Tinubu Was a Regional Champion, and Regional Champions Don’t Necessarily Make Central Champions – Ex-Lawmaker, Nnenna Ukeje

Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has explained why she did not support President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election despite previously admiring his leadership in Lagos State.

Speaking In a recent interview, Ukeje said she grew up respecting Tinubu’s political journey, describing him as a key opposition figure who challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo and helped transform Lagos through policies continued by former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

She said Tinubu sold many Nigerians the idea that Lagos was a “mini Nigeria” and projected himself as a leader who would govern inclusively. However, she said her expectations were not met after he became president.

“I’m not angry, I’m disappointed,” she said, adding that disappointment came from having high expectations.

According to her, the Tinubu presidency has strengthened her belief that “regional champions don’t necessarily make central champions.”

Ukeje argued that one of the biggest criticisms of the administration is its perceived lack of inclusiveness, claiming the president has surrounded himself with a “Lagos cabal” and that the government often appears like “Lagos State in Abuja.”

Explaining why she preferred former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, she pointed to some of the politicians around him, including David Mark and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, whom she described as experienced leaders with a record of defending democratic institutions and constitutional governance.

She also rejected claims that Atiku failed to address terr%rism, noting that after the Chibok schoolgirls’ abd£ction, he enrolled some of the rescued girls at the American University of Nigeria in Yola.

According to her, the move not only provided education but also challenged Boko Haram’s anti-Western education ideology.