Chief of Staff to the president and former House of Representatives Speaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has linked President Bola Tinubu’s political rise to the ties he built with his colleagues when he was a senator in 1992.
Gbajabiamila stated this during a reception and award presentation organised for him and other members of the Forum of APC Former Members of the House of Representatives, who are either ministers or governors.
Some other members recognised by the forum are the Niger State Governor, Hon. Umar Bago, and the Minister of Sports Development, Hon. John Enoh.
In his remarks at the event, Gbajabiamila, who thanked his former colleagues for organising the reception to honour them, decried the absence of some other award recipients.
He said, “I will tell you one thing today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; he may not know it, but I have been around him for a long time. One of his greatest strengths and what catapulted him to where he is today were his former colleagues when he was a senator. So this is a constituency we must hold dear. We just shouldn’t burn bridges when we leave.”
The chief of staff donated N50 million to the forum, noting “there is no greater honour than that which comes from your peers and colleagues.”
Governor Bago also thanked his colleagues for the award, adding that the “trust shown by this gathering will spur him to do better.”
Enoh appreciated the forum’s thoughtfulness for the award bestowed on him and pledged commitment to the platform.
Senator Osita Izunaso, who is also a member of the forum, urged the APC administration to ensure former lawmakers of the party are accommodated in the governance process.
He also urged the NWC to ensure that every panel of the party has former House of Representatives members.
The chairman of the forum, Ibrahim Zailani, appreciated the chief of staff for attending the event.