The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the weekend said the present and previous leaders of Nigeria must admit that they have mortgaged away the good future due to Nigerians and Nigeria as a country
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, however stated that it was not yet over, thereby tasking President Muhammadu Buhari and his team to re-build “our country, revitalise our economy and ultimately empower our people.”
He expressed the view in a statement yesterday calling on the media not to “be a partner “ to power or to those who have lost power. The role of the media is that of guardian and herald of the truth for the people themselves.”
In his statement, the national leader acknowledged that the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election was not due to the effort any single individual.
He said God only placed him in the position “to recognise the change that was needed and to help effect that change. I thank God for giving me this chance and for allowing me to be born a black man and a Nigerian.”
He therefore said the APC and President Buhari secured victory through the collective love and labour of millions of Nigerians, admitting that what was accomplished in 2015 was not an individual’s effort.
He said a handful of those who contributed to the victory “were well known. Most of them are hardworking anonymous people who together constitute the backbone and great strength of this nation. It was this collective effort that produced the unprecedented electoral victory in 2015.”
He cited the case of a 90-year old woman, Hajia Fadimatu Mai Talle Tara, who donated one million naira out of her life saving “to support the campaign of President Buhari. Aside, many sacrificed greatly to achieve this great turn of events. Some practically surrendered their businesses. Some provided funds.
“Others worked ceaselessly, hour after hour, day after day until the historic job was done. Many hit the campaign trail day and night from Katsina to Lagos. I reserve a special recognition and commendation for the Youth across this nation who formed part of the foot soldiers in the struggle for change.”
He thus pointed out that Nigeria had come to a point where there “is no turning back for there is nothing worthy of the sacrifices so recently made to turn back to. We have reached the juncture at which we must reform our institutions, rid our country of corruption or admit that we have mortgaged away the good future due us.
“The infrastructural decay of past decades, the unemployment time bomb, the challenging security situation make a compelling case for us all to join with this government embrace a new politics that will help build a new country.
He described the media as a key partner in the quest to reposition the country, noting that the media organisations “must employ journalism as a tool for development. Journalism must become a force for good and a voice against injustice, poverty and discrimination.
“It must always speak right to might. You must be objective. You must not be a partner to power or to those who have lost power. Your role is that of guardian and herald of the truth for the people themselves. The media will stand the best of time and with other patriots work to make Nigeria great again.”
He acknowledged that Nigeria was actually going through a challenging period, though tasked all his countrymen “to build tomorrow today together. The constitution to which we all subscribe as ‘We the People’ must be used to re-build our country.
“The same constitution must be used to revitalize our economy and ultimately protect our people. Our renaissance must come from within through perseverance, strong determination and an irrevocable sense of patriotism.”
