Osinbajo: How we made Tinubu angry over land use charge

Although the land use charge is currently creating ripples across Lagos state, the controversy is not new.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this at 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos on Thursday.

Osinbajo, who served as commissioner of justice throughout the eight years when Tinubu governed Lagos, recalled how the then governor got angry during a discussion on land use charge.

“I recall that there was a time when the issue of the land use charge led to an argument at the guest house of Lagos government,” Osinbajo said.

“I was there alongside Lai Mohammed, Dele Alake, Yemi Cardoso and some other people. The argument was so tough. Some were against the introduction of the land use charge, some were for it.

“We were all arguing. At a point, the governor got angry and asked: ‘Are you the ones they voted into power?’ Later he stormed out of the room but we didn’t leave.”

Osinbajo said after a moment, Tinubu walked back into the room and asked: “Are you people still here?”

“When Asiwaju walked back into the room, he came back with more facts and figures. My own thought is that when he left, he went to get more facts for the argument.”

Osinbajo described Tinubu as a great leader who invests in people.

President Muhammadu Buhari chaired the colloquium which had in attendance over 11 governors, senators, ministers, captains of industry, traditional rulers, among others.