Former Governor Rashidi Ladoja has urged Nigerians to hope for a greater and more prosperous Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu, stressing his support for the sacking of CBN governor Godwin Emefiele and EFCC chair Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Mr Ladoja made the appeal on Wednesday at his Ibadan residence after the Eid prayers.

Messrs Ladoja and Tinubu were senators on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the aborted Third Republic.

Mr Ladoja, who doubles as the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland, praised Mr Tinubu for a good start as president.

He urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the Tinubu, noting that he would make a difference irrespective of his perceived shortcomings.

“With the new government, abundance will start coming in. It may look difficult, but hard decisions have to be taken before we can expect succour. I am in support of the decisions taken so far by the federal government because we need to readjust and rejig Nigeria. It is not a question of palliatives but how to redistribute wealth,” the former governor stated.

Mr Ladoja said most issues tackled by Mr Tinubu now are issues before then President Muhammadu Buhari.

“If we take away corruption, we don’t need to police the people before they police themselves. We don’t need to police the borders again because of petroleum products smuggled across our borders if Nigeria is getting money that is due to it and there is no subsidy,” stated Mr Ladoja. “It is now left for the Benin Republic and other neighbouring countries to collect their taxes from those who bring the products into their country.”

The former governor supported the Tinubu government in investigating Messrs Emefiele and Bawa.

He said everyone must be accountable to the people.

“I hope the APC will be strong enough to face the issues of cleansing the Augean stable. Emefiele ought to have been sacked from the time he made moves to contest the presidency,” Mr Ladoja said.

He expressed confidence that Tinubu understood how to create a liberal and competitive market, considering his private sector background.

He said his relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde was cordial.

(NAN)