SOUTH-WEST socio-political group, Yoruba Council Worldwide, also known as Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye, alleged yesterday that Northern political class has concluded plans to scheme the All Progressives Congress, APC, standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, out of the presidential race
President-General of the Council, Aare Omoluabi Oladotun Hassan, who disclosed this at a briefing in Abuja, said the Council was reliably informed of the plot to repeat the political treatment meted out on Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief MKO Abiola to pave way for the emergence of Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as president in 2023.
According to him, the decision to resort to pursuing Tinubu’s disqualification through the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was taken after some Northern power brokers realised the futility of their attempt to impose Senator Ahmed Lawan as the APC presidential candidate.
Aare Omoluabi also claimed that there was a plan to launch a media war of calumny against Tinubu over his missing academic certificates, but warned that the Council would not tolerate what it described as ‘premeditated treachery’ against the former governor of Lagos State.
He said: “We warn against the ensuing and deadly political card by the Northern supremacist and sectional interests, specifically targeted at forcing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, out of the way in order to pave way for a Northern presidential candidate of another political party.
“We are fully inundated with details of their deceitful and clandestine operations to desperately and forcibly bring in through the back door Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and back him to emerge as president in 2023.
“The Yoruba Council Worldwide wishes to inform that we shall not tolerate any clandestine motive to repeat the evil machinations meted out on Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola, both of whom were politically wrecked by the power thirsty Northern supremacists who are hell-bent on retaining power in the North under any political party divide.
“While warning alleged ethnic chauvinist from the North to desist from playing any card that wouldturn the Nigerian state into a Northern courtyard, the organisation expressed confidence that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu would provide solutions to Nigeria’s plethora of problems.“ (Vanguard)
