2023 Presidency: Students Endorse Tinubu

The ambition of the ruling All Progressive Congress presidential standard bearer Asiwaju Bola Tinubu received a huge boost on Tuesday when student pledged to work for his emergence in 2023.

The students, under the aegis of Tinubu/ Shetima Students Vanguard (TSSV), said their support for Tinubu was based on the fact the APC Presidential candidate has the required qualities to lead the country.

The group’s Coordinator and immediate past National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Comr. Sunday Asefon made the declaration at a briefing in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

Asefon explained they decided to support Tinubu after careful evaluation of all the candidates.

He said there are strong indications that the APC candidate would run a student-friendly government, saying his exploits in all sectors of governance, particularly, the education sector when he was at the helm of affairs in Lagos State remained verifiable testimonies of his leadership capacity.

According to him: “It is no longer news that Nigeria will be going through an electing year in 2023 during which the country is expected to witness another transition period in the political leadership of the most populous black nation of the world.

“There is no doubt that the outcome of the election will have a great impacts in the lives of young population whether positive or negative.

“So, It’s on this note that we the Nigerian students under the aegis of theTinubu/ Shettima Students Vanguard cutting acrosses all campuses of the 36 states have reviewed political developments of the country and concluded to mobilize our members and indeed the millions of progressive Nigerian students to support Tinubu and Shettima”.

Asefon added that the group considered Tinubu’s intellectual prowess, pedigree, administrative acumen, competence and experience as very crucial to taking the country to higher pedestal.

He noted Tinubu’s presidency would be a great blessing to the entirety of Nigeria as he possesses the leadership qualities needed to transform Nigeria, looking at how he changes the fortunes of Lagos State for the better.

He added that if given the opportunity, the APC candidate will do the same with Nigeria as he was well prepared to birth a new Nigeria many of dreamt of within the shortest possible time.

“As a youth group whose interest is the total wellbeing of our members, we cannot seek for nothing short of a rosy future for the younger generation which Asiwaju have championed in the time past. While he was governor of Lagos, he initiated numerous policies and programmes for both students and youths.

“He introduced numerous policies in the education sector, payment of WAEC fee for students from all walks of life so far you live in Lagos, several tuition and indigent scholarship, disbursement of students’ bursary and many schools were built. The one-Day governor program started with the spelling bee competition which was first of its kind.

“Asiwaju also increases the states’s IGR from N600m to over N7billion after eight years through the enactment of different initiatives, the sustainability of which has brought the monthly IGR to N57bn 2022.

“He equally decentralized health sector which led to the creation of LASAMBUS, the ambulance management scheme, Hospital Services Commission and the Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency.

“In addition, the closest thing to state Policing started in Nigeria under Tinubu with RRS. The prison reformation to curb activities of criminals, led to conversion of Ita Oko Prisoners Camp to Youth Skill Acquisition Centre. He also created the Lagos Security Trust Fund where private sector come together to invest in Lagos security in conjunction with the state government.

“Equally worthy of note is his leadership style, the involvement of many young Nigerians in government business via several appointments into positions of authority to enable them showcase their potential not looking at where they came from. It’s under him that people from the East and North became commissioner, this was first of its kind.

“Therefore, as far as we are concerned and we are here to say it loud and clear, we are in support of Tinubu’s ambition. Nigeria students are solidly behind him.

“Asiwaju is our first choice, the second choice and third choice for the exalted seat as we believe he is one a leader who value education and will bring about a new direction to the education sector most especially by putting a total end to the reoccurring lingering strike that affects our tertiary institutions,” he added.

Asefon said the group would mobilise students across all the campuses in the six geopolitical zones to ensure Tinubu triumph as “he remains the best man who can take Nigeria on a journey of prosperity”.