I recall the debates we had about Tinubu building Lagos before the last elections

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I spent considerable energy debunking such lies. I did not see Tinubu as spectacular when he was governor of Lagos state. I resisted all the myths of him building the Lagos Marina and other lies told by those that supported him then. I still do.

At that time, many accused me of hating Tinubu. Many family members and friends said “please stop attacking Tinubu” calling me directly and others. He was the Yoruba candidate and some Yorubas wanted our son to be President.

My preference then after Osinbajo lost out turned to Peter Obi. I mentioned then, reasons why I preferred him to BAT. The posts are there. I did not sell fantasies. I did say that his frugality was great for us then and he promised to remove subsidy and reform the fx market. I felt that BAT that fought GEJ over that move will allow for more of the same. I was also irritated that he never found a voice to criticise Buhari despite his failings. I saw him more as a good politician than a reformer. He is both now.

Atiku was a non starter. I think and still do that it was time for the South and Igbo should have a short at presidency for equity.

I don’t support Tinubu now because he is Yoruba. Yoruba does not feed me. I don’t do contracts or knock on doors of political actors for favours. There is nothing wrong with that. But I do not and I am thankful that I don’t need to otherwise I would be unable to speak. I love my voice.

My support despite the current pain we are all experiencing and challenges is because he has exceeded my expectations on the critical reforms the nation needs. I work in development. I have worked in development most of my adult life. That might be a persuasion. Having led on oil sector reform team for many years, and now leading an economic stabilisation and reform team.

I don’t do fantasy. I do reality. I think we are on a journey. The bad habits of the past can’t be fixed overnight. You can’t have been a couch potato, eating junk food, having clogged arteries and then turn your life around in one day. It will take time.

I am as critical of the way some policies were implemented. Some could have been better designed and better thought through. But only a pilot can tell you why he flew the way he did. But can I argue against the need?

Like I said, I like Mr Obi, I like him personally. I think he lost the chance years back. But we have not voted. He needs to be less of a politician not bowing to whims and popular opinions, then build a platform. No one has accused him of grand corruption, but his many ideas are pedestrian. He also must imbibe the habit of consistency and talk less. Many words bring sin!

So why have I not focused on Atiku? Atiku just wants to be president. Nothing more. He is a candidate of a bloc that wants power back because they fear and dislike Tinubu for taking what they consider their cake. The campaign against him in the North is that Tinubu hates the North. It is working.”we voted you and you now turn around to reward your tribe’ very effective. They don’t ask why poverty is more rife in that zone and has been since independence.

But Atiku is a sly person. He will say anything for acceptance now. He will play all parties to gain sympathy or get votes. Now he is talking about the Lekki massacre, where was his voice then? A person that did a U-turn when Deborah was murdered in Sokoto and was mute like Tinubu under the Buhari years.

I stopped taking him seriously when he promised to reverse subsidy removal. More than any aspirants, he knows about that topic. No one should be allowed to play politics with our future! Then for equity, he should not be contesting!