The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, has said the decision of the aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party to join the APC will change Nigeria’s political landscape forever.

Tinubu, who said this in an interview with the Aljazeera Television, on Wednesday, added that the party would fight corruption and waste in government. A script of the interview was obtained by The PUNCH, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He expressed confidence that Nigeria’s political landscape had changed forever and for good.

In response, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, said time will tell which political party was truly popular.

According to Tinubu, the decision by the governors and their supporters to join the opposition APC has tilted the scale and balance of power in favour of the opposition.

He argued that Nigeria was now moving from imperialism to what he called proper democracy.

Tinubu said, “This development will start reshaping the landscape of politics in this country forever. Not for us only but for generation unborn.

“And the future of this country to take its position as a leader in Africa and not just as a well populated country that is big and directionless.

“Nigeria has tried in the past to achieve stable democracy. Like other African countries, we have had our share of military rule and a bit of democratic rule.

“But we are blessed with human and material resources which have not been harnessed for the welfare of the mass of the people in this country.”

The APC leader observed that the sophistication, honesty, trust, transparency which were essential ingredients of the electoral process had been absent in the Nigerian system.

Speaking further about the defects of the Nigerian political system, Tinubu said the balance of power was currently tilted in favour of the incumbency.

He noted that Nigerians had never seen a group that would have a common focus and put patriotism as the cornerstone of their guiding principle.

“This is a party that will put people at the forefront of their cause in participating in politics. Never has there been a group that will focus on the welfare of the Nigerian citizenry and fight corruption and waste in governance.

“There are many areas that this new APC alliance and effort will unveil. We will ensure that we have credibility in the voting system, the character, commitment of our people – the value that you want to pass the torch to the coming generation on democracy,” he said.

Tinubu, who is a former Lagos State governor, observed that the perception of having so many governors working together in one party and platform alone would encourage people to share ideas as well as values and boost their confidence in the electoral system.

He also stressed that a shift in the power equilibrium would rekindle the expectation of the world that the nation’s opposition did not only exist on paper but that it was physically present in Nigeria.

He accused the ruling party of systematically encouraging corruption, lacking care and focus on the primary things that would develop the country.

He expressed sadness that Nigeria had kept missing the bull’s eye in the critical path to a democratic success.

However, Metuh said it was laughable for the opposition party which was the “home of corruption” to accuse the PDP administration.

Metuh said “2015 is just by the corner it’s not too far. Talk is cheap, they have played all their cards and done all they think they can do, time will tell who has more number of followers.”

sbeezy8: I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT half of the govenors that decamped have cases against them in efcc. APC became a live party in the SW because the Governors were new.....

But I give it to tinubu, VERY SMART GUY- visionary his political intelligence in a country like Nigeria can only be matched by Obasanjo.
Kudos, to building a strong Opposition.

Chiefpriest1: Tinubu is a well-grounded politician who knows what to say at every point in time. ​we know that most of them are thieves,but one thing I am sure of is that no government, no matter how corrupt would plunder our commonwealth with so much impunity as this PDP govt. In other words, what Tinubu is saying is that the APC will steal less and work more if elected. For now, you cannot stop corruption in Nigeria, you can only reduce it by removing the element of impunity

Firefire: Fight corruption?
How can Corruption fight corruption?
How can a corrupt element stage a battle against itself? Can a house fight against itself and still stand?
I bet to disagree with Tinubu…
All those thieving politicians shall soon meet their waterloo.

Only time will tell.

Royal Roy:

You are right.

One. cannot ignore that Tinubu is smart and well rooted in politics.

His sagacity is quite commendable and rare in this present age and time when most Naija politicians are just watery and lack political charisma.

Let's see what the next 180 days bring.


Drama or Calm?

We are watching.

osaxx:
Its a shame to nigeria tinubu is talking freely...
Tinubu doesn't av right to address the good people of nigeria...he should be in kirikiri by now...youngman u talk lik u new in naija...same old story....APC cannot win in lagos...bet me...because fashola n tinubu has really frustrated lagosians

sbeezy8: I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT half of the govenors that decamped have cases against them in efcc. APC became a live party in the SW because the Governors were new.....

But I give it to tinubu, VERY SMART GUY- visionary his political intelligence in a country like Nigeria can only be matched by Obasanjo.
Kudos, to building a strong Opposition.

osaxx:

What is ur understanding of a smart n visionary politician...

is it by killing funsho williams, d greates treat to AC in lagos.

Is it by bribing salami to hand over SW to APC.

Is it by influencing the ASUU strike.

Is it by distracting the president from delivering dividend of democracy.

Is it for arranging the arrest of asari dokubo in benin.

Is it for milking lagosians.

Is it for being a drug addict

Is it for building hotels all over lagos.

Is it for claiming ownership of lagos.

Is it for wasting tax payers money to fight his president.

Is it for being number 2 most corrupt nigerian in history after abacha.

Pls tell us, what do u understand by smart n visionary politician....u obviously leaving in the past n do not wish nigeria well.

Even tinubu knows APC can never win nigeria, because he is a member of the party. So if APC wants to win they should suspend TINUBU, BUHARI,AMAECHI,IKIMI,AKANDE, ATIKU,ALL EX-GOV,KWAKWANSO ETC because APC is categorized by d same old demonic bastards dat av destroyed this country. I think PDP has been sanitized.

Chiefpriest1: Tinubu is a well-grounded politician who knows what to say at every point in time. ​we know that most of them are thieves,but one thing I am sure of is that no government, no matter how corrupt would plunder our commonwealth with so much impunity as this PDP govt. In other words, what Tinubu is saying is that the APC will steal less and work more if elected. For now, you cannot stop corruption in Nigeria, you can only reduce it by removing the element of impunity

osaxx:


Even tinubu knows APC can never win nigeria, because he is a member of the party. So if APC wants to win they should suspend TINUBU, BUHARI,AMAECHI,IKIMI,AKANDE, ATIKU,ALL EX-GOV,KWAKWANSO ETC because APC is categorized by d same old demonic bastards dat av destroyed this country. I think PDP has been sanitized.

NO LONG TIN:

I think APC should fight corruption and wastefulness in APC controlled state, then we will start believing him

Talk is cheap!

lovat: Tinubu is saying hogwash, he is the most corrupt politician strutting around in Nigeria, [size=18pt]we all know the deal he had with GEJ to support him in 2011 and then Code of Conduct Bureau will lose its case against Tinubu[/size].