Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said he prefers to offer President Bola Tinubu private counsel rather than publicly criticise his administration.
Fashola made the remark during an interview on TVC News after being asked why he had largely refrained from commenting publicly on the President’s performance.
According to him, Tinubu regularly seeks his views on governance, including areas where the administration should improve ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“He calls me today, and he says, ‘Today, identify one area where my administration must improve as we count down to 2027. What would you advise me?’ So, I will speak to the President on TV. I’ve told myself I would not do that,” Fashola said.
The former minister said he values the direct line of communication he has with the President and believes private engagement is more productive than public commentary.
“I have his ears, and when I need to see him, I’ve advised on a few things. I think that we must keep that channel open. It’s not my intention to advise him on television,” he said.
When asked whether the Tinubu administration had any blind spots after three years in office, Fashola dismissed the suggestion, saying his access to the President made public criticism unnecessary.
“There are no blind spots in this administration. You can’t be shouting at somebody whose ear you have,” he said.
Fashola also ruled out any ambition to contest the presidency, insisting he was satisfied with his current role outside elective politics.
Asked whether he would consider running for president, he replied, “No.”
When pressed further, he added with a smile, “President of what? I’m president at home.”
Reflecting on his public service career, Fashola described his more than two decades in government as an extraordinary privilege and expressed hope that his journey would inspire younger Nigerians.
He also declined to comment on speculation surrounding his preferred successor ahead of the 2015 Lagos governorship election.
Fashola confirmed that he remains a member of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council but stressed that there is a distinction between offering advice and interfering in the affairs of government.
“There is a thin line between intervention and interference,” he said.
