How Tinubu And I Almost Lost Our Lives On Third Mainland Bridge – Babafemi Ojudu

Former presidential aide and veteran journalist, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has recounted a near-fatal accident he survived alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos shortly before Tinubu assumed office as governor.

Ojudu shared the detail in an open letter addressed to President Tinubu on Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary, using the reflection to urge the President to re-evaluate economic policies that he noted have imposed severe hardships on millions of citizens.

Detailing the incident, Ojudu explained that the crash occurred around 1:30 a.m. while they were returning from the Ikoyi residence of a senior security officer, Ibrahim Solomon, whom they had consulted over concerns regarding potential electoral malpractice ahead of the Lagos governorship election.

“On our way back, at about 1.30 a.m., your driver, the late Mustapha, fell asleep at the wheel on the Third Mainland Bridge. The car struck the railing. We were fortunate to escape with our lives,” Ojudu recalled.

Following the collision, Ojudu revealed that Tinubu requested him to take over driving duties to navigate the journey to Alausa, despite Ojudu having never operated an automatic transmission vehicle prior to that moment.

“Somehow, I got us there,” he added.

Ojudu noted that highlighting the incident served to underscore the depth of their history, tracing back to the pro-democracy struggle against military dictatorship and Tinubu’s initial campaign for the governorship of Lagos State.

He explained that after Tinubu’s election victory, he assisted in organizing transition committees and inauguration plans but chose to decline a formal appointment in the state government to maintain an independent journalistic perspective.

“During your eight years as governor, that was the role I tried to play. I did not come to you seeking an appointment or a favour for myself,” he stated, recalling how Tinubu’s former Chief of Staff, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, would jokingly tease him upon visiting the governor’s office: “Our opposition has come. What have we done wrong again?”

Ojudu stated that this long-standing commitment to candid advice motivated his open letter, despite a strained relationship and his open admission that he neither campaigned nor voted for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.

Concluding the message, Ojudu noted that he had not seen President Tinubu since 2022, but felt compelled to address the administration publicly after reflecting on recent religious sermons concerning pervasive hunger and poverty across the nation.