By ADEYEMI ADELEYE
LAGOS- The All Progressives Congress (APC), South African Chapter says Nigeria needs an economic and political genius like Sen. Bola Tinubu to achieve its dream in 2023 general elections.
The Chairman of the chapter, Mr Bola Babarinde, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos while throwing weight behind the presidential ambition of Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State.
Babarinde said that Tinubu had demonstrated such feat as governor of Lagos State in laying the foundation for its economic development.
According to him, this is evident in the strides achieved by Lagos State in becoming the 5th largest economy in Africa.
Decrying the alleged economic damage by former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Babarinde said that rebuilding was always a process that requires patience and time
“What the PDP destroyed for 16 years cannot be repaired and rebuild within eight years.
“To fasten the recovery and advancement of development as possible, we need an economic and political genius to achieve that; we find that in person and genius of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
”He has demonstrated such feat as Governor of Lagos State in laying the foundation for it’s economic development and is evident in strides achieved by Lagos becoming the 5th largest economy in Africa.
“Nigeria remains at this level because of lack of innovation from successive administrations to reform and diversify Nigeria’s monolithic economy.
“Our over dependency on oil as major revenue has been an albatross, not only on the economy but on social cohesiveness as it has created lopsided economic dependency and reliance,” he said.
According to him, Tinubu has the magic wand to turn around Nigeria’s economy, improve internal and external revenue generation.
He said that Tinubu had done so before against all odds “when PDP-under Obasanjo starved Lagos State of allocations for three years and in his characteristically genius manner survived and thrived.
“Bola Tinubu is the only one in the contest presently that can defeat Atiku (PDP presidential candidate) because of his overwhelming national political structure, his detribalised nature that has endeared him to all tribes and religious inclinations.
“He is a Muslim whose his wife a Christian Pastor and he has demonstrated the accommodating nature and tolerance needed to lead a diverse and multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria without bias for political or primordial sentiments.
“We hereby undoubtedly endorse Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as the flag bearer of our party, All Progressives Congress,” Babarinde said.
On Owo attack, the diaspora chapter condoled with Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu and people of Ondo State on the brutal killing of innocent people in an Owo Catholic Church.
“We sympathise with the victims and pray the soul of departed rest in peace,” he said.
Babarinde said that such attack again showed that Nigeria needed someone with new and refreshing ideas required to pilot its affairs in 2023 for better protection of lives and property.
He said the nation needed someone who could create an enabling environment to attract investments and development, “such as it is entrenched in Lagos can be done across the country.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APC National Convention is ongoing in Abuja, to select the party’s presidential candidate for 2023 election. (NAN)