Tinubu ejects LGA from headquarters, takes over prime property

Below is how TheWillNigeria is reporting it:

Former Lagos State Governor and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has taken over a prime property that was once the headquarters of Ikoyi-Obalande Local Government Development Area and relocated the local government secretariat to Obalende, a district in the commercial city of Lagos.

The huge and strategic parcel of land located at the junction of Alfred Rewane Road (Kingsway Road) and Glover Road in highbrow Ikoyi has been demolished to make way for prime construction believed to be blocks of serviced luxury flats.

The acquisition of the property is coming on the heels of the ACN’s defeat in the local government chairmanship election for Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Mr. Ibrahim Babatunde Obanikoro.

The politician has also cornered the contract to reconstruct Glover Road using a proxy company P.W. Nigeria Limited.

Though THEWILL has not been able to get details of the transaction, several sources say the politician is recklessly acquiring properties in prime locations across the state with the assistance of current Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).

Tinubu’s acquisitions since he left office cuts across real estate, media and aviation. His company AlphaBeta Consulting collects all Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for Lagos State and some ACN controlled states. It gets to keep a sizeable chunk for itself. AlphaBeta is believed to rake in as much as N7 billion naira monthly as commission for its work.

The politician is also believed to own FirstNation Airlines, The Nation Newspaper, stakes in Oriental Hotel Victoria Island, Renaissance Hotel Ikeja, Eko Hotel Lagos, and the yet to be completed InterContinental Hotel located along Kofo Abayomi Street, near the popular Mega Plaza in Victoria Island. Tinubu also owns TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental.

The former Governor who was engulfed in a University certificate scandal during his tenure as Governor, also owns a huge shopping mall complex in Alausa, Ikeja, popularly called Shoprite by its mainland patrons.

THEWILL gathered that the shopping complex was constructed on a large parcel of land believed to have been hijacked from the Lagos State Government.

In a similar gestapo-style move, the governor also bullied Lagosians and acquired the Lekki-Epe highway, reconstructed and tolled the road under a highly controversial agreement. 

Source: THEWILL 

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"You Will Be Disgraced" -Mimiko replies Tinubu

Governor Mimiko responded to Asiwaju Tinubu by describing the ACN national leader of being unworthy of the title of national leader of a national party accusing him of behaving like a common street boy in his manners and utterances.

Speaking through his campaign spokesman, Kolawole Olabisi, deplored the use of what he called raw and dirty language that he claimed would even be detested by area boys.

Noting that the ACN leader lacked the moral credibility to address Mimiko, he said:

“Pray, isn’t it absurd that Tinubu could be asking the people to vote for his party when all over the South West where he controls, governance is at it lowest ebb. It has been strikes galore as workers and government are at loggerhead over unpaid salaries and emoluments.”

“Students of higher institutions are groaning while they pay through their noses. Yet, they say they want to capture Ondo State which is better governed than any of these states and has become a benchmark in the art of good governance in Nigeria.

“When so-called leaders dance naked on national television and unleash verbal abuses on a sitting Governor of a state who has chosen nothing but high sense of respect for him as well as assault the sensibility of the people of Ondo State, then such leaders should be prepared to be disgraced.”

“How can a leader also ask the people of Ondo State to re-enact the terrible episode of the 1983 election violence if his party should lose the election? We urge the security operatives to be abreast of all the vituperation and pure incitement of the people by Tinubu and other leaders of the ACN at today’s so-called redemption rally of theirs and take note of unfolding events as the election approaches,” the Mimiko campaign advised.

Culled from Vanguard

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Tinubu Calls For The Abolition Of The Senate

National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday called for the scrapping of the Senate, saying that it is costly to maintain and that it only replicates functions of the House of Representatives.

 Tinubu spoke at the 2012 annual conference and awards ceremony of Leadership Newspapers Group where he also called for laws to allow Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appoint state electoral commissioners (RECs) for the sake of fairness and credibility of the electoral process. 

He said “we have kept complaining about the cost of governance and the recurrent expenditure…but we have never examined the structural problems of even the constitution that we are operating. “Why do we need two houses of National Assembly when House of Representatives represent smaller constituencies enough in the same number of population? Why not get rid of the Senate?

 To equip better and effective legislative activities, let us start examining that.” On the call for INEC autonomy “when you say somebody is a chairman and chief executive officer of a corporation,you give him all the authority to act onbehalf of the people.

 “We gave INEC power and authority to act on our behalf, to be an institution that will be transparent and independent and they are being funded directly from the source; from the allocation, first line charge, expenditure from our commonwealth,Federal Republic of Nigeria. “Why would we not allow the buck to stop on the desk of the INEC Chairman so that if he messes up, we have somebody to blame.

 Why would an INEC chairman not be able to appoint those in the branches in the states, RECis the representative of INEC in the state; why would they be appointed bythe president who is equally partisan, a member of political party who said they would rule Nigeria for 60 years. How would they not? “If they are the ones appointing RECs, card carrying members of PDP, how would we have a reliable electoral system? 

Whether you have executive position or not, power is not served ala carte, it is not like a menu in Sheraton, you have to struggle for it. Let’s first of all straighten and strengthen the institution. We are ready as opposition to work together with any other party to wrestle power from this inept government.”

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Obama invites Tinubu to Democratic Party Presidential Nomination acceptance

National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is to attend the three-day National Convention of the United States Democratic Party that kicks off today in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

Local media report that Tinubu who was invited to the Democratic National Convention in his right as the leader of the opposition in Nigeria will be at the ring side as the Democratic Party conduct activities that will culminate in the nomination of President Obama as its candidate for the November 2012 Presidential elections in the USA.

Tinubu will be accompanied by Governor Kayode Fayemi, Mr. Dele Alake and Lagos Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji. The Republican Party at the weekend confirmed the nomination of Mitt Romney as its candidate.

A statement by Special Adviser on Media to the former Lagos state governor, Mr Sunday Dare, reads: “Tinubu receives a gold card invitation which is prime and with this, he will be joined by three other eminent personalities – Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, Speaker Lagos state House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos state, Mr Dele Alake.

“On Thursday, at Bank of America stadium, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will deliver their nomination acceptance speeches.Four years ago when President Obama was inaugurated, Tinubu also enjoyed a ring side seat at the event in Washington.

Tinubu’s invitation to attend the convention comes after a successful one week lecture tour, town hall meeting and book launch in Washington and Chicago.

He delivered a lecture at the prestigious Wilson Center for International scholars on the challenges facing Nigeria’s democratic experiment and offered solutions to problems of under development facing the country.

Similarly at a town hall meeting in Chicago with Governors Rauf Aregbesola  and Abiola Ajimobi  on hand, Tinubu spoke extensively on Nigeria’s search for true federalism and highlighted the fault lines in the country’s practice of federalism.

At the convention, Tinubu  is expected to discuss how to entrench true  federalism in Nigeria in his private discussions with the leading figures of the Obama administration and  seek the US support for Nigeria to hold a free and fair election in 2015.

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Bola Tinubu Releases N30billion To ACN Candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu To Unseat Mimiko

According to what First Weekly Magazine reported, the National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is
determined to make sure his political party wrestles power from the incumbent Labour Party in Ondo State in the next governorship elections, which is scheduled to hold on 20th October 2012.

According to First Weekly Magazine's
findings, Asiwaju Tinubu has released a
whooping 30 billion naira to the CAN governorship candidate, Barrister Rotimi
Akeredolu (SAN), to prosecute the political war and unseat the incumbent Gov. Segun Mimiko of the Labour Party.

Our source informed us that the former
Lagos State Governor has already deployed all his political warriors to Ondo State, to make sure the state is delivered for ACN.

“Yes, it's true Asiwaju has approved N30 billion for ACN in Ondo State. And I want to assure you that the money will be spent well to win the governorship election,” a source confided in us.

We further gathered that Tinubu sees
winning Ondo State by the ACN as very
important to his dream of regional integration of the South West zone.

“It's very important we get back the glory of the South West, and Ondo State is very key to the development of the entire South West. That is why Asiwaju is not taking this with kids' gloves at all. I can tell you that you will see changes in the campaign strategies of the ACN in the next few days.

"It is just two months to the election, and I want to confess to you that Ondo people already know that it's only ACN that can deliver democracy dividends for them,” an ACN stalwart in Ondo State stated.

But on the contrary, a Labour Party chieftain, who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity, said ACN does not exist in Ondo State.

“Where is the structure of ACN in Ondo? They are bringing in people from Lagos to come and fool Ondo indigenes. But we are very intelligent here. Mimiko is our man and we have decided in Ondo to give him a second term.

“Forget regional integration they are
preaching. They know that apart from Lagos, Ondo is the richest in South West. Tinubu's eyes are in our oil money, and we won't let him get it. You see, combine Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Oyo state's allocation together, it is not up to what Ondo State gets from it's 13 percent
derivation of oil. So, it's our oil money that Tinubu wants, and he won't even smell it,” the Labour Party official said.

A political observer who spoke with us also cast doubt on the chances of the action congress winning the Ondo governorship race.

“Before Akeredolu was forced on the party members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), as their flagbearer, the ACN was in close second, giving the Labour Party a real threat, but with the choice of Akeredolu, the ACN has slipped to the third, behind even the

PDP, the party is so much in disarray now. Can you imagine that out of the about 41 in the race, the night Akeredolu was pronounced as the flagbearer, about twenty one of them decamped to the Labour Party, while between twelve and fifteen left for the PDP. You can see what imposition of candidates can do.

“Ask Asiwaju what Tunji Abayomi told him, when he called them to a peace meeting. He said Tinubu has destroyed ACN in Ondo, also can you imagine what Professor Boroffice is going through now? The man was enjoying himself 'jeje' in the Senate, when Tinubu started mounting pressure on him and started
sending text messages to him and his wife
that he is the next Governor of Ondo, the
senator bought the bait and jumped from the Labour ship to ACN or is it the case of Abraham, a young enterprising billionaire, who was enjoying his peace in America only to be invited home, used and dumped?

“If you add all these, and the fact that the ACN leaders wanted to pay back a favour done them by somebody to the detriment of the party's goodwill in the state, the outcome might be disastrous,” he said.

Culled from First Weekly Magazine

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Bola Tinubu Accused Of Illegal Acquisition Of Wealth

one of the property acquired  with corrupt fund

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused former Lagos State Governor and ACN strongman, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of illegally acquiring a N14 billion Ikeja Shopping Mall. 

 The Party also alleged that Tinubu stole from the coffers of the Lagos State Government during his tenure and used same proceed to acquire Oriental Hotels, Renaissance Hotel, Agindingbi, First Nation Airline, Vintage Publications, TV Continental and Radio Continental. 

 These strong allegations were contained in a statement by the National Vice Chairman of the PDP, South West, Chief Segun Oni. He went further to allege that many other properties illegally acquired with proceeds from corruption are traceable to the former Lagos Governor.

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PDP calls for ACN govs’ probe over N2bn birthday fund

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-sion (EFCC) to probe the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states over alleged waste of more than N2 billion public funds for the birthday of the party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This is as the party described as ‘irresponsible,’ call by the ACN for the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan over the renovation of a church building in his village by a contractor.

The South-West zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade, who made the call in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday, said that rather than calling for the impeachment of the president, the ACN should be honest for once, call for the removal and trial of its governors, who expended public funds for Tinubu’s birthday.

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Photo – Ex Governor Bola Tinubu & Wife Remi Playing “Lovi Dovie” in Public

Former Ex Governor of Lagos state Bola Tinubu and his wife Remi decided to get-it-on at his 60th birthday at Eko Hotel. You can see him locking lips with his wife in front of his guests that were invited to the event.

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CHIEF BOLA TINUBU IS FINE

Due to the story going round the country concerning ACN chief Bola tinunbu's health being flown abroad for treatment of stroke is false.

This was confirm to channel television,when they put a call through to bola tinubu to confirm his state of health,he said he was fine that he travelled alongside with Osun state gov for a special meeting in London that he will be back by week end.

That was why todaysgist indicated question mark on the 1st post concerning this great man tinubu

http://www.todaysgist.com/2012/02/chief-bola-tinubu-struck-by-sudden.html

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Chief Bola Tinubu Struck By Sudden Stroke?

Information reaching us has it that the heavy weight politician has been in a very unhealthy condition for some time and that the situation was being managed by medical experts,only for the condition to get worse last week.

The worsening health condition was what informed his being rushed to England for a better and more intensive medical attention.

He was flown abroad on Wednesday February 8 2012.

Sources attribute the cause of his present state to a partial stroke.

Close source divulged to us that the incident ‘left him bedridden’.

Sources claimed ‘he was shielded from seeing visitors at his Ikoyi home since the happenstance transpired-till he was flown abroad’.

It is believed that the secrecy that pervades the state of health of the powerful personality is meant to protect his political and business empire.

We shall keep you posted as events unfold.

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UNCOVERED: GOV. BABATUNDE FASHOLA LED GOVERNMENT REWARDS ASIWAJU TINUBU N5 BILLION MANSION

Former Lagos State Governor,Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is inching to ownership of another exquisite mansion in Ikoyi,Lagos.This is courtesy of an ultra modern new abode being put in place for him in that part of the divide.

We gathered that the Lagos political godfather is being rewarded by the Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola led government with a state-of-the-art mansion which is already being constructed on No.4 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive(formerly Queeens Drive,Ikoyi,Lagos).

Checks revealed that the two-term governor of Lagos State will be moving into this palatial abode from his Bourdillon,Ikoyi Lagos home after completion.Already,the contract has been awarded to a foreign civil engineering firm,Dori Limited.

According to insider,a whopping N5 billion and over has been budgeted for the completion of the house which shares border with the British Consular office in Ikoyi.

Information gathered has it that the new place was once occupied by Lagos State government officials.The building was demolished and the structure for the one-time Senator of the Federal Republic is taking shape.

The construction company in-charge has already started work on the project.

The design is said to be drawn by an Italian architect.And it has a large parking space,recreation centre and IT house.

The Asiwaju abode lies in the centre of the premises and it’s said to be seven large bedroom affair with one central living room with all the good things of life.

We called Tinubu’s media aide,Kunle Abimbola and this is what he told us: You people with gossip.Why can’t you ask the Asiwaju himself about it?Anyway,he has a right to good living.The said mansion is not within my knowledge,I am not aware of it.And please don’t call me for such a thing again.Is that clear?

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Bola Tinubu and Femi Otedola On The Run As Protesters Attacks

The recent protests by Nigerians hiked by the announcement of the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government on January 1, 2012 have taken another toll.

What is seen as a mere empty protest is almost gradually following suit what has happened in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

At the day two of the protest for the removal of fuel subsidy holding in Lagos, some angry protesting Nigerians were reported to have visited the houses of two oil merchants, Femi Otedola of African Petroleum (AP), and Bola Tinubu (OANDO Oil), which is in care of Wale Tinubu.

The protesters visited the physical properties of the two oil tycoons on the Island in Lagos and were reported to have attempted to vandalize them.

According to reports reaching NEWSMEN, the two business moguls were not around at the time of the visit by the protesters, as we learnt that they had gone into hiding from the fuming protesters.

Femi Otedola is a member of the Economic team of President Jonathan.

Meanwhile, another protester has been reportedly killed by the police again today at Charity bus stop, Oshodi, Lagos this afternoon.

According to information gathered by NEWSMEN, the protester was shot dead by the police at about 2pm.

Reports have it that other protesters have marched to Makinde Police station at Oshodi to show their displeasures over the killings of harmless and innocent citizens by the security agents.

More details coming later.

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Bola Tinubu's First Nation Airways Begins Operation

Ex-governor Bola Tinubu's new airline company - First Nation Airways (formerly Bellview Airline) has commenced operation.

The resuscitated airline, which the former governor and ACN Chieftain allegedly bought for $30 million, started operations on Thursday November 3, 2011, with its first flight plying Lagos/Abuja route.

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Tinubu refuses to enter dock! Try me in Lagos

ABUJA -The embattled former Governor of Lagos state and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Wednesday, declined to either mount the dock or enter his plea to the 3-count criminal charge 

That was preferred against him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja. 

The ex-governor who was charged to court by the federal government on allegation that he violated section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 LFN, 2004, as amended, by operating 10 foreign accounts whilst he was in office between 1999 and 2007, Wednesday, insisted that “the CCT sitting in Abuja does not have the territorial jurisdiction”, to try him over the alleged offence.

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Tinubu’s trial begins as ACN leaders storm Abuja

Leader of opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today, mount the dock at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja to defend allegations of operating foreign accounts while he was serving as governor, contrary to the provisions of the law.

Already, ahead of today’s commencement of the trial, leaders and party members have converged on Abuja to give support to him, just as the party has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of harassment of its members and stopping them from travelling to Abuja to solidarise with their leader.

A reliable source within the party disclosed in Abuja last night that several party leaders from Lagos, Ekiti and Ondo states arrived Abuja yesterday to accompany the former Governor to the Tribunal today. It was learnt that the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi also arrived Abuja because of the decision of leaders of the party to support Asiwaju Tinubu at the Tribunal.

According to the source, “we are fully here to support our leader. We are fully convinced that this trial is politically motivated because of the pains inflicted on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the last elections by our party. We will be at the tribunal in support of our great party leader. Asiwaju Tinubu is being tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly operating foreign accounts while he served as Governor.

ACN condemns harassment of members Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has condemned, in the strongest terms, the harassment of its members by the police, who allegedly stopped them from travelling to Abuja yesterday to show solidarity with their party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is due to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed shock at ‘such blatant misuse of state power against the opposition’, calling it the beginning of a dangerous slide towards crass dictatorship. It wondered why the police, “apparently acting on orders, would deprive Nigerians of their constitutionally-guaranteed rights to move freely and express their opinions within their country, more so when they are not carrying arms or causing public disorder”.

ACN said stopping the vehicles conveying the party members and confiscating the keys to the vehicles, is nothing but sheer government tyranny against its own people. “This is a new law for those who are hell bent on abridging personal freedoms and muffling the voice of the opposition. “The decision to virtually arrest all our members heading to Abuja to show solidarity with their party leader is a big blow to the rule of law and negates the tenets of constitutional democracy.

It confirms the general belief that, indeed, the charges against Asiwaju were politically motivated,” ACN said. In a related development, it was learnt that the party leaders, yesterday, met at the Asokoro home of Asiwaju Tinubu to look into the crisis created among the lawmakers of the party at the House of Representatives over the sharing of committees. Some of the female ACN Reps were said to have been aggrieved over the constitution of the Committee before it was made public last Thursday by the Speaker, Hon Amiunu Tambuwal.

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