•Kofo Bucknor-Akerele and Tinubu
A former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, has described as a misplaced priority, President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Bucknor-Akerele deputised ex-Lagos governor Tinubu from May 1999 to December 2002, though Tinubu was in office till May 2007, reports Channels TV.
Bucknor-Akerele, a member of The Patriots, led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, said the Tinubu presidency must rejig the nation’s socio-economic apparatus as a matter of urgency.
She said seeking a second term in office should not be Tinubu’s focus at the moment, but getting the country to work.
Bucknor-Akerele said, “Unfortunately, right now, what I see is that the president is looking for a second term and that seems to be his focus but I think he should try and look at what people like Emeka Anyaoku and so many others of that calibre sat down and they are trying to fashion something that is going to change Nigeria for the future generations.
“I hope that his advisers would be able to tell him that 2027 is not our priority right now; our priority right now is fashioning something that will be able to make Nigeria great again.”
‘Restive Youths May Stop Politicians’
The former deputy governor also warned that dissatisfied youths might stop the selfish ambition of some politicians in the 2027 general elections.
“We need full employment for our youths. Many of them are roaming the streets, and some are graduates who are now working as security men. Is that what we want for Nigeria? I don’t think so.
“It is urgent; it is not something that should be postponed because some people want to be in power.
“The power which they want, they might not get it, because the youths are now restive and let us pray that things don’t happen and we end up in a revolution in this country,” she said.
Bucknor-Akerele said the Anyaoku group’s clamour for a new constitution is to secure the lives of current and future generations.
She said Nigeria is in dire straits and drastic actions must be taken to improve the security, economic and educational sectors of the country.
“We need drastic action right now. We are in dire straits in Nigeria. Look at what is happening in our security, our economy, our education system, and our health system are all in a state of flux. We need drastic actions,” she said.
“We need a rejig of our security apparatus, there is no doubt about it. We have been calling for state police for a long time…
“We are also for a reduction in the huge amount that is being spent on recurrent expenditure; recurrent expenditure is taking over our budgets.
“So, we have to change the system and have a system that works and is more economical for the people, so that we can improve our social and economic systems.
“We need to have a system where our children can have free education. After all, there was once free education and free healthcare services in parts of Nigeria,” she added
Bucknor-Akerele said Nigerians are fed up with the current situation in the country, and the Tinubu administration would have no alternative but to embrace some of the resolutions of the Anyaoku group.
She said, “I believe that if there is enough pressure on this government, they would have no alternative because there is nowhere in Nigeria that people are not fed up with the situation we are in.
“If this government thinks they can continue as they are continuing, then, I am sorry, I think this country is into disaster,” she said.
