By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
With barely a year to the 2023 general elections, some leaders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State and states in the North Central zone of the country have condemned the statement credited to the National Leader of the party and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, that he is ready to fight dirty with anyone in his quest to become the President of the country.
They said Tinubu’s comment is unbecoming and that it is putting not only himself, but the APC in general in bad light.
It would be recalled that Tinubu had stated the aforementioned comment when he visited the Olubadan-designate, Dr. Lekan Balogun, at his Alarere residence in Ibadan, Oyo State on Sunday.
But the APC leaders/members, who have formed a forum to pursue dividends of democracy for people of the region owing to the region’s contribution to democratic entrenchment and stability, express displeasure over the APC National Leader’s comments.
Speaking on behalf of the forum in Jos the Plateau State Capital, Saleh Mandung Zazzaga said that as a party with the projection as progressives and with matra for change, Tinubu as a party leader should always check himself in his “words and deeds” so that he does not tarnish the image of the party.
Zazzaga pointed out that during the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo and the then ruling Peoples Semocratic Party (PDP), Obasanjo once made a remark about a then forthcoming election being ‘do or die’ and he was being rebuked, and so no one should make remarks that will heat up the polity and create room for violence.
He said Tinubu appears to be known for unguarded remarks that is unhealthy, adding that his aides and handlers should be steadfast and be on their toes so that they should not be allowing him to make comments detrimental to not only himself but the nation at large.
“Few weeks back our forum asked Bola Tinubu, the APC national leader and presidential aspirant for the 2023 election to apologise to Nigerians over his comments years back that he does not believe in one Nigeria.
“In ThisDay publication of April 13th, 1997, Tinubu granted an interview in which he was quoted as saying, ‘I don’t believe in One Nigeria’ . And since that interview has resurfaced as a result of his presidential ambition declaration, people have began to raise eyebrow and asking damaging questions about his sincerity and actual intension for the nation.
“We equally pointed out that many people have been calling and mocking us (the APC), saying that if Tinubu does not believe in One Nigeria, how comes he has now believe in one Nigeria to the extend that he wants to contest for the Presidency of a Nation he did not believe in.
“And while we are still battling with that issue to see how the air can be cleared, Tinubu is again be reported to saying something nasty two days back.
“We call on him to always check his words and deeds because whatever he says or does will have multiplying effect on the society due to his position and prominence”, it admonished.
“He should however know that no one is indispensable in this life.
He called on the party faithful to however remain committed and pray for the emergence of a credible presidential flag-bearer for the APC ahead of the 2023 polls.
