The national coordinator of pan Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Mr Gani Adams, has accused the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, of attempts to tarnish the image of the immediate past governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, over Fashola’s alleged ministerial appointment.
Speaking exclusively to Naij.com, Adams said the bring-him-down moves of Tinubu and the APC in Lagos against Fashola would backfire. He likened Fashola as a beautiful bride and wondered why Tinubu would not be happy at the level of success his successor achieved.
He also accused Tinubu of instructing South West APC governors not to support the socio-cultural activities of the OPC and maintained that Tinubu cannot be a Yoruba leader having disassociated himself from the socio-cultural organization, the OPC.
“Tinubu’s problem is that, if Fashola becomes Chief of staff or minister, he knows he has achieved more than him. Tinubu knows he can’t be named chief of staff; he has rated himself above that office. It is either the vice president or senate president, but he does not have such opportunity and Fashola is ready to serve as either the Secretary to the State Government or chief of staff or a minister.
“And Tinubu has realized that once Fashola gets appointment at the federal level, he (Fashola) will get more political patronage than him. I know Tinubu’s tactics. When you think you are strategist, remember that some people can read in between the line,” he said.
On Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade
The Oodua Progressive Union leader also backed the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.
“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us. Especially in this time of economic hardship, we need to block many holes. We need to fight many institutions; we need to step on many toes. Any right thinking Nigerian will support him, but it must not be selective. My annoyance is that, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan. I’m not a PR of Jonathan; I have not seen him since the end of election. But why is APC trying to destroy Jonathan’s image. Is he the only ex-president? We all know that Nigeria has a fundamental problem even after our independence.
“I’m not saying they should not probe Jonathan, I’m not saying Jonathan should be exonerated, they should probe everybody, former governors of this country. It’s a task that we all must support, but he has to be tactical. If he is not tactical, it will be a serious diversion.
“That was what Father Kukah told them and they started abusing him because APC has influence on the media, they will descend on you. He is not saying that Buhari should not probe, but he should not allow the corruption crusade to divert him from the development of Nigeria. Politicians are so smart; when they know when that you are fighting only corruption, they will now use the war against corruption and turn it to corruption.
“He has channel 50% of his goal to development and progress of the country, 50% to anti-corruption crusade. It’s almost 3 months now, no ministers. Can he fight corruption alone? You can’t be a lone ranger; he has to look for a team to fight the war for him. It’s not Oshiomole who is still a governor. You can imagine the statement of Oshiomole that Jonathan should be stoned, what kind of inciting statement is that? You are blaming someone who has finished his tenure; you don’t know who will blame you when you finish yours,” he told the naij.com reporter.
Recently, contractors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline security and surveillance contract, Gani Adams, Asari Dokunbo, Fredrick Faseun amongst others have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to compel the corporation to pay settle its indebtedness to them.
Speaking exclusively to Naij.com, Adams said the bring-him-down moves of Tinubu and the APC in Lagos against Fashola would backfire. He likened Fashola as a beautiful bride and wondered why Tinubu would not be happy at the level of success his successor achieved.
He also accused Tinubu of instructing South West APC governors not to support the socio-cultural activities of the OPC and maintained that Tinubu cannot be a Yoruba leader having disassociated himself from the socio-cultural organization, the OPC.
“Tinubu’s problem is that, if Fashola becomes Chief of staff or minister, he knows he has achieved more than him. Tinubu knows he can’t be named chief of staff; he has rated himself above that office. It is either the vice president or senate president, but he does not have such opportunity and Fashola is ready to serve as either the Secretary to the State Government or chief of staff or a minister.
“And Tinubu has realized that once Fashola gets appointment at the federal level, he (Fashola) will get more political patronage than him. I know Tinubu’s tactics. When you think you are strategist, remember that some people can read in between the line,” he said.
On Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade
The Oodua Progressive Union leader also backed the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.
“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us. Especially in this time of economic hardship, we need to block many holes. We need to fight many institutions; we need to step on many toes. Any right thinking Nigerian will support him, but it must not be selective. My annoyance is that, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan. I’m not a PR of Jonathan; I have not seen him since the end of election. But why is APC trying to destroy Jonathan’s image. Is he the only ex-president? We all know that Nigeria has a fundamental problem even after our independence.
“I’m not saying they should not probe Jonathan, I’m not saying Jonathan should be exonerated, they should probe everybody, former governors of this country. It’s a task that we all must support, but he has to be tactical. If he is not tactical, it will be a serious diversion.
“That was what Father Kukah told them and they started abusing him because APC has influence on the media, they will descend on you. He is not saying that Buhari should not probe, but he should not allow the corruption crusade to divert him from the development of Nigeria. Politicians are so smart; when they know when that you are fighting only corruption, they will now use the war against corruption and turn it to corruption.
“He has channel 50% of his goal to development and progress of the country, 50% to anti-corruption crusade. It’s almost 3 months now, no ministers. Can he fight corruption alone? You can’t be a lone ranger; he has to look for a team to fight the war for him. It’s not Oshiomole who is still a governor. You can imagine the statement of Oshiomole that Jonathan should be stoned, what kind of inciting statement is that? You are blaming someone who has finished his tenure; you don’t know who will blame you when you finish yours,” he told the naij.com reporter.
Recently, contractors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline security and surveillance contract, Gani Adams, Asari Dokunbo, Fredrick Faseun amongst others have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to compel the corporation to pay settle its indebtedness to them.
