A former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mike Okiro, has thrown his full weight behind the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu.
He proffers that since Senator Tinubu fixed Lagos as a governor, he would be able to fix Nigeria.
Okiro made this known on Friday in Abuja at the unveiling of the summit planning committee for Tinubu’s support group, ‘Defect Together Movement for Tinubu-Shettima 2023.’
According to him, Tinubu is a man with foresight and capacity to fix Nigeria, because his developmental legacy was glaring.
“When Tinubu became the governor of Lagos, criminality was at its highest peak in Lagos, robbery, killing, OPC, everything was in shambles and people were running away from Lagos.
“Then, Asiwaju made a special request to the IGP that if he wanted Lagos to be peaceful, he should bring Okiro back to Lagos.
“That was how I found myself back in Lagos, so I worked along with him to be able to keep Lagos calm.
”I left Lagos in glory to the extent that I was promoted from Commissioner of Police to DIG, all glory goes to Asiwaju.
“If as Governor of Lagos, he did it, I have no doubt in my mind, therefore, that given this onerous task of championing the course of entire Nigeria, he is going to replicate what he did in Lagos,” he said.
Okiro said that although he was campaigning for Tinubu, ”but it is what I know I am only telling you that one plus one is two.”
Okiro commended the group for selecting him as its Chairman, Board of Trustees and pledged his support to make the vision come true.
Dr Kenneth Ibe-Kalu, the group’s Chairman, said that Okiro was chosen as BOT chairman because of his wealth of experience, exposure and knowledge.
“He had contributed immensely to the development of the nation and had a credible career with the Nigeria Police Force, rising to the position of I-G and serving as chairman, Police Service Commission.
“He is a destribalised Nigerian, who has earned the respect of most Nigerians, this, in a nutshell, is what informed our choice of him.
“He will bring his wealth of experience, exposure, goodwill and foresight to being our chairman because we believe in him to be able to guide us to the promised land,” he said.
Dr Umar Yakasai, Deputy National Campaign Director of the movement, said the group made a painstaking search before settling on Okiro to add value to its quest of Tinubu’s ambition to fix Nigeria.
Yakasai said, ”this is in view of Okiro’s long-term closeness to Tinubu and his vantage position to spur other eminent persons to support the group’s plan.
“Okiro initiated the idea of the Amnesty Programme that doused the tension in the Niger Delta region during the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration, which guaranteed peace in that region.
“So, in all ramifications, Sir Mike Okiro qualifies to be recognised as a foremost statesman in Nigeria, ” he added.
