Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, has blasted Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere for endorsing the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Akeredelu sad that Afenifere doesn’t represent the stance of the Yoruba people.
The governor of Ondo state on a Twitter Space while speaking on the topic, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Business of Nation Building”, said Tinubu is a progressive minded person.
He said, “Afenifere doesn’t speak for the Yoruba people on the endorsement of the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
”Afenifere is divided in respect of the purported endorsement and the group’s views do not represent the stance of the Yoruba people.
He added that Tinubu has verse Knowledge of Nigeria problem and he will ensure true democracy.
“Asiwaju has deep knowledge about the problems of this nation. He has been part of the struggle to ensure that democracy is enthroned and that a true federal system runs in the country.
“Tinubu’s contributions in the NADECO struggle can not be denied. As you know, when the 1993 presidential election was held, MKO Abiola was deemed to have won that election. But the military junta cancelled the election and set up an interim government.
“Asiwaju Tinubu and a few others felt they weren’t going to take it. They formed the NADECO and fought the military. They stood on June 12. Then the whole country conceded that the next President must be from the Southwest.
”That is why in 1999, only former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae ran for the election. You can not deny Asiwaju his role. He ran away from the county and set up the Radio-Kudirat. Those were the struggles we had before the fourth republic came up.”
The governor said further that Tinunbu has shown integrity in political space of the country, adding that he stands for national unity.
He added that Tinubu has empowered individuals with brains that have structured and developed their states.
”Asiwaju has shown integrity. Asiwaju’s form of politics has taught us that political prostitution is unnecessary. promoted national unity by appointing people from different ethnic backgrounds across the country into his government.
“Asiwaju was able to make Lagos a country within a country. As you know, Asiwaju was in the saddle for eight years in Lagos. And you will find out that because of Lagos’s peculiarities, people from virtually all parts of the country were part of his government.
“Asiwaju Tinubu assembled the best brains for the job and these people moved from Lagos to become leaders in their respective states. Aregbesola was there as a commissioner and went from there to become governor of Osun State.
Akeredelu also said that Tinubu has given every tribe an opportunity to strive in Lagos
“Everybody has its own part to play. Today, we have people who have been senators in Lagos and gone back to their states to contest. Lagos can be described as a mini Nigeria. An Hausa man can thrive in Lagos. An Igbo man thrives in Lagos.
“Aliko Dangote lives in Lagos and his business is in Lagos and he’s thriving. So many other people thrive in Lagos. Our brothers from the East own the whole of Alaba. They have representatives in the National Assembly and Lagos State Assembly. You must give credit to Asiwaju for laying the foundation for such things to thrive in Lagos,”