A former Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly who was member of the second and third Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Dr AbdurRazaq Balogun, shared rare insights into the persona of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He shared his close interactions with the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and how the road map laid since 1999 has endured, and has reshaped the fortunes of the state. He believes this same mercurial touch is what Nigeria needs at this moment when we are burdened on all sides and when the party is adrift and the country is looking as if her leaders are short of transformative ideas. Balogun, spoke with DEMILADE ADENIYI, excerpts
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You were in the parliament at a point when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was the governor in Lagos State, you certainly would have some perspective about his person, about his attitude to governance. Can you unravel the persona of this man, who is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress?
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I would start by saying that that time I served as the representative of Surulere Constituency II and I became the deputy Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, I was elected 2003 and before then I never knew Governor Tinubu, until about the time we were about to be inaugurated into the House of Assembly and we had a meeting at the State House in Marina, we started talking about the future of the state and the role that lawmakers would play in the whole of it. There was the zoning, which favoured the Speaker coming from Epe at that time and other principal positions are to be shared among other members. I remember that I was nominated at that time, as a very young person to be the Deputy Majority Leader, and I refused right in front of Asiwaju at that time that I don’t want to be the Deputy Majority Leader, that I would rather be Chairman of a committee of the House and he looked at me and said, young man, you are going to enjoy being a principal officer of the House, that I should go ahead and take that position and I was elected as Deputy Majority Leader of the House. That made me part of the decision making member of the House and I started having a very close interaction with Asiwaju, under Alliance for Democracy. Any issue at that time, he would always meet with principal officers of the House. I started seeing a person who was very forward looking, a man who is deeply concerned about the development of Lagos and indeed the development of Nigeria. He would sound us out and ask how we can push some issues and how we can give legitimacy to some of the various issues of governance and development. Asiwaju is a man burning with ideas. We discuss various issues. Infact, then, I used to think I was too young to hear some of the things he was saying, but it occurred to me that he was growing young people who would later take up the mantle of leadership. That was why at that time, we had about 15 young members of the house who were in their early 30s and he had very good interactions with us, we would sit at the round table discuss and dissect issues. As we went on in government, most of the iconic legislations that we passed at the House, he would make sure we had an executive/legislative parley about it before taking it to the public. That’s why you see that a lot of the legislation that we operate in Lagos State was passed during the time of Asiwaju and I can name so many. There was the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority law, we passed the LAWMA law, we passed the LASRA law, we passed the LASAA law, we passed an emergency response unit LASEPA law. One of the most profound things we did at that time was the unbundling of the health sector. The health sector and then we created more general hospitals, more Maternal and Child Care Centres, we made the General Hospital the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital by law. We embarked upon judicial reform. These are some of the things that Asiwaju envisioned at that time that brought about the prosperity we are today talking about across all sectors in the state. Or are we going to talk about the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS)? We unbundled the LIRS, we created a new law that made LIRS semi-autonomous of the government, and the government gave them a lot of working tools with which it was able to generate a lot of revenue for Lagos State.
I continue to tell people Asiwaju is a very magnanimous person. Somebody with who we would have debates and arguments and sometimes he would ask us to remove him as governor, and we would say, we are not removing you, but we must discuss issues pertaining to our state and when we win him, he we would see him accept our point of view and execute it and would not go out to take it out against anyone. I remember very clearly, one of those times when we had issues at the House of Assembly regarding the executive arm. I remember he called all principal officers at that time on what the issues were and we were adamant. He called the first time, prepared food at the State House, nobody ate, called the second time, with all our leaders from all over, nobody bulged, At the end of the day we resolved these issues, most of us, that were part of the clique, as principal officers or as members of the House returned to the House, He was not vindictive. This is something most governors would never do. They won’t see beyond the fact that these guys were doing what they were elected to do, and that these guys are representing their constituencies.
He is somebody that has plans for every segment of the society, the women, the youths, everybody. I recalled I was seeking re-election and a lot of people in my constituency felt I shouldn’t go back for my second term, but he called them and told them that these young guys are our future, they are bright guys, we do not need to change parliamentarians just at the whims of anybody. That is why in Lagos today, bought into the autonomy of the parliament even at a time it was not fashionable to do so. Lagos State House of Assembly under Asiwaju Tinubu was very autonomous. Another very instructive thing was that he would consult with various people. He has a very wide cross cultural, political base. During his time, we used to travel a lot with him, and he chooses based on the committees supervising the area he is monitoring per time. The whole idea being to ensure that everyone is carried along and that not only the principal officers of the House needed to know what the government is doing at all times. That was why people felt members of parliament at that time were rubber stamp. We were not, it was just that he knew and was always carrying the parliament along. Even with the Lekki Toll Gate concessioning programme, Asiwaju started the Lekki-Ajah-Epe Toll Gate which was tolled.
Notwithstanding all what you’ve enunciated, there are people who believe that age is telling on him, as a medical doctor, do you agree?
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I must say though I am not his medical doctor, that despite his age, Asiwaju is still very cerebral. He doesn’t forget things easily and for his age, he is still agile. He has a very deep foresight and he is a man of deep introspection. He would speak of things that were discussed in the past, what was resolved and how he feels things should go. I think the Presidency of Asiwaju will give Nigeria a fresh breath, because he is somebody who will get able minds with him and he will give you the freedom to work and to get results and this is not very common in our society. Quite a number of members of the House of Assembly that I know had worked with him, Commissioners, Special Advisers, etc, who have advanced to various stages in life are still with him despite their various stations. You see many members of the House of Assembly going fourth term going fifth term, it was Asiwaju that broke the jinx of several places where members of Assembly only serve one term, like Epe. Ibeju-Lekki, they only do one term in those places and I recalled Asiwaju calling their leaders, appealing to them and letting them understand why their lawmakers must stay. For me, his presidency would give Nigeria legitimate service, Asiwaju is all about service. This is a man that works through the night, he barely sleeps, even those who are still very young could hardly keep pace with his style of living and work, despite his age. For me, we must ensure that we give our mandate to somebody that has a vision. We can’t do it alone, we need people to assist you. The template for Lagos was set in 1999, we came in 2003 and advanced it and I remember that even at that time we passed nothing less than 60 iconic legislations. This is what made Lagos what it is today, Interestingly a lot of states have come here to copy all of these things, and some of these are copied verbatim, the only changes you see are just by titles and things like that and it is noteworthy that all his successors are men of quality who went on to advance the cause and to ensure that these roadmap he set are being implemented. This part of him is what I think people should note, which should inform their decision come February 25. It is one thing to be a leader, it is another thing to be a team player. Asiwaju is our leader, was our governor but he is a man that listens to different views. He is a man that didn’t shut us up. As he left office, he still continues to champion national cause, most times when elections are coming, he gives everything to make sure the standard never falls. Look at the quality of men that were his successors, these men continue to make sure Lagos continues to lead other sister states.
For me, I believe we have made the right choice in the All Progressives Congress, and that irrespective of what they hear or read on social media regarding his state of health, I am a medical doctor, I know that Asiwaju is fit and mentally alert. What you read on social media is not true, he is somebody who is ready for the work ahead and like he said, this is something he has been planning for almost two decades. He left office in 2007 and he never took any appointment, he didn’t go to the Senate, magnanimous even at that time, he gave his slot to Senator Ganiyu Olawale Solomon and concentrated on governance issues. Even when we go to Saudi Arabia for Hajj, you will see him from morning till night, except for prayer times, you’ll see him consulting with different sorts of people from all walks of life across the country. It tells you that there’s something very special about this man and I think Nigerians should give him that mandate so that he can change the fortune of our dear nation, because as we are now, we know that things can be better and Asiwaju has the requisite experience, he has what it takes to turn the fortunes around.
As a member of the House at the time what would you say to some of the controversies surrounding him as one of the principal officers of the House of Assembly who was at the centre of clearing him of all misdemeanor?
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When people challenge his name, age and legitimacy, I always tell them when this man started schooling in Chicago, did he know he would become great when he was bearing Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Or back in his secondary school days? He is way older than me. But I had uncles who were his contemporaries who went to Chicago with him and incidentally, y own brother was also an alumni of the Chicago State University that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu went and when you go to that kind of school, you are not a hidden item, one can just google him and search him out. A lot of the time, we discredit our leaders on the wrong premise. It reminds me of when I got elected, and they wrote a petition against me and they accused me of parading a fake certificate and I said Medicine is the worst, in all the courses of the world to fake. Nobody fakes being a Medical Doctor when you know that you can check from the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council, or by the time you hear him talk, you can tell if anyone is a medical doctor or not, because we have a universal language all over the world. When somebody is bound to be great, you are going to find a lot of people trying to pull you down and Asiwaju has said he is prepared for such things and when it came, he was not caught unawares. It is a tree with fruits that people throw stones at, not a barren tree. What is instructive for me is that Asiwaju has a very large heart. He is a very forgiving leader. I have seen him demonstrate this over and over again forgiving people who offended him. This is a man who left office 17 years ago, and was the most investigated public officer ever in this dispensation, yet the EFCC, or ICPC did not have anything against him. Like I said, when you are bound to be great, even the least expected man would want to pin you down, not to talk of millions of great men and women. Asiwaju exposed us all. Some of us benefited from exchange programmes and we saw how parliamentarians conduct themselves at the Capitol in the United States, we went to London Parliament, we went to France and we interacted with them. He ensured that we were well grounded as parliamentarians. He approved training for us. Unlike what occurred in many Houses of Assembly across the country, he didn’t stifle us. I don’t see any controversy about anything, it is election time, you are bound to hear anything, but despite all that this man is still waxing strong. As far as we are concerned, we are of no doubt that this man would change the fortune of this country. He has what it takes, he has that touch and he has that network of people. What more, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is service oriented. He reformed the Lagos State Civil Service. To ensure that people get their money’s worth. If you schooled in America, you’ll know that they are trained to be independent and to be employers of labour that is why in everything he does you see that orientation. When he wanted to start the BRT you saw the controversy around it but close to two decades after, we see the benefit to the people of this state and Lagos is still the party to beat in our party. That is why I believe Nigeria should give this man the opportunity to serve us.
From what you know of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what would you want Nigerians to do on February 25?
I would say that our great party has the best material ever possible for the forthcoming election. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a visionary, forward looking activist and progressive politician who believes in the dignity of man. From when we started Action for Democracy, (AD) he has always gone the way of our founding fathers in this part of the country, the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Free education, free health, etc. He is committed to the prosperity of the people and when this happens, it creates its own ripple. I remember a guy I helped into LASU. The guy became a chartered accountant even before he finished LASU and he got a job in Chevron. I don’t know where that guy is today, but I know that certainly, he too would have stated affecting some other lives. That’s the principle behind a welfarist system, a system that is Socialist in nature and not totally capitalist. This is what Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu epitomizes. He is somebody that has the milk of human kindness running through him. To give you an example, in 2004, I was passing by in my constituency when I saw a child with Amiloplastoma, a benign cancer of the jaw. It is not something that could kill the child if we intervene. I took interest in that child and I started writing an appeal to the governor on this matter. I flew to London, University of London to have a discussion with the faculty and at that time resources were very scarce in Lagos. I remember the final time I met Asiwaju on the matter, after a lot of letter, I told him, Sir, I don’t think this girl deserves to die if we can help and he said ok, ok, we’ll do something and lo and behold, the sum of N7.2 million was approved, 42,000 Pounds to assist this girl. All her family had given up. They were waiting for her to just die, but help came. This is the kind of magnanimity that he has. The woman is alive today, married, with her own kids now. I am sure a lot of people have different testimonies. Even those who are in opposition against Asiwaju today, in the depth of their hearts they also know that they have benefitted so hugely from Asiwaju’s large heart. This is the kind of person that you need. You need a President that is compassionate, yet firm and very cerebral. That’s who he is. He has seen things that some of us won’t even dare to see. Nigerians would benefit immensely from his wealth of experience, his connections, his deft decisions and decisive nature of this man. Don’t forget this man is also going to be the Commander of the Armed Forces. The entire governance of Nigeria is going to be vested in him and because he knows how to manage and move within people from left to right, am sure he is going to have harmonious relationship with the governors, he would have good relationship with the National Assembly I hope our party will be elected majority in the National Assembly because again, he needs members of the National Assembly to assist in that crucial collaboration, so certainly, he is somebody that a lot of the entire governance structure, and even the judiciary. He changed the Lagos judiciary by building more modern court rooms with ICT, giving them pecks of office that befits judges, we are privy to it because we passed the budget, we see these things. It just tells you that it’s as if God just prepared him from a very long time ago. That does not mean that he doesn’t have his buts, everybody does, but this man is somebody I think Nigerians should give him a chance, because we need him at this pressing moment. Look at the creation of local government law that we passed in Lagos State. People can say whatever they like, from 20 local governments to 57 local governments, go to those places now. It may not totally have met all our expectations because some of us are naturally pessimistic, but has it brought development further down? Am from Surulere Local Government and Surulere Local Government is from Masha if we did not have Coker/Aguda Local Government and Itire/Ikate Local Government, tell me how much developments would have come to those places? But go there now, a lot of development is taking place there, but people may forget. I think we need this man at this time, I think he meant well for Nigeria and I also think he has chosen a well-rounded man as his Vice, as his deputy. Gone are the days when deputies are spare tyres, because if you know Shettima’s antecedent and know what he did in Borno State, and hear him speak, starting hife from an Agric-Economist who became a banker in Zenith Bank where he rose to be a General Manager before venturing into politics as Governor of Borno State, it tells you that these are not small fries, These are people who understands the arithmetic of politics. They are just a mixed bag of everything we needed at this time. I think this is the person we need at this time and am just hoping that our young folks who may be carried away by the internet or what they hear, should try investigate and learn more about this gentleman and I think this is the man we need at this time and on the 25th of February, we would give him their mandate.
Finally as the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, what would you say are your major challenges and how are you been working them out?
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Lagos State Security Trust Fund is one of the responses of the government and the visionary parliament to the challenges of crimes and criminalities. We felt that for the state to make progress and continue to attract foreign investment to trigger employment and enhance our infrastructure. We have to change our security architecture. The governor then Governor Fashola set up a committee to look into the issue of insecurity was inadequate in Lagos and non-functional and the committee found out that the major issue is the under resourcing of our security agencies, and the Police were not motivated when there are no tools to work with, the personnel were even not enough, there virtually nothing we could have done about that because security is under the Exclusive list. But we found a way around it again knowing that we were an opposition at that time, under a PDP government, we used our innovation, we used our tact to create a fund and we invited corporate Nigeria to partner with us, years after, the template is what we are still resources are what we are still using and people attest to it that Lagos State still remain the safest state in the federation despite the fact that we are landlocked, we are small, we have international borders, waterways and everything, it is a model that is working, a model that 16 states have copied till date, and the Federal Government has also created the Police Trust Fund, though the functionality is another thing. But the fact is that this is a model that works, a model that compels us to remain highly accountable to our donors. The challenge is that over the years, inflation, exchange rate, population, rate of attrition of our assets, the EndSARS riots have dealt a blow to our capacity as any of our assets were destroyed. The challenge now is in the area of our resources, successive governors have continued to support us in our determination to continue to perform this function, governor Sanwo-Olu has also been very supportive, he was part of the Fund all along as this was once under the purview of his Ministry, as Commissioner them, so he knows the importance of this Trust Fund, but the resources are dwindling. The donations are not just coming in anymore, maybe because of economic climate or maybe apathy, a lot of Corporations who have headquarters in Lagos are no longer playing their part. If we have between 42 or 45 percent of corporations residing in Lagos, certainly we shouldn’t be short of funds, but because we run a voluntary donation system, where it is your prerogative to donate or not to donate, is posing a huge challenge to us. Another huge challenge is the high cost of goods and services. If you donate N10 million today, that could buy three or four Hilux vehicles some 10 years ago, it cannot even buy the smallest car, just yesterday, the cost of a Hilux vehicle was N36 million. It tells you that there is a lot to be done here, we would continue to play our part and that part is that we would continue to even provide and maintain those assets and continue to make them functional. We must continue to maintain those assets to keep them working. So we put attention not only to purchasing those things but in maintenance and spares. We can’t stop because I don’t see what can stop or replace this model at this time, we would just continue to appeal and hopefully, maybe after the coming election, the next administration would look at another funding model of how we can be generating funding because when you have this kind of assignment, nobody cares about what you’re going through, what they want to see is result and we are a result oriented government. We must do what it takes to ensure that we provide the needed security to our people. This is the only way we can continue to flourish and the only way that we can continue to attract the influx of people, if the city is not perceived to be safe, nobody would dare.