by Kolapio Olapoju
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has predicted that National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, would end up destroying himself.
Babatope also stated that former president, Olusegun Obasanjo will end up getting into a political battle with President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.
In an interview with Punch Newspapers, he talked about the two interesting Yoruba leaders.
On Tinubu, he said:
“I know Bola very well. I always tell people, when I got married in 1972, Bola Tinubu contributed 10 pounds to my bachelor eve. I know him very well in terms of his politics of rigidity and stubbornness but he will destroy himself if he says he is Yoruba leader. Who made him leader? His party went into the contest.
“One, he played a key role in it, good for him. But to say he is Yoruba leader, honestly, I will not wish him evil but success but he should never in his lifetime make the mistake of saying that he is Yoruba leader. In 1951 when Papa Awolowo became the leader of the Action Group, he didn’t force himself on the party, it was people like Papa Maja, Doherty that said you young man, you have done very well as the general secretary of the party, go ahead and provide leadership and Papa provided leadership.”
“But if Bola Tinubu will glorify on this election and call himself Yoruba leader, I wish him well. He is younger than me, so he should not fool himself nor join that charade to say he is Yoruba leader. Yoruba people respect maturity, age and experience and they know who their leaders are.”
As for Obasanjo, he says a time will come when the former president will no longer support Buhari.
“Many of them who are jumping up and down now will know better when Buhari must have finished dealing with them. Buhari is a Fulani man from Daura. The northern agenda to get rid of southern leadership started in the 2011 elections. Obasanjo had his reasons. He supported Jonathan to succeed Yar’Adua and he was the same person that said Jonathan should go.”
“As an individual, he has his rights. I am told he has been given three ministerial slots. It could be more than that, so let him go ahead but it does not stop Obasanjo tomorrow to take his biro to wipe Buhari clean and clear but the difference is that when he is fighting Buhari, he will be fighting a different kind of opponent. Buhari is a Fulani; I keep on saying that and they are very rugged and tactical in their approach to power. It is going to be an interesting fight but it is going to come.”
“We in the PDP are waiting because we are returning to power in 2019 and luckily for us, we are going to bring out a candidate from the North to face Buhari. Some in the APC have been deceiving themselves that Buhari is not going to run for a second term. They say he’s going to do a term and I laugh at them. If God gives Buhari strength and power and I wish him that, he is going to run for a second term and we will pitch a Hausa/Fulani against him.”
hmmmm……….its crazy.
Why are yoruba people crying wolf about Tinubu leadership of youruba’s? What you should realise is that, leadership comes naturally and not based only on age. So long as someone attracts followeship, that person automatically becomes a leader of the followers! Bola Tinubu met this very important criteria for leadership of yoruba’s. Even before Buhari, takes over, pdp is praying for his downfall! This is not the time of politicking but time for sobber reflection and prayers! So pdp learn to be in an opposition instead of empty and meaningless talks!