A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as saddening the defection of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to the All Progressives Congress.
Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode spent about a month together in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in October last year.
While Obanikoro was under investigation for allegedly receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Fani-Kayode was prosecuted for allegedly receiving over N800m when he was the spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation.
However, Fani-Kayode said it was unfortunate that Obanikoro would agree to join the camp of those who had been persecuting him.
Fani-Kayode wrote on his Facebook page, “My brother, Musiliu Obanikoro’s decision to join the APC irks and saddens me. I say this because I have always loved him and I care. You cannot fight evil by joining it. You cannot bring light by entering the darkness. You cannot find joy by partaking in the bread of sorrows.
“You cannot run away in the heat of battle. You must have the courage of your convictions. Where is your honour? Where is your strength? Where is your dignity? Where is your self-respect? Where is your sense of self-worth?
“You and I are royalty. We are princes and kings and children of the living God. We were taught and brought up to fight to the end and never to bow to the enemy.
“We were taught never to flinch before oppression. We were taught never to give in to our worst fears and to those who hate us and who despise our people. We were taught never to crawl on the floor and be slaves to our fellow men.”
Fani-Kayode said he was ready to die for his principles. He, therefore, advised Obanikoro to exhibit the same courage.
He said he would continue to oppose the Federal Government as this was the right thing to do.
Fani-Kayode said, “Always remember that rebellion against a tyrant is an act of obedience to God. They may have today but tomorrow belongs to us. Finally, take note of this: if you are not ready to die for something, then you are not worthy of living for anything.
“I would rather die a free man than live a slave. And as long as I live, the Yoruba, nay the South, shall offer some form of resistance to our collective oppressors and as surely as God lives, we shall never be slaves.”
But an impeccable source close to Obanikoro told one of our correspondents that the former minister had only reconciled with his benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The source said, “Obanikoro has not joined the APC for now but he has reconciled with his benefactor and master, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. What is wrong about that?
“The imbroglio plaguing the People Democratic Party will break the party’s spinal cord.”