You are here: HomeAfricaBBC2023 01 22Article 1699715

BBC Pidgin of Sunday, 22 January 2023

Source: BBC

Bola Tinubu profile: Nigeria APC presidential candidate

Bola Tinubu wan become Nigeria president Bola Tinubu wan become Nigeria president

Bola Tinubu, 70, dey widely known as di pesin wey reshape Nigeria commercial capital, Lagos.

Na im go lead di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) go February presidential election but e dey face very gingered opposition, allegations of corruption and health wahala as e dey face one of di hardest job for Africa.

As pesin wey don face exile sake of military ruler Sani Abacha, oga Tinubu know di value of freedom and e dey wia am as sign for im cap, broken chain wey look like sideways figure eight.

As a trained accountant, na im waka wit di pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition (Nadeco) group wia im be member make am cross Abacha.

Di opposition of groups like Nadeco and Abacha death for 1998 na im carry Nigeria to democracy for 1999 and in many ways, oga Tinubu wey be former Mobil executive see Nigeria presidency as im right.

E go dey depend on im experience for politics and im ogbonge influence for di kontri to win election. E dey face strong competition from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for di People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party, Peter Obi wey dey popular with city voters.

If oga Tinubu aka "Jagaban" win di presidency, im go dey look to unify kontri wey regional lines don scata, tackle insecurity, create jobs abd bring down inflation.

But dat job no shake am. E dey point to im time as Lagos govnor from 1999 to 2007 to sell im candidacy give party delegates and to Nigerians.

Under im tenure, Lagos grow im income wella sake of plenti foreign investment, as im public transport scheme wey see dem build new lanes for rapid bus to reduce di ogbonge traffic wey pipo dey face.

But di city wey get about 25 million pipo neva really live up to im megacity name even though e claim say im turn tins around.

Public infrastructure mostly don spoil finish, tins like water and public housing don breakdown, as di light rail project wey start for im tenure neva finish 20 years later even with all di money of di state..

E also dey accused say e dey hold di neck of di state money even afta e comot govnorship for 2007.

Everi govnor wey don come afta am na im follower wey dey follow "grand roadmap", as di one wey dare find im path bin dey quickly rerouted with help from powerful transport union members.

Accuse of corruption dey but oga Tinubu deny am.

Two years ago, Dapo Apara, accountant for Alpha-beta, company wey Tinubu allegedly get stake for, accuse am say e use di company do money laundering, fraud, tax evasion and oda corrupt tins.

Oga Tinubu sue am even though im and Alpha-beta deny di accuse but later, all parties say dem go settle out of court.

Dat accuse, including say im face Nigeria Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) twice for accuse of breaching public officers code (wey dem don clear am of) make opponents of Tinubu to say e no be di right man for di job as corruption dey high for Nigeria.

For di last election, bullion vans wey banks dey use move money, drive enta im Ikoyi compound for Lagos wey ginger suspicion say im dey buy votes, and e no try hard to deny am.

E say, "if I get money, if I like I go dash pipo, as long as I no dey buy votes".

Many pipo also neva forget wetin im tok afta di death of #EndSARS protesters for di Lekki part of Lagos for 2020 wia im question di intentions of di pipo wey die.

Dem see am as di political godfather of di south west and na di region most influential figure wey dey decide who go get power.

For 2015, e call imself say e be "talent hunter" wey dey put "talents for office".

Im political influence na im lead to di merging of opposition political parties for 2013 wey collect power from di den ruling PDP for 2015 wey dey rare for Nigeria.

E bin remind Nigerians say na im be one of di main pipo wey put President Muhammadu Buhari for power afta plenti failed attempts.

Oga Buhari pipo bin don try to reduce di narrative of di influence of di former govnor for di 2015 election, but e no clear say Buhari for win im two terms without Tinubu backing.

E dey widely rumoured say na im nominate Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo for im role and get hand for how Nigeria Senate President Ahmed Lawan and di Speaker of di House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila get work.

Na why im supporters bin take am as betrayal wen di vice president wey bin work as commissioner with Tinubu for Lagos run for di party ticket.

All dat now dey behind am and as Tinubu dey campaign, many pipo dey look im health and physical appearance as e bin spend three months for London on top knee injury and worry about one undisclosed sickness.

Nigerians fit dey fear anoda president wey get health issues afta President Umaru Yar'Adua die for office for 2010 and Buhari wey go abroad wella for medical treatment.

Sha, who ever win February election wey still dey look like e go tight, go get plenti mata wey Buhari leave to deal with - insecurity, high unemployment, rising inflation and ethnic division.

No be say di work no possible to do, but e go hard sha.