*I’ve no confidence INEC’ll conduct free, fair election with BVAS, he says

*As his traducers led by Reno Omokri protest, insisting he should talk to Nigerians in Nigeria, not in the UK

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu has emphasised Nigeria’s role in Africa as a big brother and a beacon of hope to the continent and the ECOWAS sub-region through entrenched democratic ideals, having run an unbroken democracy for over two decades.

Tinubu was at Chatham House alongside the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai and his Jigawa State counterpart, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru; former Ekiti state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Dele Alake, the Director of Strategic Communication of the APC and a member of the Tinubu cabinet when he was governor in Lagos state.

Tinubu stated that if he becomes Nigeria’s president, his administration would continue to provide quality leadership to the sub-region, to ensure democratic ideals reign in the region.

He promised that Nigeria would epitomize values of democracy during elections anywhere in Africa, by ensuring that democratic ideals were followed and all forms of electoral violence rejected, allowing only the will of the people to prevail.

“For one, as Africa’s most populous country and the continent’s largest economy, it is generally acknowledged that the fortunes of the African continent and indeed the Black race is tied directly to the health of Nigeria,” he said.

“Also the Nigerian elections of 2023 are coming up at a time when the country’s immediate geographical neighbourhood of West and Central Africa is undergoing serious political turmoil that has manifested itself in the incursion of the military to power in a number of countries. In spite of the legitimate concerns being expressed by observers, Nigerians are resolutely committed to democracy, regardless of their political differences.

“Nigeria shares direct land borders with four sister African countries with whose peoples Nigerians also share historical and cultural affinities.

“This effectively means that the relationship between Nigeria and its immediate neighbours is much more than just a geographical expression”.

On the 2023 general elections, Tinubu said: “I stand firmly against all forms of electoral violence and intimidation. Having spent most of my career in the political opposition, I have long fought against electoral malpractice and any attempts to extinguish the legitimate choice of voters. I will continue to do so.

“And I urge all my fellow contestants in this election to do the same.  Let the sovereign will of the people decide the path of our nation.  

“And let this election be determined by voters making their choice freely rather than the domineering intimidation of the troublesome few,” he said.

Tinubu further boasted that none of his contenders can match his professional records which he described as “outstanding.”

It was observed that during the interview, he intermittently would assign some members of his entourage to respond to questions put across to him by the moderator.

For instance, the APC presidential candidate assigned Governor El-Rufai to speak on how his (Tinubu) plan to tackle insecurity, just as he asked Alake to respond to the question on oil theft.

Tinubu also delegated a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Wale Edun, to respond to a question on how he (Tinubu) would boost the economy if elected.

On security he said: “The challenges which have manifested themselves with regard to our national and regional development and security trajectories are very well-known to all of us here: radical extremist violence, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, human trafficking, trafficking in weapons, trafficking in drugs, climate change and resource driven conflicts etc. 

“Mostly manifesting initially as national problems, these challenges evolved over time into trans-border and multinational challenges.

“We see the thousands of people who have been internally displaced at home or forced into refugee camps abroad. With farming activities disrupted, we have seen shortages of basic food items and food price inflation that are further undermining human security.

“To respond meaningfully to the discontents and to redress the many dislocations arising from them, we must begin by reminding ourselves of that old dictum: Foreign policy is but a continuation of domestic policy.

“As a first step, we must recalibrate domestic policy in order to revamp the foundation on which our quest to pursue human security rests.”

Tinubu, again repeated that he has lost confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair election during next year’s general election with the introduction of electronics accreditation and transmission of results.

While addressing the audience at the Chatham House, frontline UK think-tank in London he said the electoral body was yet to assure him and his party that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) into the system are reliable.

He made the comments weeks after the National Chairman of his party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu doubted the efficacy of the new initiative.

“We are still losing confidence in our democratic and voting system,” the former Lagos governor said. 

“INEC is yet to assure us during this election that electronic transmission, the technology being used for the accreditation and the total votes counts is reliable, dependable and assuring in our democratic process before we introduce a complicated element of…ballot.”

He spoke even after the chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, already said there was no going back on the use the the electronic devices which have already been deployed nationwide

Tinubu also addressed the controversies surrounding his age, school and record in the private sector, saying those have been put to rest.

He said he was born on March 29, 1952, adding that those who disputed claims that he was from the Tinubu family could request for a DNA test.

On his academic and private sector records, Tinubu announced that he had just received his original certificate from Chicago State University just as he stated that Mobile Oil attested to his outstanding record.

He said: “At the time of birth, I was dated March 29, 1952, in the family record. Then, I don’t think I had decided to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not even that I would go into politics.

“I’ve had a very good record in life. My record is consistent in the university they questioned. They’ve now confessed that they wasted their money and their time. The record is there, and the transcript is there showing March 1952.

“I’m not claiming another father, I’m Tinubu and Tinubu proper. If they want a DNA, they could as well request for one.

“One of them was even accused of not being a Nigerian citizen, I didn’t touch that area.

“Equally, it remains the same. Chicago State University where I graduated has attested to that. Now, I can announce that I have received my original replacement degree certificate from them.

He also said that one of the Big Four accounting firms in the world, Deloitte, trained him to be an accountant, a statement that is inconsistent with the information contained in his sworn affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) earlier in the year.

Tinubu in his affidavit to the electoral commission, said he became a certified accountant in 1979 and worked at Arthur Anderson firm for years before joining Deloitte in 1983.

“Deloitte trained me as an accountant. Mobil has attested to my record. I got to the pinnacle of my career in the private sector. Who among them can brag about that,”? he quarried.

The work experience submitted to INEC showed that Tinubu obtained his certification in public accounting in 1979, worked in Arthur Anderson accounting firm for some years before proceeding to Deloitte Haskins and Sells in 1983. 

In 1986, the former Lagos governor moved to Mobil Oil Corporation where he worked in the General Audit department before getting an upgrade to the position of a treasurer in the same firm between 1988 and 1992, Mr Tinubu’s sworn affidavit showed.

Asked to state why he avoided engaging in debates in Nigeria unlike his colleagues in the presidential race, he said, “I see myself as a marketable individual. You want to use me to make money and I’m saying no.”

Meanwhile, some Nigerians on Monday in London, United Kingdom, protested against Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was at the Royal Institute of International Affairs also known as Chatham House.

This comes seven years after President Muhammadu Buhari addressed Chatham House on February 25, 2015 as the APC presidential candidate.

The aggrieved protesters chanted and raised placards that read, “Bobo Chicago”, Bobo Chicago, “go and seek your health and leave us alone”, “Bulababa Baba Boyer.”

In a video posted on Twitter by Reno Omokri, former media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, the protesters were seen marching through the street, calling Tinubu’s name, and making references to him with derogatory words.