What They All Stand To Gain
In a few weeks from now, May 29th to be precise, President Buhari is expected to hand over power to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It will be a historic moment for the teeming supporters and loyalists of the man everyone fondly calls the Jagaban. But beyond the fanfare that will herald the inauguration, there is huge pressure on the incoming president to come up with a fantastic cabinet and impressive appointments that will bring immediate hope to the majority of Nigerians. Not in a long while has an incoming administration elicited such high expectations from Nigerians in terms of it’s possible cabinet make up like the incoming Tinubu government. But many have expressed confidence that Asiwaju will deliver a cabinet filled with tested, competent hands all round. Even outside out of his immediate camp, he has bright and competent hands surrounding him.
One of the key reasons Nigeria’s President Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has remained relevant politically is his uncanny knack for spotting talents and building human capacity. And he has raised many of them over the years. He has the boys who can deliver for him. They call them the Tinubu Boys. Some of them have been very visible in the past months, working hard to ensure Bola Tinubu won the presidential election. Many of the Tinubu Boys have been seen working closely with the President-elect while others have been toiling behind the scene, playing their own part to ensure victory for the Jagaban.
City People takes a close look at some of these Tinubu Boys that Nigerians should watch out for in the coming administration.
BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA
Babatunde Raji Fashola was a former Lagos state governor and the current Minister for Works, Housing, Power. Fashola served as the chief of staff to his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As the candidate of the Action Congress party, now transformed to the All Progressives Congress party, Fashola succeeded Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State on 14 April 2007. He was quoted to have said in an interview that he wou;d love to take a break from public service afterr the expiration of the Buhari administration, But many political observers have insisted he won’t get that break, Tinubu will definitely need him to serve in some capacity in his government.
JOE IGBOKWE
Eng. Joe Ibokwe joined Lagos State Government in 2006 as the pioneer General Manager of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance & Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) and served there for more than 10 years contributing significantly to the quest to make Lagos a Smart City.
In 2105, he was appointed as the pioneer Chairman of Wharf Landing Fees Collecting Authority, WLFCA in Apapa serving till his appointment as a member of the cabinet of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Joe Igbokwe has been the Publicity Secretary of the State chapter of the defunct Action Congress (AC), which later fused into Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and metamorphosed into All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2007 and has been the Pioneer Chairman of Conference of APC Publicity Secretaries across Nigeria since 2014.
HON. FEMI GBAJABIAMILA
Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila is Nigeria Speaker of the House of Representatives. Nigeria will not forget easily the 2015 national assembly rancour that led to the emergence of Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki, fast forward to 2019, with Tinubu Influence, Femi Gbajabiamila emerges Nigeria Speaker against all odds. He is one of those believed to be favoured by Tinubu to become the Chief Of Staff to the President-elect.
SENATOR KAYODE FAYEMI
Kayode Fayemi is a two time governor of Ekiti and also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from 11 November 2015 to 30 May 2018. In fighting for his stolen mandate, Tinubu who was keen on having the defunct ACN in all the South West state supported Fayemi all through the court case in defeating Segun Oni to reclaim his mandate later in 2010. Fayemi has remained ever grateful to Tinubu and will be more than willing to play his part in helping the incoming president deliver the dividends of democracy tro Nigerians.
SUNDAY DARE
Sunday Dare was Special Adviser on media to former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he was also appointed Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and Communications in 2009. The 56 years old remains one of Tinubu’s ever loyal boys and in 2019 Tinubu influenced his appoiontment as Minister of Youth & Sports till date.
OLORUNMBE MAMORA
Dr. Mamora is a Medical Practitioner by profession and a politician. He was elected Chairman; Conference of Speakers of Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly in 2001. in 2003, Dr. Mamora was elected into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Lagos East Senatorial District. He was re-elected into the Senate for a second term in 2007. He is one of Tinubu most trusted allies, he is the current minister of health.
GANIYU OLANREWAJU SOLOMON
Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (Fmr. Senator) GOS as fondly call is a two time lawmaker in the upper chamber of the national assembly, his alliance with Tinubu has been dated back to the days of Alliance for Demiocracy. Except you are loyal to Tinubu or its mandate you can not be part of the APC Lagos State Governor Advisory Council Which GOS belongs to. The experience and unwavering loyalty of GOS wioll certainly come in handy for Asiwaju’s government.
SEN. GBENGA ASHAFA
Sen. Gbenga Ashafa is the current Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2020. He was previously a senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District.
Ashafa worked with a political group towards the emergence of then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Alliance for Democracy gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State. He also worked on Senator Tinubu’s successful campaign for Governor of Lagos State. Without a doubt, he is one the President-elect’s strongest hands.
SENATOR SOLOMON OLAMILEKAN YAYI
Yayi as popularly called has been a lawmaker in lagos in the last 20 years, he has been a member of the Lagos House of Assembly, House of Rep and he is the current Senator representing Lagos West. His long alliance and loyalty to Tinubu has given him the opportunity to be grow politically as he continued his dominance in Ogun West as their Senator Elect.
HON. JAMES ABIODUN FALEKE
Abiodun Faleke is a business management and logistic consultant and the current lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency at the lower chamber of the house of assembly. Tinubu’s foresight of identifying brilliance and performance made him appoint Faleke as the first Executive Secretary of newly created Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State in 2003. He has been one of Tinubu’s most dependable allies ever since and one many expect will feature prominently in the coming administration.
MICHAEL OPEYEMI BAMIDELE
MOB as fondly called is a Nigerian lawyer, human right activist, politician and member of the 7th, 8th and 9th National Assembly consecutively representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State at the Nigerian Senate. In July 2000, he was appointed senior special assistant on political and intergovernmental relations to the Lagos State governor. He was later appointed as commissioner for Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development in Governor Bola Tinubu’s administration.
HON. MUDASHIRU OBASA (SPEAKER, LAGOS HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY)
Rt. Hon Obasa is the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015. He has been an ardent follower and disciple of Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 1999. Obasa, believed to have enjoyed the backing of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, was elected unopposed as the speaker of the House of Assembly..
DELE ALAKE
Henry Dele Alake is a Nigerian journalist, activist and technocrat. He is a former commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State between1999–2007. He is highly experienced and regarded as one of the brightest brains in the Tinubu camp presently. He will play a pivotal role in the Tinubu administration.
Alake was the Director of Strategy and Communication in the APC Presidential Campaign Council. His long walk with Tinubu dated back to the NADECO days.
BABAJIDE OLUSOLA SANWO – OLU (LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR)
Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a graduate of the University of Lagos, London Business School, Lagos Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government and was the managing director and CEO of Lagos State Property Development Corporation.
Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu formally declared his intention to run for the office of the governor of Lagos State after getting the nod of Bola Tinubu, Sanwo – Olu also belongs to the in-house circle of the Lagos APC.
DAPO ABIODUN (OGUN STATE GOVERNOR)
Dapo Abiodun is the governor of Ogun State since 2019, He is the Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Oil and Gas company Heyden Petroleum Ltd.
During the campaign of the presidential primaries, Tinubu had made it known that without him, Dapo Abiodun would not have been governor of Lagos State. Sources claim that if not for the intervention of Tinubu, opposition party, APM would have emerged as Ogun State Governor in 2019.
WALE EDUN
Chief Adebayo Olawale Edun is a distinguished Nigerian economist who has made a significant mark in the financial sector both nationally and internationally. He was the Commissioner for Finance during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu whilst he was governor of Lagos State. His impressive record of achievements in both the private and public sectors attests to his phenomenal competence and expertise. Inclusive of other academic qualifications and professional affiliations, Edun holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of London and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Sussex, England. He has been tipped to head the Finance Ministry.
MUSILIU OBANIKORO
Musiliu Babatunde Obanikoro is a Nigerian politician. He served as Senator for Lagos Central from 2003 to 2007, and was later appointed High Commissioner to Ghana. He briefly served as minister of State for Defence in 2014. He endured a somewhat not too close relationship with Tinubu for a while but they both have since made up and became close again.
FEMI PEDRO
Olufemi “Femi” Olusegun Pedro is a Nigerian economist and politician who served as deputy governor of Lagos State from 2003 to 2007. Before his election alongside Bola Tinubu, he was a co-owner and the chief executive officer of First Atlantic Bank, now FinBank. He too had a bit of friction with the President-elect for a while but they are back together again.
-WALE LAWAL
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NEW STORY
3 Big Parties Set To Shut Down LAGOS!
For Lagosians, it is party time again! The Ramadan period is over. It is a holy month, so it slows down social life, Muslims don’t organise or even attend parties at this period. Most parties that are expected to happen during this period are immediately postponed till after Ramadan. But now, the fasting is over, the parties can begin.
There are 3 big parties celebrities already are prepared to storm immediately after the Ramadan. Preparations have already been done to successfully put these parties together. The selling of Aso-Ebi which is one of the major aspects of Owambe parties has started long ago.
Many celebrities have been jostling for Aso-Ebi, of these talk of the town parties. One Aso-Ebi is going as high as 170,000 for just one of the parties.
Trust the Owambe queens, many have already bought and handed it to their designers for the best styles. As usual, they want to steal the show at the party and also remain the centre of attraction.
The King of Fuji, Kwam 1 de Ultimate is already booked to perform at two of the parties.
Many are already looking forward to being part of these parties. After a month break from the social scene, they need to come out of their shell and unwind again.
Star actress, Regina Chukwu a.k.a. The Big Gina will be hosting the mother of all parties, a 2-in-1 party to be precise. House warming and thanksgiving party. Her organiser, Kemi Korede and Folorunsho Adeola are leaving no stone unturned to see that, she has a successful party.
As usual, many of her colleagues and society women she maintains a cordial relationship with have already designed their outfits, by the best designers, to outshine each other for the 2-in-1 grand party.
The popular event centre Gradeur Event Centre located at Ikeja is where this big party will be holding.
Besides all other side attractions, this particular party will also see many beautiful ladies competing with each other, not just in their beautiful and well designed styles but also, there will be lots of display of gold and accessories competition. They will all want to look their very best. Lets not forget that the celebrant in question is also a fashionista that turns head at every party and function, so it is definitely going to be a party of class and very high fashion on display.
The organisers of this particular party have been at it for months now, and it was only postponed due to Ramadan, so everything is definitely going to be on point, from decor to entertainment and arrangement.
It is definitely going to be one of the best.
Also, top socialite and City businessman, Gbenga Akinbobola a.k.a. Gbenga Islander who lost his mother on 25th December, 2022, will be burying his mum in grandstyle.
The big boy is the brain behind upscale Islander’s lounge Opebi, Lagos.
His late mother is Deaconess Bosede Oladapo Akinbobola and she lived her life in the service of winning souls for Christ. She died at age 74 years and served the Lord till her death.
Gbenga Highlands, as he is fondly called is a top shot in the society and arrangement is already in top gear to give the mum a befitting burial ceremony.
He is also known as a big spender who maintains a very cordial relationship with the high and mighty in the society.
So this particular party is highly anticipated with lots of arrangement already in place for a grand celebration of a life well spent of the Deaconess.
Another party, we can’t help but talk about is that of popular Lagos Island rich businessman Alhaji Kamal Yusuf Elepololere and Hajia Rukayat Asabi’s U.K. based son’s wedding.
His son Ahmed Yusuf is also a popular Yoruba actor based in the UK, and has featured in lots of movies and also produced many too. The wedding with Hashtag “Blessahmed 23” is one have many prepared for immediately after Ramadan with Kwam 1 at the bandstand.
