The Ag National Chairman of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC), Chief Prof. Jasper F. Jumbo has said that God knows why he is bringing in his Excellency BAT at this time in the history of Nigeria to lead us.
He made this remarks in an exclusive interview with journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, on his way to Abuja recently describing His Excellency Tinubu as a credible President-Elect, a man whose antecedents speak of capacity, competence and ability to identify men of credibility and performability; a man in touch with the feelings of majority of Nigerians, who could stick his ground when necessary and has the political will to assert his position and make sure that the right thing is done, irrespective of whose ox is gored.
Excerpts
Precisely about 6 months ago, you asked me to invite Journalists for a Press Conference to speak on the 2023 Presidential election. During the Press Conference, you predicted that His Excellency Bola Tinubu will be elected as the next President of Nigeria and you gave us some reasons why he shall be elected by Nigerians. After the Press Conference, you called me to suspend the publication saying that the time wasn’t ripe for such publication. Now, His Excellency BAT has been declared President-Elect, what are your reactions?
My reaction is to first of all commend Nigerians for voting His Excellency Asiwaju Tinubu as the President-Elect. He is a credible President-Elect indeed. A man whose antecedents speak volume of his capacity, competence and ability to identify men of credibility, principle and performability. Some of us adjudge His Excellency Tinubu to be a man in touch with the feelings of majority of Nigerians.
A man who could stick his ground with a time proven political will to assert his position and make sure that the right thing is done irrespective of whose ox is gored Considering the trending clarion call for change and increased localized production, Nigeria needs a leader with knowledge and political will who can mobilize Nigerians to move from where we are now to the next level. Someone who can look at and envision the direction majority of our citizens should be going.
That is the kind of man His Excellency is. Age or no Age, His Excellency, Asiwaju is a man that has been able to groom and mentor men of integrity and substance: like His Excellency Fashola, His Excellency Osinbajo, Hon. Faleke and others, men whose credibility are proven. Look at the project going on now at the Riverine area of Rivers State through which our people are being integrated with the rest of Nigeria. His Excellency Asiwaju is indeed the right choice and I must commend Nigerians.
I even commend the opposition for giving him and the APC the requisite challenge. Without the challenge, it would have been like easy work over. It was a strong challenge and his Excellency Tinubu’s nationwide acceptability showed that he is a man. So I personally commend the in-coming president for myself and on behalf of the Presidential Support Committee of which I am the elected Ag National Chairman.
You also predicted that BAT will win Rivers State even when we told you that wasn’t going to be possible since Rivers State was a PDP state. You told us clearly that when Gov.Wike knows what is on ground, he will mobilize for BAT and as you predictedsoithappened. Now what made you come to this conclusion then?
Let me say this, I do not want to speak on behalf of His Excellency Gov. Wike, whether he mobilized or not for His Excellency Tinubu. Based on our belief, I know that some of us made a lot of sacrifice, invoked our vast communal goodwill in Rivers State and beyond, went to the grassroots without taking money from either the ICC or the Amalgamated APC Support Group, to mobilize and sell His Excellency Tinubu’s Candidature.
It was not easy, but staked our reputation as well as local acceptability and persuaded those who believe in us, to support the Presidential Support Committee and the Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) in Nigeria of which I am also the elected National Chairman to vote in the candidate that portends credibility because we opined that Rivers State and many other states should not continue to be in opposition at the entre. His Excellency Gov. Wike seeing the hand writing on the wall, had no other option than to join the faithful to deliver His Excellency Tinubu.
Gov. Wike having seen and configured the silent good coming, certainly must have assisted in one way or the other of course. I cannot hold brief for His Excellency Gov. Wike. I did not go to vote with him in his unit. I voted on my own.
So the issue here is that Rivers people, PSC members, its support groups, HOSCON faithful’s and infact, most Nigerians ought to be congratulated for massively voting for His Excellency, the President-elect. As it is now, we can say bring this and that to Rivers State and some host oil and gas communities, and it makes rational sense. The Bodo-Bonny Road Project has lasted for so many years. Now that His Excellency Tinubu is on board, the current Minister of Works, happened to be his former Chief of Staff, I mean His Excellency Raji Fashola.
There is no way in the new dispensation the new President will not bring His Excellency Fashola, a tested and proven development protagonist and one of the best performing Ministers in the President Buhari Administration close. When he brings him close, His Excellency Fashola can put in a word for the road and other projects in the making tobe completed. We went to inspect the Bodo-Bonny Road Project with that Road’s Peace Committee some months ago. Good quality job Julius Berger is doing out there.
His Excellency Fashola even made a promise that they would finish that job by the end of year 2023 or around first quarter of 2024. Since government is continuity, His Excellency Fashola’s closeness as well as deep knowledge of on ground realties could help the in-coming Administration to make funds available or create further enabling environment with the NLNG, to complete the project. By the Grace of God, that project shall not be stalled. It would be a major plus for Rivers State and Nigeria. It will open up the previously-forgotten areas for development. It will open up our rural areas for planned and phased growth and attract peaceful co-existence.
How do you see the attempts to stop BAT by other Presidential candidates? Do you think BAT will eventually scale through and be sworn in finally?
Excuse me! I am a Christian and a practicing Christian for that matter. I sincerely believe that God makes and unmakes Kings. The Holy Bible is very clear on this. There are so many instances in the Bible, where God even used non-Israelites to achieve His purpose for His people. So, God knows why He is bringing in His Excellency Tinubu, a Southern Muslim married to a devout Pastor in Redeemed Christian Church, at this time in the history of Nigeria.
The opposition should please, stop campaigning after election. ASIWAJU HAS WON! All these noises of going to court, or protesting are money and time wasting. Let them for once, wait next time. It could be their turn. For emphasis all those protests, stirring-up people for agitations that could lead to crisis and war, are definitely NOT necessary now. The opposition can all join forces to move the nation forward, under the able Leadership of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,- the Jagaban.
How do you see the forthcoming Governorship election slated for this weekend? Do you think the PDP flagbearer will win?
It is going to be a very big challenge. Many of the registered political parties have some good and fairly popular candidates. It is going to be an interesting challenge and I am sure our people shall vote according to their consciences. BUT IN ALL, God shall decide at the end, knowing that even in Heaven, there is hierarchy.
What is your take on the ongoing naira crisis?
Good policy but badly managed by the CBN. The cabal behind the scheme has inflicted so much pain on Nigerians. That is why I am happy that His Excellency Bola Tinubu spoke out clearly against it, abinitio. So many State Governors too are in support of Asiwaju on the same matter. Sometimes, I begin to wonder how the average man is surviving under this misapplied policy by the CBN.
It is good that the Supreme Court has taken a decision on the matter which will bring a human face to the implementation of that policy. I will like to join my voice to call on the CBN to obey the Supreme Court order and also direct the banks to increase the cash that customers and corporate citizens can withdraw across the counter to over N100, 000 at a time. Thank you.
