The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has carpeted the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, over alleged verbal attacks on a cross-section of traditional rulers from the state.
Obasanjo was allegedly verbally degrading the traditional stool at an official function hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde at Iseyin on Friday.
In a short video clip which went viral on virtually all the social media platforms on Friday evening, Chief Obasanjo was captured castigating some monarchs and title chiefs for an offence derived from their reported failure to rise and be on their feet, ostensibly in honour of him (Obasanjo) and Gov. Makinde while they were coming to the venue of the road project commissioning.
The former president allegedly lampooned the traditional rulers and ordered them to stand up and sit down.
Oyo APC, in a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, submitted that Obasanjo’s verbal assault against the traditional rulers was not accidental or coincidental but premeditated, scripted and purposely delivered as a prize to people who had defied the former president on his mission to enthrone Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party against the popular choice of Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC in the last presidential election.
“It is evident that Chief Obasanjo used the avenue of his questionable invitation to the road project commissioning to get back at certain individuals who openly rejected his presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the build-up to the last general election. We recall that one of the monarchs on the seat appeared on some private radio stations during the electioneering and mobilized support for Tinubu, who won the election eventually. This did not go down well with the former popular president for his vindictiveness, and he used the opportunity handed down to him by one of his loyalists (Gov. Makinde) to hit back at his target.
“Meanwhile, we condemn in strong terms the conduct of Chief Obasanjo, who threw decorum into the wind on account of being a former president and chose to desecrate the rich culture and traditions of the Yoruba people.
“By assaulting the monarchs, who were at the occasion on invitation, the Owu-born former military dictator had shown the world that he was not worth his status as a statesman, title chief and leader on the African continent.
“It is on record that despite ruling Nigeria for a combined period of 12 years, Obasanjo did not make a significant impact on the lives of the people of Oyo state as the best he did (and still does) was removing an elected governor of the state and refusing to add value in the areas of infrastructure, wealth creation and empowerment of our people.
“So, the good people of the Pacesetter state do not hold him in high esteem, and they expect little or nothing from him, even if he has another opportunity to become president again.
“However, there is a pertinent question begging for an answer regarding the choice of Obasanjo as the chairman of the occasion at the instance of Gov. Makinde.
“The simple truth is that the whole scenario has further exposed the hypocrisy in Gov. Makinde, who has done everything possible to claim the glory of President Bola Tinubu’s victory in Oyo state in the February 25 presidential election.
“How can you be loyal to two opposing characters in a political contest at the same time? It is obvious, Obasanjo is anti-Tinubu and Makinde is also pro-Obasanjo while we watch keenly as the governor continues his tricky game in the political space.” Sadare stated.
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