Former National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
Olabode George, has slammed a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule
Lamido, for describing ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo as a religious and
ethnic bigot.
Pa George, a former military governor of Ondo State, spoke to journalists at his Ikoyi office in Lagos.
He accused Lamido of disrespecting Obasanjo, whom, according to him (George) was a concerned nationalist.
Obasanjo had recently alleged that there was a grand plot by some elements to foist a Fulani and Islamic agenda on Nigeria and other West African countries.
But in a quick response, Lamido said Obasanjo should not allow his displeasure with the current administration make him a religious and ethnic bigot.
George said Obasanjo has the right to express his observation over
the incursion and increased activities of herdsmen in the South West.
He said, “Things have never been this bad in this country and the way
that we are going about it is creating unnecessary division. What is
our problem as Nigerians?
“When Obasanjo left office as military head of state in 1979, a lot
of Yoruba people blacklisted him saying he should have handed over to Pa
Awolowo instead of a Fulani man. There was no name that he was not
called, but Obasanjo is a straightforward person.
“Recently, he made a comment as an observation that things are not
going right in this country. The incursion of herdsmen is disturbing.
“He is also a farmer and a lot of farmers are complaining bitterly
that their farms are being ravaged. My friend, the former governor of
Jigawa, Sule Lamido accused Obasanjo who has always been a nationalist
of being a bigot.
“What Lamido said was absolute nonsense and an insult. Does he know
what Obasanjo suffered? Was it not the same man who made Lamido whom he
is by giving him the opportunity to become a minister?
“But he is now turning round to call him a bigot. Why did Lamido not find out from Obasanjo why he made that statement?
“Wole Soyinka made the same observation that Obasanjo made and you know that both men are not usually on the same page.
“Maybe we should reverse roles and get some Agbekoya farmers from the
South West to go to Lamido’s village and start ravaging farmlands, and
then we would know what he would say.
“What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong. I invite Lamido
to come to the South West and I will take him round the villages so that
he can see what these farmers who are losing their livelihoods are
feeling.
“Our people are complaining about the sudden incursion and increased
activities of herdsmen in the South West; why can’t Lamido see through
that prism?
“We should be careful about some of the reckless comments that we
make. Does it mean if tomorrow an Igbo man becomes the president, Igbo
traders will now carry cutlasses and chase everyone away from their
villages?
“Buhari should use his position as the President of the Fulani
herdsmen in West Africa to calm these people down. It is a challenge to
him.”
