A former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Sir Mike Okiro, has expressed confidence in the ability of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to pull Nigeria out of the brinks, if elected president in 2023.
He argued that, if the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate was able to fix Lagos as its governor, he would definitely fix Nigeria as president.
Okiro made this known on Friday in Abuja, during the unveiling of the summit planning committee for Tinubu’s support group, ‘Defect Together Movement for Tinubu-Shettima 2023.’
According to him, Tinubu is a man with foresight and capacity to fix Nigeria, because his developmental legacies are glaring.
“When Tinubu became the governor of Lagos, criminality was at its highest peak in Lagos, robbery, killing ,OPC, everything was in shambles and people were running away from Lagos.
“Then, Asiwaju made a special request to the I-G that if he wanted Lagos to be peaceful, he should bring Okiro back to Lagos.
“That was how I found myself back in Lagos, so I worked with him to be able to keep Lagos calm.
“I left Lagos in glory to the extent that I was promoted from Commissioner of Police to DIG, all glory goes to Asiwaju.
“If as governor of Lagos, he did it, I have no doubt in my mind, therefore, that given this onerous task of championing the course of the entire Nigeria, he is going to replicate what he did in Lagos,” the retired IGP said.
Okiro said that although he is campaigning for Tinubu, “it is what I know I am only telling you that one plus one is two.”
Okiro commended the group for selecting him as its Chairman, Board of Trustees and pledged his support to make the vision a reality.
The group’s Chairman, Dr Kenneth Ibe-Kalu, said that Okiro was chosen as BOT chairman because of his wealth of experience, exposure and knowledge.
“He had contributed immensely to the development of the nation and had a credible career with the Nigeria Police Force, rising to the position of I-G and served as chairman, Police Service Commission.
“He is a destribalised Nigerian, who has earned the respect of most Nigerians. This, in a nutshell, is what informed our choice of him.
“He will bring his wealth of experience, exposure, goodwill and foresight to being our chairman, because we believe in him to be able to guide us to the promised land,” he said.
The Deputy National Campaign Director of the movement, Dr Umar Yakasai, said the group made painstaking search before settling on Okiro to add value to its quest of Tinubu’s ambition to fix Nigeria.
Yakasai said: “his is in view of Okiro’s long term closeness to Tinubu and his vantage position to spur other eminent persons to support the group’s plan.
“Okiro initiated the idea of the Amnesty Programme that doused the tension in the Niger Delta region during the Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration, which guaranteed peace in that region.
“So, in all ramifications, Sir Mike Okiro qualifies to be recognised as a foremost statesman in Nigeria,” he added.
– NAN