Former Lagos governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has revealed that Governor Abiola Ajimobi carried him along in the selection of the immediate past deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Oloye ‘Bayo Adelabu.
He hailed the candidature of Adelabu who, who he believes, would build on Ajimobi’s exploits.
Tinubu revealed this At the Roundtable with the theme: ‘The Imperative of Building Institutions for Lasting Legacies,’ to celebrate the 69th birthday of Ajimobi in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
OYO INSIGHT recalls how Ajimobi asked other aspirants including Goan preferred Engr. Joseph Tegbe to step down for Adelabu few hours to the October 1st, 2018 APC primaries.
Ajimoji, it is also recalled, had at different fora denied being forced to pick the grandson of late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu by Tinubu.
But while commending Ajimobi for changing the fortunes of the state in the last seven years, Tinubu said his success would have been incomplete without a worthy successor.
His words: “To the discussants, we have facilitated this important topic, it is all about you as a thinker and a doer and that is what Nigerians need all over – thinking and doing. The capacity to pick the right kind of people to think out the need for our society; that institution that you represent, translate it to vision and be able to do it. Unless that you have the rare combination of thinking and doing you cannot succeed as a leader and that is what you have done for Oyo State.
“The third and most critical element: yes we have seen all the roads, the infrastructural renewal, reforms and re-engineering of Oyo State coming up from you. Establishing the infrastructure is critical to development and to economic regeneration of the state. You have been doing that, we have seen you in brick and mortal form. I have commissioned projects for you but have you succeeded? No. Not yet. We have seen demolition, we have seen emotions, we have seen expressions, we have seen reforms, even of traditional institutions. Yes a leader must lead and face the pain, and critical evaluation of his steps but courage, if it’s lacking, you have failed. You don’t lack that, you have exhibited that and I salute you.
“The last one is what has just been mentioned. You can be successful as a leader if you have the capacity to construct and develop the road infrastructure and housing estates as bricks and mortals but, one critical element is that how many other leaders have you developed, particularly those who can succeed you? Otherwise, as you move, the empire crumbles. And you have critically done that. If they say I am involved in choosing your successor, it is part of human qualities as a leader to consult and find out or do due diligence about somebody’s background.
“So, for your choice of a successor, I will campaign and support and contribute to the success of Adelabu. He is a man who has worked in the private sector. I am from the private sector background, a man who has worked on the economic prognosis at macro and micro levels in the country as CBN Deputy Governor of Nigeria, is now trying to succeed you.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) will support you, that is part of the leadership qualities that you have exhibited to protect that legacy and to build on it. You are just a foundation engineer who has just reconstructed Oyo State institutionally, who has reconstructed Oyo State infrastructurally.
“I say thank you and congratulations and I don’t feel bad if they say I have been associated in the process. If you do direct primaries again like you did, I will vote for your choice of successor because reform, reengineering and reinvigoration of institution can only continue beyond us and if the foundation is bad, the house will crumble.
