by Kolapo Olapoju
The family of the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin, the first civilian governor of Ondo State, have warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to refrain from using their fathers name to carry out a smear campaign against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
The Ajasin family said they had long forgiven Muhammadu Buhari over the arrest of their father when he was head of state, in 1984.
Speaking on behalf of the family on Thursday, January 29, in Akure, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, categorically stated that Pa Ajasin forgave Buhari before he passed away.
He implored politicians to build their campaigns on issues rather than using his father’s name to campaign against a progressives movement he belonged to when he was alive.
According to Tokumbo, there was no any judicial pronouncement or ruling during Buhari’s administration, where his father was sentenced to prison or indicted.
The statement said: “It will be totally wrong for anybody to say that Gen. Buhari jailed my father. No that is not correct. It was true that my father was detained under Gen. Buhari’s military regime along with other former governors in Nigeria and two panels of enquiry were consequently set-up to look into the allegations against my father and others, but the panels found my father innocent and exonerated him as well.”
“What Buhari did then was part of military policies and tradition. Though many Nigerians were not happy with that but my father had since forgiven Buhari before his demise.
“Let me also tell you that as far as the issue is concerned, the family of Ajasin had forgiven Buhari as well. Because as Christians we should learn and exhibit the spirit of forgiveness always. The Bible says, father forgive us as we forgive those who offend us,” he stated.
Tokunbo also added that himself and his sister, Jumoke Anifowose, were part of the supporters that received Buhari and running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the Akure airport during his presidential campaign rally in Ondo State .
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