Special Report: Profile Of Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Current Ace Holder In Nigeria Politics

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

When late General Sani Abacha ousted the Ernest Shonekan interim government in November 1993, he did not reckon with the fighting spirit of the then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu representing Lagos West senatorial zone on the platform of the left wing Social Democratic Party(SDP). The then Senate Committee Chairman on Banking, Finance, Appropriation And Currency tried to mobilize other Senators to resist the late dictator's move. Abacha reacted by ordering his arrest. Tinubu consequently left the country to United States Of America(USA) on exile. In USA, he joined the National Democratic Coaliton(NADECO) abroad.

Bola Tinubu, born on March 29th, 1952 in the famed Tinubu family of Lagos and educated at Chicago state university played an active role in the activities of NADECO abroad which led to the birth of Nigeria's fourth democratic governance in 1999.

In 1998 when the General Abdulsalami Abubakar regime lifted the ban on politics, Tinubu joined the Alliance For Democracy(AD), a political platform in the mode of the left wing SDP. He contested, won and was sworn in a the governor of Lagos state on May 29th, 1999. He ruled the state for eight years and handed over to his former chief of staff, Mr. Babatunde Fashola in 2007, who contested and won on the platform of the then newly formed Action Congress(AC) with Tinubu as "national leader".

Bola Ahmed Tinubu had in 2006, when it became apparent the AD had been disorganized, teamed up with some political associates to form the AC, which later changed its name to Action Congress Of  Nigeria(ACN). ACN under the leadership of Tinubu, against odds mounted the governorship saddles in four states; Lagos, Edo, Ekiti and Osun.

Going by the impressive outing of the party in the just concluded national assembly election, the ACN national leader is the current ace holder in Nigeria politics, courted by tendencies on both sides of the political divide.

chidi opara reports is in possession of evidences that the two major contenders in the coming Nigeria's presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan and Rtd. General Muhammadu Buhari are aware that come the date of the presidential election, the pendulum of victory would swing wherever Bola Ahmed Tinubu pitches his political tent.

News Release: IHRHL Calls Attitude Of Rivers State Government On ASUU Demands “Grossly Irresponsible, Insensitive And Irresponsive”

Amaechi: Rivers State Governor

The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL) expresses utter dismay and shock at the inability of the Rivers State Government to resolve the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The IHRHL is astonished that two months after the ASUU called of their strike, the Rivers State Government in total insensitivity had refused to accede to the striking lecturer’s request for better learning and teaching conditions in the various state owned Universities. For the avoidance of doubt, the IHRHL wishes to express unequivocally here, that the demands of the ASUU is much more than increase in lecturer’s salaries as the state government would have us believe. Rather, the ASUU are demanding for increased funding of the Universities to enable a more holistic, competitive and all-encompassing education for students; demands that are in line with the State Government’s boast of improving the lot of the education sector.

The IHRHL notes that this attitude is grossly irresponsible, insensitive and irresponsive to the plight of thousands of Rivers State Students that have just resumed from a six month lay-off as a result of the impasse experienced between the ASUU and the State Government. The IHRHL further observes that this high road approach adopted by the Rivers State is parallel to its wide acclaim of improving the standard of education in the State and its recent move to levy residents of the states for the provision of social services of which education is part of.

Furthermore, the IHRHL wonders why the State Government with its propaganda of improving the educational standards in the state would be grappling to implement the ASUU agreement, when states with far less allocations and internally generated revenue have already implemented theirs.

The IHRHL utterly condemns this recent development as it would set Rivers students further back in their studies and is tantamount to developing a culture of thuggery, idleness and crime in the youths of Rivers State.

We hereby call on the Rivers State Government to quickly settle the demands of the ASUU in order for them to go back to their classrooms. The IHRHL also calls on all stakeholders to join together in mounting pressure on the government to keep up with its responsibilities as even lesser states have already implemented the agreement.

Nkasi Fred Wodu Esq.

Programs Officer, Economic, social and cultural rights Unit

Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law