A Lagos indigene and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tunde Bank-Anthony has become the number one trending topic on Twitter over his comments on the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
During a Wednesday appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels TV programme, Bank-Anthony expressed displeasure over insinuations that Tinubu “built” Lagos.
“What I am saying to my fellow APC members is that if all you want to campaign about Asiwaju for president is Lagos, be factual about it,” he said.
“He (Tinubu) was a governor in Lagos and did his bit. But he is not the pathfinder of Lagos.”
He added, “Our candidate now, everything he [Tinubu] is campaigning with is Lagos as if in the last 100 years, Lagos has seen nothing like him. But we as Lagosians need to set the record straight.
“I’m almost 60 years old, grew up on the Island. I don’t remember a road on the Island that was not tarred but the problem is that the politics they are playing now gives us a lot of concerns.
“The politics that Lagos was developed by Tinubu who happens to be the candidate of my party is unacceptable. Lagos has always been. You call New York, you call Paris, you call London, you call Lagos. The school he [Tinubu] went to in Lagos, did he build it? Where he was born, did he build the hospital?”
Bank-Anthony said that there were many points for which to campaign for Tinubu, including successes in the corporate world and building a successor.
However, he said Tinubu could not claim glory for the successes recorded by the administrations of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode.
“The people that succeeded Asiwaju, BRF (Fashola) succeeded him and his eight years was more visible than Bola Tinubu’s eight years…He (Tinubu) cannot claim glory for what they did; it’s not possible,” he said.
Bank-Anthony, who is also a spokesman for Concerned Lagosians, noted that Ambode was denied a second term despite evidence of performance in office for “personal reasons”.
Asked whether Tinubu has forgiven Ambode, Bank-Anthony said, “I am surprised that you said Tinubu has not forgiven Ambode; it should be the other way round that Ambode has not forgiven Tinubu. Saying that Tinubu has not forgiven Ambode, on what basis is that? Is it on poor performance or what? Is it that he didn’t do well as governor of Lagos State or as an accountant general? For me, it is more or less that a performing governor was yanked off for no reason, for personal reason.
“Since Ambode left office, he has not said a word against Bola Tinubu. All he has said is that please go and register for your PVCs. He (Ambode) is still an APC member, he is still loyal to the APC. He is not leaving the party.”
On whether Ambode is going to support Tinubu’s presidential ambition, Bank-Anthony said, “I don’t see why not…As I sit down here now, if I tell you I am going to vote for you, I can change my mind.”
Meanwhile, Bank-Anthony’s submissions has provoked a Twitter debate.
The Herald brings to you some of the most interesting comments…
Tunde Bank-Anthony who is an almost 60 years old lagosian, has a real life experience of Lagos not based on other people's history account.
He's an APC chieftain, definitely not easily influenced and don't join bandwagon has made it clear that Lagos was built before BAT.
QED.
— Ofuji Peter Obi (@MistaChika) September 8, 2022
Shettima's comments about Lagos surely angered Tunde Bank-Anthony.
If you're a TRUE Lagosian, it would, too.
Lagos that was already the envy of Dubai, Singapore & Johannesburg in the 70s is the same Lagos that BATists want to convince Nigerians Tinubu built from the ground up?
— Kriss Ray (@krissrayNG) September 7, 2022
Tunde Bank-Anthony must be protected at all cost. Tinubu cannot steal Mobalaji Johnson, Lateef Jakande, Babatunde Fashola, & Ambode’s legacies. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/FfTYMQ2uue
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) September 7, 2022
Respect to Tunde Bank-Anthony on this, setting the record straights. Lagos was already a city, we had street lights that come on when it gets dark, as a young boy living in festac, i saw this, all the way to oshodi, we had roads all around. Wetin Tinubu do for lagos? https://t.co/QTvB2Xlwfu
— afam ⚡ Peterobi-Stan (@A4_Afam) September 8, 2022
I watched this on Channels and you can see the frustration turned aggression of Wale Badmus, for the fact that all the BAT group propaganda about Lagos has been called out! Kudos to Tunde Bank-Anthony for standing to the truth #issuesbasedcampaign https://t.co/NMmqr2Jvmh
— OtunbaAde (@FadipeAdeoye) September 7, 2022
Someone that know is talking , thank you Tunde bank Anthony. No one can point to something Tinubu did in his 8years that is still standing. all what they are pointing to are done by fashola and ambode. Useless folks https://t.co/AdH9ckMsIS
— HUSBAND OF LAGOS (@iconic_remi) September 7, 2022
If you had 8years to be in power, that is enough time to leave your print in the state.
But its not so with Tinubu.
-Tunde Bank-Anthony
APC chieftain in Lagos
Me: dis wah ddddeeeppp
— Foundational Omeiza™ MD MPH𓃵 ♤♤♡♡♡♤♤ (@DocOmeiza) September 7, 2022
Channels journalists weren't expecting an APC chieftain to speak truth to power dis way, hence towards the end they are trying to put words in his mouth.
Mr Tunde Bank-Anthony posterity would be kind to you and your children.
We need more lagosians to speak truth to power too. https://t.co/8diC4U2KUK
— Foundational Omeiza™ MD MPH𓃵 ♤♤♡♡♡♤♤ (@DocOmeiza) September 7, 2022
Lagosians have spoken! Tunde Bank- Anthony I watched him tell the world about the baked truth and lies of BAT. Since the death of Senator Wahab Dosunmu no lagosian had the balls to publicly say the truth about BAT. Tunde you represented Lagosians well. Lagosians support ur own!
— Cashiefz (@cashiefz) September 8, 2022
After seeing the full video on YouTube, I must tender my unreserved apology to the APC members who wouldn't allow themselves to be fooled! Mr Tunde Bank-Anthony is one of the many shining beacon of hope( if there's any left in APC). Stand firm & strong Sir! 💪🏻🙏🙌
Thanks Sir! https://t.co/BOokGo3jdH
— OBIDATTI🇳🇬2023 (@OjinduUgo) September 7, 2022
If you listened to the interview Channels TV had with APC chieftain in Lagos Tunde Bank-Anthony, you wont need any fortune teller to tell you that the LORD has already put confusion in the camp of the enemy.This election has already been won in heaven fellow #OBIDIENTS, rejoice.
— BBCNaija (@getmotivatedng) September 7, 2022