Crisis has erupted with the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) as a group of the Yoruba group dissociate itself from the scathing attack launched by one of its leaders, Gani Adams, against President Bola Tinubu.
Adams, who is the OPC National Coordinator, had in an open letter accused the president of making life difficult for Nigerians.
But in a statement signed by its President Rasak Arogundade, the new era OPC said contrary to Gani Adams’ position, Tinubu is correcting years of mismanagement of the national economy.
“We must first state that Nigeria is indeed not in a position where the citizens are happy and cheering; but that did not just happen overnight.
“Where Nigeria is today, is the result of several years of mis-management of the economy by successive governments, beginning from the time of Alhaji Shehu Shagari and especially more so during the military era between 1984 and 1999 when governmental and executive lawlessness was made a norm; a tradition which still carries on today.
“The only exception that can be made is for the short-lived Yar’adua administration. And that too was eventually tarnished by his running mate and successor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
“So, to put the blame of the maladministration of several years on one person is indeed, very unjust and unfair.
It is no secret that the federal government has for many years been running the country on both local and foreign borrowings,” the group explained
New era OPC also accused Adams of nursing a vendetta against President Tinubu that dated back to when he was denied something akin to what he benefitted from the Jonathan administration.
It said: “The truth about Gani Adams and his letter to Tinubu is that Gani is an opportunistic buccaneer and mercenary whose only goal is self-aggrandizement. Those who are close enough to him or who have had reason to transact business with him will know and can confirm this.
“He behaves like a con-man devoid of principles and is always looking for ways to feather his nest. The way he tried to run down Comrade Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a. Igboho is another instance of his Machiavellism.
“When the same President Jonathan during the run up to the 2015 general election was profligately doling out cash to every Tom, Dick and Harry in order to curry electoral favour, the speck in Gani’s eyes prevented him from seeing and warning against the reckless and wasteful act because he benefitted immensely from it.
“Obviously, he couldn’t have seen it as being bad. Besides Gani being unlettered and therefore ignorant of the consequence of that ill-advised action, he was also a major beneficiary of the extravagant largesse doled out by the former president
“Jonathan almost unilaterally squandered the foreign reserves built up by President Obasanjo and his finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“It is no secret that Gani is a sworn enemy of Asiwaju Tinubu. This has been so since Tinubu discovered Gani to be a buccaneer and distanced himself from him. Gani had asked for a bigger pie from the federal allocations due to Lagos. He clearly wanted to copy the legendary Baba Lamidi Adedibu, who had made similar demands from Sen. Rasheed Ladoja in Oyo State.”
OPC new era is, however, hopeful that the Tinubu reforms will yield dividends contrary to Gani Adams’ position.
“While the country has not yet reacted positively to Tinubu and his economic team’s tinkering, we are hopeful that good will still come out of the effort.
“We can only hope and pray that saboteurs -those whom the Yoruba call ‘arije ni madaru’ that is those who consider their stomachs over the general good and well being of the larger majority will let things work.
Already, there are clear signs that a foundation is being laid, and a template is being created for the guidance of subsequent governments at the centre.
“The vexatious state and local government revenue sharing and election matter has been resolved constitutionally. His government went to court to resolve it rather than flex muscles and federal might as others are wont to do.
“His government is already being praised in terms of putting in place genuine road infrastructure and many more like that. What is vitally necessary now is the need and will power to remove Mele Kyari from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) with immediate effect and to give Dangote refinery the opportunity to sell Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) as it did with its introduction of its refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) into the Nigerian market. If petrol prices go down, most basic necessities will also crash with it,”the group added.
