The presidential candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said there is no proof that he gets a share of the revenue generated by Lagos State which he once governed.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Africa, monitored by our correspondent on Tuesday, Tinubu stated that since he left office in 2007, he was yet to get any government appointment or contract.
He said those behind the allegation were only envious of him just as he revealed that he got his wealth through investments in real estates which he inherited and turned their values around.
On his campaign, he said, “Things are going very well. I’m very confident that this election will be free and fair. I’m the front runner and that is why I’m getting many arrows.”
Talking about his priorities if sworn in as President, he stressed on “security and economic recovery to accelerated development, to get Nigerians employed and get inflation down. You know, monetary policy needs to be changed. Subsidy needs to be decided upon and then removed.”
On what he would do about the insecurity in the country, Tinubu said it had reduced, just as he commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for that.
He said, “It’s reduced. I will defend him for that. Then, 17 local governments and about four states where we have flags of foreign jihadists in Nigeria. That is no more. That is long gone.
“To start a chaos is easy. To bring normalcy and redecorate is more difficult.
“Here we are, Buhari has degraded, but not completely eliminated ISWAP. They will talk briefly of lethal weapons, ammunitions and technological equipment that could have helped accelerated the clean up of those.
“The West is yet to feel comfortable enough with a Buhari administration to sell us the arms and technology necessary.”
Asked if things would be different with the West under his administration, Tinubu said, “It could change, it might not change. But we have to look at, you know, alternatives. And those are the mass recruitment of individuals in a volunteer army to really clean up.”
Asked why Nigerians should vote for him despite how they fell about the Buhari regime, he said, “Because I’m different. I’m Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I have governed Lagos. I built a modern state that could be a country on its own.
“I’ve led an administration that was so prudent, from N600 million internally generated revenue to N5 billion a month. That’s a record. Nobody else can brag about that.
“I’ve treated and tamed the Atlantic Ocean surge in Nigeria, that would have perished many people in Lagos. The infrastructural renewal in Lagos is excellent. I have continuity in Lagos.
“Buhari has done his best. I can’t run away from him being my friend, my leader in the party. I will not.”
The former governor was then asked if Nigerians had the right to know where their next president got his wealth.
“Are they enemies of wealth? If they are not enemies of wealth, investments do yield.
“I have an example of Warren Buffet. One of the richest in America and in the world. He started from stock buying and brokerages.
“I inherited great real estates. I turned the values around. I’m not denying my wealth. I’ve not been… I was the most investigated, the most accused governor in opposition up to, you know, for eight years and up to 2007.
“And since I left the office, I’m still there, I’ve not taken any government appointment, no government contract.”
On allegations that he was getting a share of the revenues Lagos was getting, he said, “Hey, excuse me, share, what? Have they proven it? The World Bank, (and) the International Monetary Fund have investigated the records in Lagos State. What’s wrong with them? It’s envy, envy, envy.”
In response to choosing between the other candidates if he was not contesting in the presidential race, he said, “None. Because they are not as competent as any other person out there. They have no track record. None of them is qualified except me.”
