Nigeria Content Online

Former governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday in
Osogbo, Osun state restated his call for true federalism as the only panacea to
the nation’s political and economic problems. Speaking at the official
unveiling of the coat of arms of the government of Osun state and its flag, Mr.
Tinubu stated that the only path to economic growth was for the country to
return to a federal system of government.

“For this country to return to the path of progress, honour and
economic buoyancy; there is need for us to return to true federalism,” he said.
“This will allow every federating unit in the country to develop at its pace.”

The ACN leader urged the people of the state to give the
governor, Rauf Aregbesola, maximum support in his efforts at restoring the
state to the path of honour and economic independence.

“It’s about time for us the progressives in this country to
translate the country’s potentials into reality,” he said. “Let us show that we
can turn around the country for the benefit of all of us.”

The state governor, while unveiling the new coat of arms for
the state tagged “Ipinle Omoluabi” at a programme to commemorate the rebranding
of the state, called on the people to return to the old golden era and put the
interest of the state above theirs. He explained that the rationale behind
rebranding the state was to return the state to the old era of governance where
service was the hallmark of governance.

Mr. Aregbesola who recalled the achievements of the premier of
the defunct Western region, the late Obafemi Awolowo, stressed that the Yorubas
had always been at the forefront of development in the country. He restated the
commitment of his administration to good governance, democracy, due process and
rule of law.

Tinubu’s attack

In his speech, Mr. Tinubu faulted the reported claim by the
speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Adejare Bello, that the former
governor of the state and now the national chairperson of the ACN, Bisi Akande,
lost the 2003 governorship election to the People’s Democratic Party because of
Mr. Akande’s retrenchment of civil servants in the state.

Mr. Tinubu stated that Mr. Akande lost the election to the
PDP’s rigging which was bent on chasing out the progressives out of the
southwest by all means. The event was witnessed by Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka
and the national chairperson of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Bisi Akande.
Others included the son of late human rights activist Gani Fawehinmi, Mohammed
and Akinwumi Ishola.