Tinubu is Awolowo’s successor, says Ogunnusi

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
The Deputy Chairman, Committee on Finance at the House of Representatives, Mr. Yomi Ogunnusi, has likened former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to the late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Ogunnusi said Tinubu wielded influence in the South-West just like Awolowo did when he was alive. He also noted that just like Awolowo, Tinubu was able to build a strong opposition against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party since 1999.

The lawmaker said this while responding to the speculations surrounding the health of Tinubu.

He said, “The rise of Awolowo as the first modern Yoruba leader and his political sagacity and development vision did a good thing for the Yoruba. Tinubu is capable of stepping into the shoes of Awolowo for being able to lead the Yoruba race.

“Can you mention any other Yoruba man today that holds such influence in the entire South-West and the country? He has the interest of the Yoruba at heart and he should be given that respect.”

Ogunnusi described the controversies surrounding Tinubu’s health as unfounded.

“We know that Tinubu will play a major role in next year’s election and that is why the enemies of progress are wishing him bad health but the truth is that he is doing fine and is even back in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has described the PDP’s speculation of Tinubu’s health as evil and hypocritical.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the party said Tinubu’s return last Thursday had shamed the PDP and exposed them as a “bunch of liars.”

The PDP had last Thursday claimed that Lagosians deserved to know about the state of Tinubu’s health as he was being treated abroad with tax payers’ money.

However, in its reaction, the APC said, “The PDP manufactured an ‘illness’ for Tinubu when there was none and went further to con stories of Lagos tax payers paying illusory bills for a concocted hospital bill paid by imaginary tax payers. What a party.

“But Lagos PDP is unmindful, indeed it is deaf, to millions of taxpayers’ money being ferried for laundering overseas. Lagos PDP pretends not to be aware that trillions of tax payers’ money are being stolen through phantom kerosene and fuel scarcity. Lagos PDP is not aware that one of its matrons looted N10bn to hire aircraft for God knows what.

“Lagos PDP is not aware that taxpayers’ trillions of naira is being stolen by the PDP for contracts that are never ever executed. Lagos PDP is not aware that the trillions that accrue to the SURE-P fund for which Lagosians protested and campaigned during the wicked increment of fuel prices is now a slush fund with which members of the PDP feed fat and train hoodlums to rig elections for it.”

-punch