One of the key reasons Nigeria’s President Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has remained relevant politically is his uncanny knack for spotting talents and building human capacity.

While many of his political contemporaries have long lost relevance and are forgotten by people, Tinubu also known as Jagaban has been reputed for grooming numerous other leaders, fixing them in key government positions and providing some with significant weight to win elective posts.

These, in combination with his own political roles, have kept him relevant around the corridors of power unlike previously popular names like Igbinedion, Adefarasin, Liyel Imoke, Ladoja, and Peter Odili that have since exited political consciousness.

Tinubu became one of the most influential figures in the Fourth Republic when he served as the 12th governor of Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic center, from 1999 to 2007.

His political career dated back to 1992, when he joined the Social Democratic Party. During the brief Nigerian Third Republic, he was elected to the Senate where he served as senator for Lagos West.

But the Third Republic senator’s skill in controlling Lagos State and expanding that control to include not just other states and areas of the nation but also the presidency has made him the supreme kingmaker and master of the political chess game of the era.

After his tenure as Governor, Tinubu focused on building leaders many of whom are now power brokers who helped him clinch the Presidency.

The list of political leaders that Tinubu has influenced and supported politically is quite extensive.

1. President Mohammed Buhari

President Mohammed Buhari ran in the 2015 presidential election as a candidate of the All Progressives Congress party. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015 defeating Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in a keenly contested election. In February 2019, Buhari was re-elected, defeating his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Tinubu was one of the biggest factor to help breakthrough the chains of the Peoples Democartic Party long reign hold of the power at the center level. He was infact the main man who singlehandedly made Buhari, Nigeria President and gave him hope of winning at the point when Buhari had retired from politics.

2. Babatunde Raji Fashola

Babatunde Raji Fashola was a former Lagos state governor and the current Minister for Works, Housing, Power

Fashola served as the chief of staff to his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. As the candidate of the Action Congress party, now transformed to the All Progressives Congress party, Fashola succeeded Tinubu as governor of Lagos State on 14 April 2007)

3. Akinwunmi Ambode

Akinwunmi Ambode was a civil servant for 27 years and a financial consultant before running for public office, against all odds and Tinubu anointment he served as governor of Lagos State from 2015 to 2019

4. Joe ibokwe

Eng. Joe Ibokwe joined Lagos State Government in 2006 as the pioneer General Manager of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance & Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) and served there for more than 10 years contributing significantly to the quest to make Lagos a Smart City.

In 2105, he was appointed as the pioneer Chairman of Wharf Landing Fees Collecting Authority, WLFCA in Apapa serving till his appointment as a member of the cabinet of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Joe Igbokwe has been the Publicity Secretary of the State chapter of the defunct Action Congress (AC), which later fused into Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and metamorphosed into All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2007 and has been the Pioneer Chairman of Conference of APC Publicity Secretaries across Nigeria since 2014.

5. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila

Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila is Nigeria Speaker of the House of Representatives. Nigeria will not forget easily the 2015 national assembly rancour that led to the emergence of Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki, fast forward to 2019, with Tinubu Influence , Femi Gbajabiamila emerges Nigeria Speaker against all odds.

6. H.E Yemi Osinbajo

Yemi Osinbajo is a Nigerian lawyer, professor, and politician who is the 14th and current vice president of Nigeria since 2015. A member of the All Progressives Congress, he previously served as Attorney General of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and holds the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

It was until recently that it was everywhre in the news that the vice presidential slot of the APC was actually reserved for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his magnanimity gave the slot to Yemi Osinbajo

7. Senator Kayode Fayemi

Kayoed Fayemi is a two time governor of Ekiti and also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from 11 November 2015 to 30 May 2018.
In fighting for his stolen mandate, Tinubu who was keen on having the defunct ACN in all the SouthWest state supported Fayemi all through the court case in defeating Segun Oni to reclaim his mandate later in 2010

8. Sunday Dare

Sunday Dare was Special Adviser on media to former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he was also appointed Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and Communications in 2009.

The 56 years old remains one of Tinubu loyal boys and in 2019 Tinubu influenced his appoiontment as Minister of Youth & Sports till date.

9. Olorunmbe Mamora

Dr. Mamora is a Medical Practitioner by profession and a politician. He was elected Chairman; Conference of Speakers of Nigeria’s State Houses of Assembly in 2001. in 2003, Dr. Mamora was elected into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Lagos East Senatorial District. He was re-elected into the Senate for a second term in 2007.
He is one of Tinubu most trusted allies, he is the current minister of health

10. Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (Chairman, Diaspora Commission and Fed Rep Elect)

She was the Chairperson, House Committee on Media in Federal House of Representative from 2003 to 2007, Honourable Member, Federal House of Representative from 2003 to 2007, Board Member, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation Vision 2010, Honourable Member, Federal House of Representative from the year 2007 to 2011.

In 2015, she was appointed as the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora ans the current rep elect for ikorodu constituency.

In many gatherings Abike Dabiri has always said a true leader manufactures leaders when referring to Tinubu, she has always heaped praised on him.

11. Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (Fmr. Senator)

GOS as fondly call is a two time lawmaker in the upper chamber of the national assembly, his alliance with Tinubu has been dated back to the days of Alliance for Demiocracy.

Except you are loyal to Tinubu or its mandate you can not be part of the APC Lagos State Governor Advisory Council Which GOS belongs to.

12. Sen. Gbenga Ashafa

Sen. Gbenga Ashafa is the current Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2020. He was previously a senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District.

Ashafa worked with a political group towards the emergence of then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Alliance for Democracy gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State. He also worked on Senator Tinubu’s successful campaign for Governor of Lagos State.

13. Senator Solomon Olamilekan Yayi

Yayi as popularly called has been a lawmaker in lagos in the last 20 years, he has been a member of the Lagos House of Assembly, House of Rep and he is the current Senator representing Lagos West.

His long alliance and loyalty to Tinubu has given him the opportunity to be grow politically as he continued his dominance in Ogun West as their Senator Elect

14. Barr. Muiz Banire

Muiz Adeyemi Banire SAN Ph.D is a lawyer and activist. Muiz Banire formed the United Action For Change which serves as a pressure group and think tank with the drive to build a society where people are valued and treated equally, enjoy their rights as full citizens.

Banire came to political prominence when Tinubu appointed him as Commissioner for Special Duties in Lagos State in 1999. in 2000, he was moved to head the Ministry of Transport where he served as a Commissioner till 2007 . He then served as Commissioner for Environment in Lagos State from 2007 until 2011

15. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke

Abiodun Faleke is a business management and logistic consultant and the current lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency at the lower chamber of the house of assembly.

Tinubu foresight of identifying brilliance and performance made him appoint Faleke as the first Executive Secretary of newly created Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos state in 2003.

16. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele

MOB as fondly called is a Nigerian lawyer, human right activist, politician and member of the 7th, 8th and 9th National Assembly consecutively representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti state at the Nigerian senate.

In July 2000, he was appointed senior special assistant on political and intergovernmental relations to the Lagos State governor.

He was later appointed as commissioner for Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development in governor Bola Tinubu’s administration.

17. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa (Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly)

RT. Hon Obasa is the speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015. He has been an ardent follower and disciple of Bola Ahmed Tinubu since 1999.

Obasa, believed to have enjoyed the backing of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, was elected unopposed as the speaker of the House of Assembly.

18. Hon. Yakub Abiodun Balogun (Former Reps Member and Head of Service, Lagos State)
Hon. Balogun is a Nigerian economist, public administrator, legislator in the House of Representatives of Nigeria, representing Lagos Island Federal Constituency II, Lagos.
Hon Yakub was appointed by Bola Tinubu in 1999 as Lagos State Head of Service

19. Hon. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire

Hon.. Orelope served as deputy governor of Lagos State from 2011 to 2015. Prior to that, she was the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation of Lagos State from 2003 to 2011.

Adejoke came to limelight on the relationship of his father (Prince Jimoh Kareem-Orelope) with Bola Tinubu. Tinubu who is known to reward loyalty gave Adejoke the opportunity to rise to national prominence as she was appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals to President Buhari since 2015.

20. Dele Alake

Henry Dele Alake is a Nigerian journalist, activist and technocrat. He is a former commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State between 1999–2007.

Alake was the Director of Strategy and Communication in the APC Presidential Campaign Council. His long walk with Tinubu dated back to the NADECO days.

21. LAI MOHAMMED
Lai Mohammed is the currently the Minister of Information and Culture, a position he has held since November 2015 till date.
After a failed gubernatorial bid in Kwara State, He was appointed by Tinubu as Chief of Staff during his first term

22. Babajide Olusola Sanwo – Olu

Babajide Sanwo- olu is a graduate of the University of Lagos, London Business School, Lagos Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government and was the managing director and CEO of Lagos State Property Development Corporation.

Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu formally declared his intention to run for the office of the governor of Lagos State after getting the nod of Bola Tinubu, Sanwo – Olu also belongs to the in-house circle of the Lagos APC.

23. Babatunde Fowler (Former Chairman FIRS)

Fowler is a Nigerian public officer, tax administrator and social reformer. He was the executive chairman Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue and Chief Executive Officer Lagos State Internal Revenue Service.
Through the influence of Tinubu Fowler was appointed as executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

24. Dapo Abiodun ( Ogun State Governor)

Dapo Abiodun is the governor of Ogun state since 2019, He is the managing director/CEO of the Nigerian oil and gas company Heyden Petroleum Ltd.

During the campaign of the presidential primaries, Tinubu had made it known that without him, Dapo Abiodun would not have been governor of Lagos state. Sources claim that if not for the intervention of Tinubu, opposition party, APM would have emerged as Ogun state governor in 2019