The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), the umbrella platform of fresh breed political leaders in the emergent third force movement of Nigeria, has cautioned the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other power brokers in Nigeria to learn from the outcome of the Osun State gubernatorial elections and desist from actions tending towards taking voters and electorate for granted.
NIM, in a statement by National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Naseer Kura, said it was particularly important for Tinubu and his political loyalists in the southwest to immediately stop abusing the goodwill of the electorate but to quickly learn from the strong signals from Osun election which, according to it, clearly rejected politics of godfather and imposition of anointed candidates by the electorate
Reacting to the Osun elections which was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), NIM strongly chided power brokers and godfathers in the country for indulging in taking the Nigerian electorate for a ride by engaging in what it termed “cabalistic self – serving politics” which is currently rocking and heating polity.
Also, NIM, decried the unfolding political drama within the Lagos APC, saying it was time for the actors to stop their reckless display of power without proper considerations for the voters.
“We, the fresh breed political leaders in the country again wish to decry the unfolding political drama in Lagos, which is involving the ruling APC cabal in Lagos and the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who is being pressurized by power brokers within the Lagos Mandate Group, to step down and forgo his reelection bid for their anointed candidate, in person of one Jide Sanwoolu.
“We think this kind of reckless power display by a clique of King makers in Lagos makes a mockery of the principle of internal party democracy as it also demeans the value and dignity of Lagos teeming electorate and voting populace to the effect that they can date jettison the performance of Ambode, who is regarded as the whiz-kid of Lagos development for the blind loyalty of a crony,” NIM said.
The movement, which is being jointly led by human rights icon, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Dr. Abdujalil Tafawa Balewa, son of the former Nigeria’s Prime Minister, added that the ‘sort of paternalistic politics,’ being displayed by the Lagos Mandate group could be best described as self-overreaching and abusive of the longstanding goodwill the party had been enjoying in Lagos.
While congratulating Osun electorate for rejecting what it called ‘Lagos king makers,’ NIM said it was not surprising that the people spoke with their vote to reject Tinubu and his overreaching actions and power show.
“To us, the Osun Governorship elections could not have come at a better time than this as the outcome has turned out to be a big sign of what is to come in 2019, especially in Lagos. So, in a State like Lagos where Tinubu’s power brokers are already boasting about unilaterally determining, who becomes the next Governor of the State, we are of the firm opinion that the electorate would be wise enough this time to reject any anointed candidate of godfathers, as any attempt to deny Ambode the APC ticket in Lagos, should really send a strong signal to the Lagos electorate that their power and mandate are being undermined.
“The APC power brokers should know that the electorate can reenact the Osun 2018 dose again in Lagos for the first time since 1991, when a similar power tussle among power brokers in the camp of the more popular Social Democratic Party (SDP) providentially foisted the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), the Late Sir Michael Otedola as the Governor of Lagos,” the group said.
Signed
Mallam Nasser Kura
(0803 384 2591)
National Publicity Secretary
Nigeria Intervention Movement, NIM