JUST IN: Be hopeful of greater, prosperous nation under Tinubu – Ladoja tells Nigerians

Prominent Ibadan politician, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja, has urged Nigerians to be hopeful of a greater and more prosperous Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu.

Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State, made the appeal on Wednesday at his Ibadan residence while interacting when newsmen, after the Eid prayers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that both Ladoja and Tinubu were senators on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the aborted Third Republic.

Ladoja, who doubles as the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland, praised Tinubu for a good start and expressed support for all the decisions his administration had made so far.

He urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the government, noting that Tinubu, irrespective of his perceived shortcomings, would make a difference.

Ladoja said that things might be difficult initially but hard decisions needed to be taken before Nigerians could expect succour.

“With the new government, abundance will start coming in. It may look difficult, but hard decisions have to be taken before we can expect succour.

“I am in support of the decisions taken so far by the Federal Government because we need to readjust and rejig Nigeria. It is not a question of palliatives but how to redistribute wealth,” he said.

Ladoja said that most of the issues being tackled by Tinubu now were things people had complained about to former President Muhammadu Buhari without any response from him.

The former governor said that Nigeria would be better if corruption was eradicated and expressed optimism that Tinubu knew what he was doing.

“If we take away corruption, we don’t need to police the people before they police themselves.

“We don’t need to police the borders again because of petroleum products smuggled across our borders if Nigeria is getting money that is due to it and there is no subsidy.

“It is now left for the Benin Republic and other neighbouring countries to collect their taxes from those who bring the products into their country,” he said.

Ladoja said that governance would become easier while everything would become liberal with enough room created for competition.

The former governor supported the government in investigating the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

He said everyone must be accountable to the people.

“I hope the APC will be strong enough to face the issues of cleansing the Augean stable. Emefiele ought to have been sacked from the time he made moves to contest the presidency,” Ladoja said.

He expressed confidence that Tinubu understood how to create a liberal and competitive market considering his private sector background.

He said that his relationship with Gov. Seyi Makinde was very cordial, adding that there was nothing like a clash of interests before, during and after the 2023 general elections.