Prince Tajudeen Olusi, the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), has rejected his description as a ‘kingmaker’ in Lagos State.
The GAC, the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, is believed to play a vital role in determining who clinches the party’s ticket for governorship and other critical political offices.
Consequently, council members are often informally known as kingmakers in the state, an appellation that Olusi spurned in an interview with Daily Trust.
“You commenced by describing me as a kingmaker. I do not regard myself as a kingmaker.
“The Lord of the universe has his own anointed people who are going to rule in various spheres.
“And since He does not communicate directly to us, He has His own way of getting people to deliver His messages or even to go and draft His anointed people.
“I have had the privilege of being part of such God’s assignment,” Olusi said.
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The 86-year-old Olusi, who has been officially involved in Lagos politics since 1962 when he became a Councillor for the Lagos Town Council, recalled how he and two others convinced celebrated journalist, Alhaji Lateef Jakande to join politics before he rose to become governor of the state in 1979.
“When Alhaji Jakande was an editor, he would write and we would all scramble to read his editorials.
“At that time he was not in politics, and we thought, with this background, this knowledge, this man should be brought into politics.
“So, I was one of three people who went to him to convince him that he must take part in politics; not only in writing editorials,” the GAC chairman said.
Olusi explained that he came to meet President Bola Tinubu later.
He noted that Tinubu was a very generous person who was ready to spend his money to assist others, which endeared him to many people.
“So, later by the grace of God Alhaji Jakande became Governor of Lagos State. I became the chairman of a party in Lagos in the days of the SDP, and by that posture, the national vice chairman of the party.
“It was during this period I came to know President Bola. I have known him as a junior brother. You see, Bola is ready to support people, Bola is ready to spare his money, you know the surest foundation in our society, in Africa, is money, it is funds.
“Most people are poor and those who are not poor don’t want to risk their money in politics, where the profit is not sure.
“When we requested financial assistance from Bola, he gave that assistance readily; we asked for more, he gave it and it was at that stage, the best course of action for us is to make this “aburo” a politician,” Olusi said.