Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to be wary of the expansionist agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The advice was given by a group, the Southwest Consensus Group, SCG.
The group in statement by its Chairman, Adegoke Adeboye asked the president to give the arm twisting tactics of the former Lagos State governor a second thought, said loud cry of marginalization by a section of the Southwest is nothing an arm twisting tactics from Tinubu.
The statement noted that the APC National Leader has in reality been the one marginalizing the zone in favour of Lagos based or bred politicians.
Continuing, the statement further said the former governor has not only shown he is the most powerful member of the ruling party but have also made his adopted state the most powerful state in the region.
“He has since the inception of the APC administration cornered and empowered Lagos politicians and positioned them for takeover in the nearest future
“The Yoruba agitation is loud but unheard because the seeming marginalisation of the region is man or self-inflicted.
“The Lagos landlord can’t be said to be fighting for the Yoruba people as his antecedent during the NASS leadership struggle in 2011, when he abandoned two yoruba candidates to support Aminu Tambuwal and ensured members of his party voted against the two Yoruba candidates speaks volumes of what he stands for.
“Asiwaju Tinubu also showed his love for Lagos and disdain for other states in 2015, when he vehemently opposed an illustrious Yoruba son from Osun, Rt. Hon Lasun Yusuf.
“The singular sin of Hon. Yusuf is that he is from Osun, a supposed colony of Lagos, where they can only be surrogates to Lagos and her lord.
“It is also worthy to recall that the expansionist moves of the APC national leader was responsible for sending Rauf Aregbesola to Osun, Femi Lanlehin to Oyo, Opeyemi Bamidele to Ekiti and several others to seek elective posts.
The expansionist agenda made him reject a more popular candidate in Osun where the controversy killing the APC began with the issue of direct and indirect primaries. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Lasun Yusuf was frustrated because a Lagosian must replace another in Osun, the group said in the statement.
Arguing that the Lord has been kind to Asiwaju Tinubu with the victory of the APC in 2015, especially with the vice president slot he got on a platter of gold, the group insisted that it he was expected to redirect his energy towards the emancipation of the region.
“Sadly, he is more concerned about making Lagos the beneficiary of all that this regime has to offer.
“Lagos, being the former capital of Nigeria, has the advantage of infrastructures than any other state of the nation. Why then should Lagos see herself like the only state of the region? Why should almost every benefit accruable to the southwest be given to Lagos?, the group asked.
Reeling out the many juicy portfolios Lagos based/bred politicians have cornered courtesy of the overbearing influence of Tinubu, the group pointed out those of the vice presidency slot and the most powerful minister.
SCG added: Besides Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Babatunde Fashola, both members of the Tinubu cabinet while he served as governor of Lagos State, some of the most admired boards have been ceded to Lagos.
“The chairman of SMEDAN is Mr Femi Pedro, the erstwhile Deputy Governor to Bola Tinubu, while Fashola’s Deputy, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire is the SSA on SDGs to Mr.Pressident.
“The Lagos group also boasts of the chairmanship of AMCON in the person of Muiz Banire, a former commissioner from Lagos while the former revenue boss in Lagos, Tunde Fowler, is now the head of the FIRS.
“Further checks show that Lagos also donated the SSA on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri Erewa to the Presidency, while the deputy chief of staff, Ade Ipaye is also from Lagos. The SA Media, Femi Adesina and Babafemi Ojodu, SA political to Mr President are both from the Lagos school of thought”
Continuing, the group said the Lagos marginalization continues with the appointment of another Tinubu’ aide, Yomi Edu as the chairman of the Ogoni clean-up, a multi-billion dollar project in faraway Niger Delta!
“Two powerful women who worked with the APC national leader are also holding very sensitive offices in the administration. Kemi Nelson is ED NISTF while her counterpart in Tinubu’ cabinet, Teju Phillips, heads the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan.
“The Lagos magic also clinched the all-important position of Economic Adviser in the person of Adeolu Dipeolu.
“The all-important Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, has octogenarian friend of Tinubu, Otunba Olabiyi Durojaye as chairman while Tinubu’s personal assistant, Sunday Dare is Executive Commissioner.
“The Director General of the National Lottery Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila is from Lagos. The Executive Director in charge of micro credit at the Bank of Industry is Toyin Adeniji, another Lagos product, among several others, the group lamented.
The group also decried current moves by Tinubu to make another Lagosian the Speaker of House of Representatives in the person of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, when the incumbent vice president is from the same state.
This shows clearly that the APC national leader is only concerned about Lagos and his protégés than the collective interest of the Yoruba people.
“The move also by Asiwaju Tinubu to influence who becomes the next Senate President is another way to arm twist Mr. President and move from the Southwest to making himself a national king maker
“We want Mr. President and the north to be careful of the expansionist agenda of a man who wants to take the nation within his grip by installing Speaker and Senate President
“If Mr. President stays aloof and allow his candidates to emerge, then he can be sure his presidency is the next target
“We therefore call for Mr President, the North and all men of conscience to beware of the antics of Asiwaju Tinubu before we are all consumed by his insatiable appetite and lust for power, the group warned.
At the time of filing this report, Tinubu is yet to react to these allegations.
Source Lagos reporters
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