Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has declared that President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government lacks the requisite knowledge and capacity to tackle Nigeria’s problems, saying that there is the need to effect a change at the centre in 2015 for the country to achieve positive development.

Fashola, who stated this during an exclusive interview with a team of LEADERSHIP editors in Abuja yesterday, was giving the rationale behind the ongoing merger talks by his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),  and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) towards dislodging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre  in 2015.

Explaining that their push for political alignment was not only to seize power but to use it to better the lives of the people, he likened Jonathan’s government to an unskilled auto mechanic who consistently failed to correctly service a vehicle, causing it to continuously break down, a fallout that would necessitate the owner to try another technician.

“You buy a car and it breaks down and you go to a mechanic and he fixes it in the morning, and it breaks down again in the afternoon. You go back in the evening, he fixes it but it doesn’t take you home. You go and call him again; he tosses it up and says you should come back by 6am the next day.

“You take it at 6am and it doesn’t take you home. Are you going to stay with that mechanic?” he asked.

“Nigeria needs a new mechanic. The country’s problems need a new pair of eyes and pure heart that can see, and clearer minds that can articulate the problems better. That is the heart of the matter. It is now left for the electorate to decide whether they are satisfied with this mechanic.” 

Fashola insisted that the desire of the ACN and CPC to take power at the centre was to utilise it according to the general wish of Nigerians, who want the country’s myriad problems fixed immediately.

He described the ACN as an issues-based party which had a lot to offer, which is why it has consistently defeated the PDP in Lagos since the return of democracy 13 years ago.

“In Lagos, the PDP has been failing since 1999: in 2003 it failed, in 2007 it failed, in 2011 it failed again. The most interesting thing is that the margins get wider in Lagos due to the improvement of services,” he said.

He further said that, with ACN’s recurring victories and exemplary leadership across the six states it controls, its leadership was taking proactive steps to salvage Nigeria from PDP’s misrule at the national level by going into a merger with the CPC ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Fashola gave the assurance that the ACN, with its issues-based outlook, would take Nigeria to the Promised Land, just like what is happening in United States, saying that “elections without debate won’t give value and the electorate needs people who understand their problems without pretence.”

He noted that the Democrats in the US openly articulated the issue of tax while the Republicans were vague and the people swung to the side that convinced them.

“Anybody who wants to serve us must understand our problems; that’s why in America you have to debate before election. Lagos is a good example,” he stated.

Governors not against Jonathan – Fashola
Fashola also refuted the insinuations in some quarters that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) was working against the President Jonathan.

Citing the ongoing suit on Excess Crude Account, the Lagos State governor said that the governors’ occasional disagreement with the president on certain issues was in the interest of the country.

The governor further canvassed for a proper economic management through innovation and tourism, saying they were the key to crime prevention.

He also called for a diversification of the economy since ‘what works today may not work tomorrow’.

“Thirty years ago, our economy was trading. The most prosperous people in our society were dealers. That was the economy of that time and it has changed. The new economy has emerged,” he said.

Source below:

http://leadership.ng/nga/articles/46586/2013/02/01/jonathan_cannot_fix_nigerias_vehicle_fashola.html

oops , impossible

Sai fashola! 2015!!

Op ...stop misleading with ur topic... I presume you barely know what clueless means. Next time Use the title of the report as written on the source.

imagine calling Gej a mechanic

Nigeria's problem is more than meet the eyes, this current system of government (pseudo-democracy) is too expensive and wasteful to move Nigeria forward not even Fashola will 'fix anything' if he emerges! We need a system that will stem the level of exuberance that is attached to this system of government, perhaps a "CONFAB" might be necessary as a major step to bring about this 'new system'!

Correct yarn Fashola. I don't even mind if the PDP retains the Presidency after the Party changes its attitude to the Presidency. Nigeria, in this day and age, no longer deserves undeserving, unthinking, 'accidental' stooges as president.

We must demand, with our actions, thoughts and votes, that every Party raises the bar for the benefit of Nigeria. When that is done, that will be the end of mediocrities ,like OBJ, Yar Adua and GEJ, gaining power only to then regress Nigeria with their gross cluelessness, lack of political will, lack of vision, lack of preparation or readiness and hideous lack of ability.

In many Nations of the world today, to even include our West African neigbhours, political Parties are now routinely producing good candidate, by any standard of measurement, for the most important office in the land. To that extent, one can still expect Nations to see progress whoever wins.

Not so Nigeria with the PDP remaining obsessed with weak, inept, irredeemably corrupt and indifferent pushovers they know will surely help to keep everything "business as usual" for a few while the majority, by far, suffers. The PDP should look within itself, reject the militaristic ideology of its former Army overlords and reform. Nigerians have their role to play also by shunning sentiments and bias to soundly reject the mediocrities Parties present. Parties will learn to present better candidates in future if their mediocre offerings are rejected at the poll.

ikee: imagine calling Gej a mechanic

A clueless mechanic for that matter! hehehehehe

Who are those that will take over from Jonathan. People like fashola, el-rufai, sule lamido, atiku. No one is bold enough to come with a name that majority of people in nairaland alone can say yes without sentiments. Who so ever that takes over from Jonathan with this type of system we have, must fail.

Nigeria needs a new vehicle and not neccesarily a new mechanic,because personally i dont see the difference btw the present mechanic and the presumed new one in this case anyway.No mechanic can repair the Nigerian vehicle in its present state.Its like a bewitched or cursed vehicle.

How can you expect a ' mechanic' to do a quick fix on car that has been abused and rough-handled by different drivers and mechanics, who had altered with the parts, and wickedly choosed to drive in gutters and farm lands; and expect the car not break down.

The car need a total reconstruction and it takes time.

I would run from any mechanic that promises a quick fix (patch patch) on the car.

Only in Nigeria!!! Kettle calling pot black,Fashola who is know to be notoriously corrupt,now playing saint.can Fashola tell us why Tinubu's regime has nt been probed by him,when its obvious that everything about Tinubu stinks.what moral justificatn does he ve to talk about stooges & incompetency in governance,while he stands out as the worst stooge ever, as a governor in Nigeria.Can he tell us why he went stooping for Lagos state house of assembly members when Tinubu promised to open Fashola's bag of canker worms.if he was clean,why did he appease Tinubu with contracts and placate the members of the state house with brown envelops!The same Fashola who with his cohorts in crime are been accused of land racketeering in Lagos,contract inflation and owambe(chop i chop)regime!BTW am yet to see within the ACN or CPC who can win 5 states without rigging in a presidential election.

kenis: How can you expect a ' mechanic' to do a quick fix on car that has been abused and rough-handled by different drivers and mechanics, who had altered with the parts, and wickedly choosed to drive in gutters and farm lands; and expect the car not break down.

The car need a total reconstruction and it takes time.

I would run from any mechanic that promises a quick fix (patch patch) on the car.

^^^Precisely! Mehn, i shudder at the very thought of Tinubu anywhere near the corridors of power, let alone being in 'control' of it.

Restructure the country, and everything else falls into place.

Austine.E:
Only in Nigeria!!! Kettle calling pot black,Fashola who is know to be notoriously corrupt,now playing saint.can Fashola tell us why Tinubu's regime has nt been probed by him,when its obvious that everything about Tinubu stinks.what moral justificatn does he ve to talk about stooges & incompetency in governance,while he stands out as the worst stooge ever, as a governor in Nigeria.Can he tell us why he went stooping for Lagos state house of assembly members when Tinubu promised to open Fashola's bag of canker worms.if he was clean,why did he appease Tinubu with contracts and placate the members of the state house with brown envelops!The same Fashola who with his cohorts in crime are been accused of land racketeering in Lagos,contract inflation and owambe(chop i chop)regime!BTW am yet to see within the ACN or CPC who can win 5 states without rigging in a presidential election.

Come to think of it, so many gullible Nairalanders so much believe in this man that they are ready to 'kill to make him President' when he is actually swimming in sleazes! The truth is, you cannot be under a TINUBU as a YES-MAN and not be 'extremely and coyly corrupt' it is impractically impossible not to be! Tinubu and co are "Babangidally Corrupt" and if ACN should assume the status of PDP today, NIGERIA should be for sale in the next few years, indeed the it is the story and politics of "LOOTOCRACY" dirty kettle calling the pot black

Austine.E:
Only in Nigeria!!! Kettle calling pot black,Fashola who is know to be notoriously corrupt,now playing saint.can Fashola tell us why Tinubu's regime has nt been probed by him,when its obvious that everything about Tinubu stinks.what moral justificatn does he ve to talk about stooges & incompetency in governance,while he stands out as the worst stooge ever, as a governor in Nigeria.Can he tell us why he went stooping for Lagos state house of assembly members when Tinubu promised to open Fashola's bag of canker worms.if he was clean,why did he appease Tinubu with contracts and placate the members of the state house with brown envelops!The same Fashola who with his cohorts in crime are been accused of land racketeering in Lagos,contract inflation and owambe(chop i chop)regime!BTW am yet to see within the ACN or CPC who can win 5 states without rigging in a presidential election.

My brother its laughable. See who is talking, Clueful fashola, only in Nigeria.

pot calling kettle black

Fashola should stop playing saint, we all knows he is Tinubu errand boy, we can't trust our future in Tinubu hand. I am ready and willing to listen to fashola only if he can do away from his boss.

Who among our current politicians can we trust to fix this nation? I think it's high time we look in direction of musiwa rather than thienubu and his kindergarten group of politics. Rubbish.

[size=18pt]Let the Verbal Games Begin![/size]

All na political technic!!!

Well said Fashola.

Imagine a clueless Retardeen in charge of a country

What really has he done in Lagos that is puffing his head to criticise GEJ. Thank God is only the Yorubas that know and will vote for him if ever he is destined to contest president. Be ready to go to jail when GEJ wins second tenure

Awaiting more response from 40-man laptop team

And you think GEJ doesn't know? Msheeew NEXt!!!

Frank talk. GeJ start submitting your Cv for a change of job come 2015.

Daft people suffering from selective amnesia!
WTF is wrong with wat BRF said?
Na lie? Respond to what he said or keep shut, whether he is Tinubu's errand boy or not, he is the Best Governor in Nigeria right now, and is 10 times better than our present 'MECHANIC' #Retarden

where is okupe and maku and abati
looks like sincerenigerian has not alerted of the latest

2015 will be explosive

Let the game carry on

One thing i know for sure is that PDP has lost a vote in me come 2015. God willing, ACN/CPC merger would have my vote. Jonathan is just too slow for my liking. He allows so many atrocities happen under his watch

Nigerians! Nigerians!! OPEN YOUR EYES!

We can see what Fashola is doing in Lagos, whether Tinubu is his G-Father or not! We have seen the transformation!

What did Our Oga did in his state back then?

Plz lets be sincere, not because of today, but because of Tomorrow! Cos of our children!

Only a foolish Nigerian will compare Fashola and our oga when it comes to Administration and delivery!

Be sincere! Plz! at least for once!

Good Day

This thread is runnin fast because fashola talked n is against gej . The one ibb talked about disintegration is slow because ibb has said the truth. Bloody tribalistic people