President Bola Tinubu on Thursday (today) visited Ogun State as part of his first state visits Lagos and Ogun States as President.
The President during the visit said he invoked the spirit of freedom while campaigning in state last year.
He stated that certain statements he made during the campaign resonated with Nigerians and his supporters, and these statements were used to invoke the spirit.
The former governor of Lagos State mentioned that the challenges caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cash swap policy during the campaign compelled him to summon the spirit of freedom in the South West state.
“I invoked the spirit of freedom in Ogun,” the president said while speaking at the palace of Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu Ode.
He added, “It is a homecoming and I owe so much to all of you and there is so much to thank you for. Because of the way you have taken me and the way you’ve responded to me, all I can say is thank you.
“To many of you, thank you for being there for me and being there for the country. You demonstrated so much loyalty, so much commitment and voted at a very crucial time.
“Your monies were confiscated. The cash swap didn’t work. It was terrible then. I realised that and I came to Ogun State to invoke the spirit of freedom for which we are noted for.
“I invoked that spirit twice. The spirit of Baba (referring to Awujale). The spirit of Baba – Emi l’okan (it’s my turn), that’s Baba. The spirit for being blunt and that is him.
“And the second spirit is that of money (Naira scarcity), ‘ama dibo ama wole’ (we will vote and we will win) even if there is no money. And that, ever since, has been the spirit that is driving me to serve.”
Tinubu caused a stir on social media on June 3 2022, when he expressed his frustration during a presidential campaign in Abeokuta.
He claimed that it was his own endeavors that ultimately led to the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari assuming the presidency in Aso Rock after three previous failed attempts.
It was during this event that he spontaneously uttered his now widely recognized phrase, “emilokan” (It’s my turn).
“It is my time. I’m educated. I’m experienced. I have been serving people for a long time. Bring me the presidency, it is my turn,’’ Tinubu had insisted.
He absentmindedly referred to Dapo Abiodun as ‘Eleyi’ while pointing at him, emphasizing that Abiodun was one of the outcomes of his dedicated political efforts.
“Look at this one (Eleyi) seated behind me, Dapo, he wouldn’t have become governor without my support,” Tinubu had stated.
Tinubu delivered the statement during his address to the APC delegates in Ogun State.
The statement stirred up mixed emotions among Nigerians, with some loyalists of the party, including the National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu, interpreting it as a deliberate attempt to belittle the then president and the governor of Ogun State.
Furthermore, in response to the scarcity of the Nigerian currency and fuel shortage, which led to protests throughout the country, Tinubu accused unidentified influential individuals of orchestrating the crisis to undermine his ambitions.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is an ally of Tinubu, supported these claims by affirming that certain officials within the Presidency, including the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, were working against Tinubu.
