*** Storm Akoko to Drum Support for Tinubu
Leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State on Tuesday have lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo for endorsing Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi as his preferred candidate for February 25 Presidential election.
The leaders of the party including the State Chairman, Engr Ade Adetimehin, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Taofiq Olawale Abdulsalam and former governorship aspirant of the APC, Dr Segun Abraham said the endorsement of Obasanjo was against the position of the Southwest geo-political zone that it should produce the successor of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at a rally to drum support for the Presidential candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Ikare Akoko in Akoko Northeast local government area of the State, Adetimehin said since the leader of Yoruba, Chief Reuben Fasoranti had endorsed Tinubu and other endorsement pale into insignificant.
Adetimehin said among other candidates seeking to succeed Buhari as president, Tinubu is the most qualified and competent having served as governor, Senator and the National leader of the ruling APC.
Ade Adetimehin, who spoke on the chances of Tinubu said “we ask for votes for Tinubu because of his credibility, capacity, capability and action for the development of Nigeria.
His words “The chances of Tinubu in Yoruba land is paramount, he has no rival, he is our leader in Yoruba land. He has the credibility and believes so much in Yoruba, he has never failed any election in Yoruba land. You could recollect that he was the governor of Lagos state for eight years and he did well. He knows how to win election, he knows how to do politicking.
“In 1999, Obasanjo contested election and he lost at his own polling unit, state and the same thing happened when he recontested before he rigged the election. So this time around, the Yoruba people are wiser, we know who can lead us, protect and direct us. You can check the records, Tinubu cut across all the ethnic barriers.
“He is a man that everybody loves. Baba Fasoranti has pedigree compare to Obasanjo. Fasoranti has never lost credibility like Baba Obasanjo. Obasanjo is not the one leading us in Yoruba land, Pa Fasoranti is the one leading Afenifere. So Chief Obasanjo cannot speak for us in Yoruba land.”
Also, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdulsalam said the endorsement of Obi by Obasanjo was because he was envious of the record of Tinubu in Yoruba land.
His words “I am a Yoruba man, and Yorubas in the Southwest know Obasanjo, he never like someone that will out do him, he doesn’t like talented people and he will never support people with talent. He despised Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief MKO Abiola and others. We know that Obasanjo can never support Tinubu, he doesn’t want anybody from Yoruba land to become president and we are not surprised about that.”
Abdulsalam said “Tinubu has built talented people across the state and if we have somebody like that, I think Nigerians need to support him. When we compare him with other candidates, he is the best and we believe that he can do better.”
Similarly, Abraham who was the runners up in the APC primary that produced Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as governor said “when it comes to electoral value, voting, Obasanjo has failed Nigerians woefully. Obasanjo even lost in his own unit in 1999.
“We don’t respect him when it come to electoral value. He is not the one that will tell us who to vote for in the coming general election. I know that people will not even vote for Obi in his own house or unit.”
