Honourable Aminu Suleiman, Director General of Tinubu Support Organisation (TSO), speaks in this interview on why former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, deserves to be president. Excerpts by SULAIMON OLANREWAJU.
You have been on this effort to see the emergence of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC candidate and the nation’s president. What is the appeal for you?
A few days ago, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Minna and former military president, General Babangida, referred to him as Asiwaju of the universe. He is the only one that is at home with everyone. He does not care whether you are Igbo, Hausa, Fulani or Yoruba; he relates with everyone very well. He can relate well with the masses as he relates with the elite. He can relate with transport workers, as well as he relates with eggheads. He is the only one that I know who has that kind of quality. If you are a rich man, Asiwaju knows how to handle you. If you are a poor man, he knows how to relate with you. Asiwaju can forgive; he does not hold anything against anybody. He is so supportive. He has helped many people to actualise their aspirations. They are too numerous to be mentioned. He is a bridgebuilder and he is the kind of person we need in this country at this time. My appeal to Nigerians is not to lose focus but to work towards ensuring that Asiwaju becomes president in 2023.
Is Senator Tinubu as popular in the North as he is in the South?
Yes! That’s why we had a colloquium in Kano last year by His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. I was part of the entourage from the airport to the Government House. We commissioned about 67 projects. I come from the North. The Kano people that I know, if they don’t like you, whoever you are, they will shout on you. But Asiwaju was there in that market for over one hour. I was following them and everywhere they were shouting ‘sekayisekayi’. Sekayi meaning‘you must contest.’ So, if someone is accepted in Kano, he is accepted in the North because that’s the heart of the North. Asiwaju is accepted in Kano and Insha Allah, the whole North has accepted him. Those of us from the North know that this is time to pay back Asiwaju for the support he gave President Muhammadu Buhari. Many people from the South-West are saying we are going to disappoint Asiwaju, but we want to show them that we are really for him. Recently, the Miyetti Allah endorsed him. This is the most difficult group in the North but they have endorsed Asiwaju because he has proved himself as a leader. In less than two days, he covered about four states. He was in Zamfara and he showed us he was a leader. From Sokoto to Zamfara is about three and half hours; he came by road. The plane landed in Sokoto, he traveled by road for over three and half hours and he went back again. So, he has shown that he is ready to rule us.
But there are concerns about his health.
That’s what I am telling you. I have said it now, if someone can travel by road in three hours. Have you been to Zamfara? Have you been to Sokoto? Do you know the distance between Sokoto and Zamfara? Three and half hours, he was sitting in the car. Then he just came in, had dinner with the governor and went back. So, he is healthy. If someone is not healthy, how can he do that in just one day? From there, he went to Katsina. He covered two states. Asiwaju has a young heart; that’s why he has young people around him and keeps giving them opportunities. The current Head of Service in Lagos is a young man. He is the one that is going to help our youths realise their ambitions.
There is no doubt about Asiwaju’s accomplishments in Lagos. But some people are saying that Lagos is not Nigeria; that Nigeria is much bigger and more complex than Lagos. So, what evidence do we have that he will be able to replicate in the country what he did in Lagos?
We should remember Lagos used to be the federal capital and up to this minute, it remains the heartbeat of Nigeria. About 10 per cent of Nigerians live in Lagos. Let me tell you that Lagos State governors are respected by other governors. A governor once told me that when they were having the governors’ forum meeting and BabatundeFashola, then Lagos State governor, came in, they all stood up for him because Lagos State governor is the governor of governors.
But Asiwaju started that. He made Lagos what it is. That is why even the Niger State governor said, ‘Asiwaju please, what you did in Lagos. come and replicate at the federal level.’ Lagos is the centre of Nigeria. Anybody – Hausa, Yoruba, different tribes, Igbo, all of them are in Lagos; they all stay here.
By next year, 2023, Asiwaju will be 71 years old. Do you think an old man should replace an old man?
America has done it. Currently, Joe Biden, the President of America, is 80. So, that one doesn’t concern us. We need his heart, not his age. I am still telling you that he has a young heart. He has the intellectual capacity. He has the understanding of how the country should work and he is talented in identifying talents and tasking them. Despite his age, I think he is good enough to be the president.
What programmes does he have for Nigeria; what are his plans?
He will tackle insecurity. It is part of the consultations he is doing now. He has gone to Kaduna, where they have more of the bandits. Despite the insecurity, he still moves around. He went to Katsina; he went to Zamfara; he went to Kano; he went to Sokoto. That means he is ready to tackle this insecurity. If he can tackle insecurity, everything will follow.So, that’s Asiwaju’s agenda. Don’t forget that he devised a means to tackle insecurity in Lagos State. He will escalate this to the national level and come up with a way to secure the country.
So, security is one; what are the other things that he plans to do?
Infrastructure – roads, health, education and all. These will be part of his priorities. It is not yet announced but I know because he has done it in Lagos, Asiwaju will touch all Nigerians in diverse ways.
Do you see Asiwaju emerging as the candidate of the APC?
You still want a feedback? I was in Kano, I told you. That’s where election happens. The North-West, where I come from, determines the fate of this country. North-West, we have seven states – Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa – they determine the direction of this country. They love Asiwaju; they all rally behind him. So, what do you want to say again? He is also loved in the North-East. Even the current governor of Borno State sew a cap for Asiwaju.
What I want people to do is to pray for good health for him but Insha Allah, he is the next president. No doubt about it.
Does he enjoy the support of the president?
Yes! Yes now. Someone that was given the privilege that never happened in Nigeria before, to go to the State House to declare his intention. We thank Mr President for the kind of honour he gave to our leader to go there and express his intention and aspiration. He was happy. No one can get that kind of opportunity; it is only someone like Asiwaju.
Some people believe that the Vice-President, Professor YemiOsinbajo is going to contest against Asiwaju for the ticket of the party …
He can’t try it. Why? When the government was formed, President Muhammadu Buhari told Professor Osinbajo that ‘It is better to betray me than to betray Asiwaju.’ Tinubu was supposed to be the vice president but the religion issue came up, so he decided to step back and had all the opportunity to scuttle the APC’s chance to win the election but Asiwaju, because he loves Nigeria and because he loves Muhammadu Buhari, had to step back.
Therefore, we are appealing to the vice president, he is a pastor, he is a man of God, he should call his supporters that they should come and rally behind Asiwaju. We are still going to tell him, we have not told him yet but we, at TSO, will go and tell him to allow Asiwaju to have his turn. Thankfully, he is a pastor. He is a man of God; he should go and pray for Asiwaju’s success.
Alhaji Aminu Suleiman, what’s in this for you? Why are you going about this campaign? Do you have any personal interest?
I just love him. I have a passion for him and he knows. I have not asked him for a dime up till tomorrow; you can call him to confirm. Everybody knows this one. The reason why I have passion for him is that I was with him when I was 18 years till I was 33 years old, so I know him when I was young. I know his habit and I know he is a man that cherishes human beings and I have passion for him. God knows my mind, I am not doing this because of any political ambition. Whatever God gives me, I am okay. He is a man that has built men. I like him for that. I am supporting him because I know that among those who are angling to be president, he is the best.
How do you fund the organisation?
I am a business man, I am into petroleum business, I use my money to fund it. I use my personal resources; I have some gas stations; I have some trucks I manage myself. I didn’t ask anybody for money that’s why I am still holding my integrity.
There is no one sponsoring you?
Nobody, absolutely nobody in terms of money, but I have enjoyed the support of the Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Government. He has really assisted us. So have a number of others. My focus is not money; my concern is a better Nigeria. I know that if Asiwaju becomes the president the people will get better. If Asiwaju becomes president, the economy will improve and money will percolate through the state structure to everybody. He has done it in Lagos State; he will do it at the national level. He is not tribalistic, he is not a religious bigot. He is first and foremost a Nigerian before any other thing.
So what’s your message for Nigerians?
I want Nigerians to see what he has done for Lagos State and know that he can do much more for the country. He is the best for the country. He is the one who can get our country to the desired height. I want Nigerians to support him, the country will be better for it.
and then