KOGI POLL: TINUBU BLASTS OBJ
Tinubu
Former Governor of Lagos State and National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Tinubu, yesterday lambasted former President, Olusegun Obasanjo over his alleged statement on the just-concluded gubernatorial election in Kogi State.
Obasanjo was quoted to have told the media that ACN was crying over the party's inability to win the gubernatorial election in the state. The election was won by the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) candidate, Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada.
Speaking to Journalists at the Presidential lounge of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Tinubu stated that Obasanjo lacked the moral integrity and audacity to comment on free and fair election in the country, adding that he (Obasanjo) established and left the legacy of corruption in Nigeria.
The ACN chieftain stated that Obasanjo should leave the political landscape of the country alone, adding that he should return to his farm in Ota and tend to cows and chickens, instead of meddling in the politics of Nigeria.
His words: 'What integrity has Obasanjo in terms of legacy for Nigeria to speak on elections? The only election that was clear in this country was when we started this Fourth Republic. The worst legacy in electoral practice was left by Obasanjo. He has no reason whatsoever and he has no audacity to talk about free and fair election in this country.
Apart from his aborted third term election, he brought about and left a legacy of electoral corruption in the country to the extent that his successor set up Uwais Committee, but still, instead of implementing Uwais report comprehensively and improve on the election, they stage-managed and sidetracked that report and implement only one or two of item.
'What is Obasanjo talking about? He should go away, retired in shame politically. He should leave the political landscape of this country alone. He brought a whole salad of corruption, manipulation and failures. He has no audacity to talk about these local government elections. Did he ever believe in free and fair elections? What is he talking about? He should not be talking in this country. He should go to his farm retired, cover his face in shame, milk his cows and tend to the chickens.'
Tinubu stated that the ACN would contest the election at the tribunal, adding that until the country is able to conduct free and fair election, she would not be at peace.
'We are going to contest the election at the tribunal. Until Nigeria has a free and fair election, we would not be at peace in this country. That is the truth. What legacy has Obasanjo left for this country? Look at the situation with petroleum today. I can show you paper now. Go to Vanguard of 1998, and 1999 when we started the discussion on the petroleum subsidy, what did he do? What has he done? He left that problem till now. What has he done on electricity? He left that legacy of failure till now. The man has no locus to even talk about integrity.'
On the protest staged by the Odua People's Congress (OPC) to register their displeasure over the bomb attacks being perpetuated in the country by Boko Haram sect, Tinubu stated that he is not in support of the move by the group, pointing out that the situation cannot be tackled sectionally, but as a nation.
'We have leadership deficiency in this country. I don't subscribe to OPC protest. What are they protesting about? They should talk about the security of lives and property across the country. This is not a matter that is sectional; this is a nation whose image is being battered worldwide. This is a country that is seen as a terrorist nation; that makes life very difficult for its citizens in Diaspora and our travelers. This is a situation that would not bring direct investment to the country. The approach is not protest. It is not a matter of a sectional protest, it is a matter of a national magnitude,' he added.