Chief Gani Adams, the National Coordinator of the
O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC), has stated that his support for former
president, Goodluck Jonathan, in the last general elections, was his own way of
exercising his franchise as a Nigerian.
Chief Gani Adams, during his visit to Jonathan in
Aso Rock earlier this year. Behind him is Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati
Adams
who spoke with some journalists in his home in Lagos, claimed that despite his
support for the former president during the polls, the OPC did not take sides
with any party.
“But I, Otunba Gani Adams, as a citizen of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, am I not more than 18 years? I’m 45. And we have
many who are above 45, according to the Constitution they have the right to
exercise their franchise to the candidate of their choice. And that does not
mean that you belong to any political party.
“Why should I regret at the age of 45 to vote for
someone? In any democracy, it’s either you win or you lose. Jonathan has moved
on from the election. He’s the one being assigned by AU to monitor the election
in Tanzania which was free and fair. Let them be shouting about Jonathan and
shouting about Gani Adams. They have to face their own music and their problem
now. If you are not in power people will not see you,
you are in power what will you give to the people now.
“Now the table has changed. Some of them that
abused us online cannot come out again. They don’t know what to say.
“You now see that they were not trying to drive
Jonathan based on ideology, they want the power in the centre because of
economical reasons. And most of them, Buhari has told them that you are not
getting the kind of system you got from Jonathan. I’m not the kind of person
that will give you dollars when you come to my office, it’s handshake and
photograph.”
Speaking on the recent kidnap of elder statesman, Chief Olu Falae which
was allegedly carried out by Fulani herdsmen, Chief Adams said: ”It’s
something we can call uncalled for, for you to kidnap Chief Olu Falae. After
kidnapping… after they took ransom from Falae family, maybe
from Ondo state government, they released him,”
said Mr. Adams.
“Four or three days after, they raided his farm
again, they destroyed a lot of things that worth more than 7 – 10 million
naira. Any sensible and reliable race will not fold his arm and keep quiet on
incident like that.
”I
have never heard of a Yoruba kidnapping a commoner, not to talk of personality
in the north. They respect the norms and customs of their host community. It’s
an insult to kidnap Olu Falae.”
He
also berated the immediate past governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso for his
recent statement while at a function in Ibadan, condemning the call by some
Yoruba leaders who demanded the sack of Fulani herdsmen in the southwest
region.
Chief
Adams said: “He does not have the right to condemn our
position. We have heard enough from the Arewa Consultative Forum and I
have never seen Kwankwaso condemning the act of Boko Haram in the history of
this country. God has a way of doing things. This is Kwankwaso who was aspiring
to be the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. For him to support those
who kidnap in the southwest, definitely he could have not been a good leader if
he becomes a president.
“I think when you issue a statement you must not
think about today, think about future. And we are in the world of technology,
there is nothing you said that is missing. They will just Google it out.
“So I will advise Kwankwaso that Yoruba is too
sensitive for him to just rise up and condemn a statement of about 24
organizations, talking about the personality of Pa Olanihun Ajayi, Ayo
Adebanjo, General Adeyinka Adebayo, and many elders
on the seat.
“That was the first meeting. So definitely you
can’t just do that. He came directly to make that statement in Ibadan.
Can anybody go to north, to Kano to make a statement against Arewa Consultative
Forum in Kano or Kaduna and that person will not be lynched?”
On
ways to end attacks of Fulani herdsmen around the country, Chief Adams called
on
President Muhammadu Buhari to implement the recommendations of the 2014
National Conference., Premium Times report.
He
said: ”To solve the problem is for the federal government to look into
the 633 recommendations of the National Conference. I think the recommendations
of the National Conference (go) beyond a very good security arrangement.
Because when you are talking about state police, it’s one of the factors out of
seven factors that will solve insecurity in this country.
”There’s no way Buhari can move this country
forward without approving the recommendation. We will be deceiving ourselves.
How many thieves can Buhari (arrest)? How many people can he jail? By November
29 he will clock six months in power, and that’s one out of eight slots.
”And most of the people in that Senate, they
want to make money, some of them who are not governor, to become a governor.
How many of them will you fight?”
Meanwhile, Chief Adams has congratulated the new Ooni of Ife, His
Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi for ascending the throne of the cradle of
Yoruba land peacefully and legally.
Source: Naij.com
Post a Comment