Gbenga Adeyinka, a comedian, says President Bola Tinubu is the right person to steer the affairs of the country.
Speaking when he featured on Our 2 Kobo Podcast, Adeyinka said he supported Tinubu’s election because the president’s track record when he was governor of Lagos, put him in a position to solve Nigeria’s economic woes and drive the country to prosperity.
The comedian, who disclosed that he is a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Nigerians would be in trouble if Tinubu cannot fix the country’s problems despite his capacity.
He lauded some policies implemented by the present administration — including subsidy removal and autonomy for LGAs. He, however, said the government has not been frugal.
“If I’m passionate about you, I’m passionate about you. That’s my problem. And I believe that, and please take this to the bank, if Asiwaju (Tinubu) cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. With his capacity, with what he knows, with the fact that he has nothing to gain or lose anymore, if he cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. I’m scared for Nigeria,” Adeyinka said.
“Even before the election, people were taking sides. Am I happy with the policies of the government? I suffer too. People should not forget that I’m a Nigerian too. Now, am I happy with the policies of Asiwaju? Some yes, some no.
“The man explained something. He said, we have two options. We go the way we are going. I’ll be attacked for this one, but I’ll say my mind. We go the way we have always gone. We keep borrowing money. We keep using our crude, for instance, I’m told has been used to borrow money. We can change that and have a better tomorrow. Or, we continue this way and everybody is happy, and your children suffer.
“Do I believe he should have ended subsidy, although he was not even the one that ended the fuel subsidy thing. I support fuel subsidy removal totally because of the amount of corruption that was in it.
“Do I think they’ve done a good job by tightening their belts when we need to tighten our belts? No. I believe that those cars that were bought for members of the national assembly was an unnecessary oppression of the people, of the people who are suffering. What else have they done? I see a lot of restructuring taking place.
“Local governments are to get their money directly. If you have a vibrant local government, you can build the country from bottom up, which is the way they do it abroad. Will governors allow the money get to the local government? Some governors have said no, nine or so.
“If you get the local government right, it’s like getting a family right. Society will be better. Should people have gone on the streets to protest? There’s a fundamental right of protest. Should they have said the summit should be cancelled? No.
“Those are constitutional issues that should be dealt with constitutionally. I think what should have been done is to ask for a constitutional review. You can’t use illegality to remove someone legally elected.”
Adeyinka advised youths seeking political offices to start from the grassroots, arguing that politics has a bottom-up structure.
“There are some people who are professional politicians. That is their job. You now wake up and say you want to come and… they will not even give you ticket. With our current structure, it takes the grace of men for you to become president,” he said.
“That’s why when I see them Sowore, saying they want to be president, Fela Durotoye wants to be president, Peter Obi wants to be president, and there’s one very intelligent guy, Moghalu wants to be president… I think we need to get these young people into the house of reps, into the senate, to rewrite our laws.
“If Peter Obi becomes president of Nigeria with the same structure we have in place, there’s nothing he’s going to do.”
He added that with the likes of Obi, Omoyele Sowore, and Kingsley Moghalu in the senate, no president will act without caution.
