Olubadan Says Tinubu Deserves Long Tenure Over Performance

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, has said President Bola Tinubu deserves to remain in office for a long time, citing the administration’s performance and its commitment to infrastructure development.

Ladoja spoke on Monday at the flag-off ceremony for the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu Road in Ogun State. Tinubu was represented at the event by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The monarch said the ceremony should not be regarded as an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally, despite repeated references to the ruling party during the event.

“I’ve been hearing everybody talking APC, APC. Bola Tinubu is not an APC man, no. Bola Tinubu is working and deserves to be president for a long, long time,” Ladoja said.

According to him, the primary purpose of the gathering was to appreciate Tinubu for approving the road project, which he described as crucial to the safety and economic wellbeing of residents of Ibadan and surrounding communities.

“This is not an APC rally. It is a rally that we are here to thank Mr President for making this road project possible,” he said.

Ladoja said the road had been associated with security challenges, particularly kidnapping, and expressed optimism that its reconstruction would improve safety and connectivity in the area.

“Those of us in Ibadan know that the only area in Ibadan where terrorists have been kidnapping people is this road,” he said.

The Olubadan maintained that Tinubu’s approval of the project demonstrated his concern for the people and argued that the president’s performance should be assessed beyond partisan politics.

“He deserves more than being an APC president. He’s not an APC president. He’s president of Nigeria,” Ladoja said.

He, however, acknowledged that the president’s performance could boost the APC’s prospects in future elections.

“The only thing I can look at is that his performance is likely to help the APC win elections. So, we are not discounting the performance of Mr President at all,” he said.

Ladoja added that opposition parties would have to convince Nigerians that they had the capacity to provide a credible alternative to the ruling party.

“We believe he deserves a long tenure, even though other parties are scrambling to say they are there when they are not visible,” he said.

The monarch expressed confidence that voters in Ibadan would make their political choice when the time comes.

“We believe that by the time election comes, the people of Ibadan land will talk,” he said.

The event was attended by Minister of Works Dave Umahi, Ogun State Deputy Governor Noimot Salako, APC governorship candidate in Oyo State Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, and other dignitaries.