The National Coordinator of Tinubu Non Negotiable 2023 (TNN2023) Hon Mutiu Kunle Okunola on Sunday in a media chat with Lagos Panorama took a swipe on the former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his remark during his visit to Kaduna state on Wednesday.
Strong indication emerged from the visit that the former President may be supporting the much talked about 2023 presidential ambition of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.
Obasanjo who was not categorical about 2023 presidency in his statement, said, people of Kaduna state have a good leader to work with, adding that, “We need a character like this (El-Rufai).”
In a WhatsApp video that went viral Obasanjo whom El Rufai had served as Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with an incoherent Hausa language pointed out that the governor of Kaduna state is “one of the best persons to work with. He is a near genius”.
In his reaction Okunola opined that “I am so surprise with the way and manner former President Obasanjo murdered the Hausa language when he went to romance his candidate for the 2023 election”.
“On what basis was he making his assertion about El Rufai? Has Obasanjo forgotten about the transactional criminality perpetrated with Aisha Kolo the youth corper and former Special Assistant to Malam Nasir El-Rufai the then FCT Minister under Obasanjo’s administration”?
“His misused of the Hausa language is an indication of mischief. I am so surprised when some critic alluded that TNN 2023 started too early but you see the mischievous agenda of Obasanjo already campaigning for his own candidate for 2023 at the detriment of the Yoruba nation considering the fact that there is power rotation. Today he is in Akwa-Ibom, busy body. I expect him to concentrate with his farming now that the boarder is closed”.
“We at TNN 2023 had envisaged this political mischief and that is the reason we kick started early enough to curtail their shenanigans. Obasanjo remark about El Rufai is an open defecation of faeces”
The TNN 2023 Regional Manager Northwest Hon Zakare Garuba also added his voice in support of Okunola “I was shocked and surprised at former President Obasanjo disposition and the misused of Hausa Language”.
“Be that as it may be, the power of recognition that Obasanjo use to enjoy have been exhausted when he came all out to kick against the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari”.
“Obasanjo doesn’t hold weight in the larger context. So his opinion doesn’t bother us in the Northwest.
We are aware that our activities in the last few weeks in the Northwest is already yielding result as Governor El Rufai is already aware of this development and we the people are resolute to give Senator Bola Tinubu all the supports. Tinubu candidacy is well accepted in all the seven states of the Northwest region of Nigeria. Even the Northeast region are already clamouring for their own TNN 2023 inauguration which I believe is just a matter of time it will be put to rest”.
“Obasanjo have said that he want to retire and I think that has been played out. He is actually a retired politician and his opinion is no longer binding on voters” concluded the soft-spoken TNN 2023 Northwest Regional Manager.
