| Campaigned for Tinubu Because I Was Deceived by The Miracle They Said He Performed in Lagos-Osunbor

Former Edo State Governor and Professor of Law, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, has said he campaigned vigorously for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election because he believed the widely promoted claims about Tinubu’s achievements as governor of Lagos State.

Speaking in an interview with SYMFONI on Saturday, August 29, 2026, Osunbor said he later came to realise that the impression created about Tinubu’s supposed developmental miracle in Lagos was misleading.

According to him, the success recorded during Tinubu’s tenure as governor was largely the result of the quality of people who worked with him.

He mentioned former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi and former Minister of Information Lai Mohammed among those he described as brilliant individuals who contributed significantly to the administration.

Osunbor argued that the achievements often credited solely to Tinubu were largely made possible by the intellectual capacity, expertise and contributions of members of his team.

He said, “I campaigned for President Tinubu in 2023 presidential election a lot because I was deceived by this miracle they said he performed in Lagos, but that is not true. Why did he succeed in Lagos? He had cerebral people like Yemi Osinbajo, Raji Fashola, Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi, Lai Mohammed. Those are the people that made him succeed as governor in Lagos.”

During the 2023 presidential campaign, Tinubu’s supporters repeatedly pointed to his record in Lagos as proof of his leadership ability.

His tenure as governor was presented as a model of development, with claims of improved infrastructure, security and economic growth.

The message was that Tinubu would replicate the Lagos experience across Nigeria if elected president.

This narrative convinced many Nigerians, including Osunbor, who actively supported his presidential ambition.

However, since Tinubu assumed office, his administration has faced growing criticism over the country's economic situation.

Many Nigerians have continued to complain about the rising cost of living, high fuel prices following the removal of subsidy, persistent inflation and the increasing difficulty of meeting basic needs.