Tinubu for US Democratic Party convention

Asiwaju Tinubu

 

National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is to attend the three-day National Convention of the United States Democratic Party that kicks off today in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tinubu, who was invited to the convention by the party in recognition of his political activities as leader of opposition in Nigeria, will be at the ring side to watch the nomination of President Barrack Obama as the party’s presidential candidate for the November election.

The Republican Party at the weekend confirmed the nomination of Mitt Romney as its candidate.

A statement by Special Adviser on Media to the former Lagos state governor, Mr Sunday Dare, reads: “Tinubu receives a gold card invitation which is prime and with this, he will be joined by three other eminent personalities - Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state, Speaker Lagos state House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji and former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos state, Mr Dele Alake.

“On Thursday, at Bank of America stadium, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will deliver their nomination acceptance speeches.

Four years ago when President Obama was inaugurated, Tinubu also enjoyed a ring side seat at the event in Washington.

Tinubu’s invitation to attend the convention comes after a successful one week lecture tour, town hall meeting and book launch in Washington and Chicago.

He delivered a lecture at the prestigious Wilson Center for International scholars on the challenges facing Nigeria’s democratic experiment and offered solutions to problems of under development facing the country.

Similarly at a town hall meeting in Chicago with Governors Rauf Aregbesola  and Abiola Ajimobi  on hand, Tinubu spoke extensively on Nigeria’s search for true federalism and highlighted the fault lines in the country’s practice of federalism.

At the convention, Tinubu  is expected to discuss how to entrench true  federalism in Nigeria in his private discussions with the leading figures of the Obama administration and  seek the US support for Nigeria to hold a free and fair election in 2015.