News Editor
By David Odama
A former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) , Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has declared that the arrest of former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was part of the plot to weaken the rising popularity of the African Democratic Congress, ADC among Nigerians, especially in the North West geopolitical zone of the country.
Senator Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, is one of the major arrowheads of the coalition arrangement with the ADC.
Ojo, while reacting to the development, said “if the arrest of Tambuwal was intended to diminish his political stature, the strategy will backfire as the anger of the people against the present administration will turn him into the people’s hero.”
The politician-cum-security expert said that it was not a secret that Tambuwal’s arrest was politically motivated and it is believed that it is part of the plot to weaken the rising popularity of the ADC among Nigerians.
“I know that when Aminu Tambuwal was governor of Sokoto State the people wanted him to probe Wamakko but he refused to probe Wamakko. That same man now must have instigated them to write to the EFCC because no other person could have written to the EFCC apart from those in government.
“I think they want to reduce the popularity and political influence of Tambuwal in Sokoto State and some parts of the North West in order to weaken the structure of the ADC. That was the untold reason why he was arrested,” he stressed.
Ojo said if Tambuwal’s arrest was as a result of financial allegations against him, but queried the timing and reminded Nigerians that the EFCC is not doing anything about dozens of petitions against members of APC, who were previously being investigated before they defected to the ruling party.
He went further: “Does it mean that there is nobody today in APC, including former governors, no former Ministers, no former senator or Lawmakers that are culpable. Why?
“This is a political vendetta, this is a political attack to further weaken the opposition, particularly the ADC.
“If care is not taken that is the strategy to weaken the opposition and weakening opposition means we are tilting towards a one-party state and one-party state is an autocratic state.
“Tambuwal left office since 2023, why now. It is just because of his political profile that is rising and because of his role in ADC.
“Former Governor Okowa was invited by EFCC over allegation of over N1.3 trillion graft allegations, immediately Okowa was released what happened? I think the negotiation was that he has to decamp.
“Immediately Okowa decamped to the APC with PDP structure in Delta State nobody is hearing anything about his case with the EFCC or the reason why he was investigated. Has returned the money?
“Are still working on what the former APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole said that immediately you crossed to the APC your sins will be forgiven?
“The sins you committed against Nigerians will be forgiven by a political party.
“What is happening now is old fashion. Nigerians have already made up their minds and they know what is happening now is vendetta. If Tambuwal is still a member of the APC today would he be investigated or invited or arrested?
“Unknown to them, people have already made up their minds. There is nothing anybody can do now to depopularise Tambuwal in Sokoto State or in the North West. People already know that this is political vendetta.
“What they are trying to do now is to intimidate Tambuwal to come to them, but this is old fashion strategy. They should allow Tambuwal to go.”
Ojo called on opposition political parties to form strong and formidable front to confront the APC in 2027 like what happened in 2015 when PDP was upstages by coalition of opposition parties.
“Opposition parties should come out as a united political force. When they were forming the APC you see a lot of protests with people like Buhari, Tinubu, Pastor Tunde Bakare and others. You saw a lot of protests against the government of Goodluck Jonathan and PDP.
“If the APC did it at their formative stage and nothing happened to them, the present opposition parties can also do it peacefully.
“The opposition are keeping too my much quiet. It is like they have accepted to be oppressed. This is an oppressive government and the oppressive government is turning this country to a one-party state.
“The opposition should come together as a united political force in order to rescue Nigerians from present difficulties. People are facing hardship, there is no security, no education, no health, nothing. The people that Nigerians believe can rescue the country in 2027 they are trying to hang one or two things on their neck to silence them,” he added.
