised the system and caused irreconcilable divide.
He added that Tinubu remains the only candidate that has identified with the push to restructure Nigeria and he believes in him.