Former Ekiti state Governor and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ayodele Fayose, has advised the Yoruba nation to stand against those plotting the downfall of the National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a video interview, Mr. Fayose spoke on several attempts to malign the pro-democracy activist by sons of Yorubas who he mentored. Although the former Ekiti Governor did not mention any name, there are reports that some Governors have decided to make themselves available to be used against Mr Tinubu.
Unconfirmed reports have it that a certain Governor in the Southwest has actively been demarketing and working against the lagos politician. He, alongside some other ranking politicians from Northern Nigeria are keen on ousting the former Lagos Governor from the party.
This was one of the factors responsible for the party’s loss in the Edo state governorship election, POLITICS NIGERIA reliably gathered.
Speaking in the footage, Mr Fayose described sinister plots to bring Mr Tinubu down as dead on arrival.
“I’m not defending, I am saying the obvious. I’m making it clear that if you trace our history, our leaders have been given away by men they brought up, by traitors within their camps. If somebody gives you a platform you never expected in life and the only option is to take that person for you to rise. That would never work!”
“The former Governor of Lagos state and a prominent figure, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a major figure in the Yoruba nation and it will be fool-hardy of anyone denying this fact. I want to say it expressly. If anything happens to Tinubu, we are consumed. He sends all the signals. If this thing is happening to men like that every other person will ordinarily have been consumed.”
Also, in the 2-minute clip, Mr fayose reiterated the contributions of the APC chieftain to the region and how he remains a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian polity.
“So, for me, I am not defending Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I am defending the Yoruba nation. I am establishing the fact that he remains a major key leader that nobody can ignore. I may not be in APC. I have said it several times before. I have never been in APC and I will never be in APC. But if you want to sacrifice Tinubu because of these political opportunists, it is not going to work. All these things will only work for a period of time.
In due course, water will find its source. I want to say it expressly. He has made his mark. Rubbishing him will not be an option for those doing that. And may I say it without Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there would not have been a Buhari. And I am sure that in his heart he too will know that something is wrong somewhere. It must be a miscalculation. But we cannot question God.”
Drawing a cue from historical precedents, the former Ekiti Governor warned against the betrayal of Tinubu just like it happened in the case of Moshood Abiola, the winner of the 1993 Presidential election and Obafemi Awolowo, former premier of the South West region.
“I won’t be part of the people who want him down. We are not good friends. We have been in opposing camps but that is not enough. If you remember the story of Abiola, he was brought down by his own men, if you remember the story of Awolowo, he was brought down by his own men. The same thing is happening to this man. But God forbid that Tinubu will be brought down. God will intervene.”
Pro-democracy activist and leader
Born in the 1950s, Mr Tinubu has remained relevant in the Nigerian politics since 1992 when he joined the Social Democratic Party where he was a member of the Peoples Front faction led by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
In fact when the results of the 12 June 1993 presidential elections were annulled, the former Lagos Governor became one of the founders of National Democratic Coalition, the pro-democracy group which canvassed support for the restoration of democracy and the acceptance of the late Abiola as winner of the June 12 election.
During the days of the military juntas, Mr Tinubu suffered a great deal for his advocacy. After returning from exile in 1998, he contested the Lagos state Governorship election under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and won.
Asides his contribution to the development of Lagos state even with the meagre resources occasioned by the denial of the state federal allocation by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr Tinubu built political structures and individuals. Tinubu is responsible for raising several top ranking Politicians in the South West today, Some of whom have failed to meet expectation and are actively working to undermine him.
Also, in his fight for the sustenance of democracy, Mr Tinubu remains one of the detribalised politicians that have included people of different ethnic backgrounds in his structure. This has helped increase his influence and grip of the APC.
Stop this nonsense, you’re not in a position to advise the Yoruba nation. Ayodele we vividly remember how you’ve been insulting our elders incl OBJ, Bose Thomas & host of others. So shut up for once.