Former Senator who represented Kogi East Senatorial District and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Dr. Alex Usman Kadiri has said the duo of Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Comrade Adams Oshiomole are major threats to the party in Nigeria.
In an interview with journalists in Abuja, the former lawmaker explained that Tinubu was instrumental to the embattled Adam Oshiomhole’s emergence as APC National Chairman to advance his presidential interest in 2023.
He wondered if the person of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who comes from the South West should be jettisoned for Tinubu in a saner climes, saying that Osinbajo was fit to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari if the 2023 presidency must go back to the South West.
“Well, I don’t particularly like Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the way he plays his game.
“Secondly, he was instrumental to the emergence of Adams Oshiomhole as the National chairman of the party and he anticipates that his aim for putting him there is when the time comes for the 2023 presidency he must be the one.
“Let me ask in other climes, if you must go to pick presidential candidate from the west after Obasanjo’s 8 years and we have a cerebral Vice President like Yemi Osinbajo in office should we be thinking of Tinubu?
“Something must be wrong with all of us. If the next President must come from the west, there is an intelligent and capable person from the west in office already so what are we talking about?” He queried.
Speaking on political developments in Edo State, he maintained that Oshiomhole’s godfatherism interest in the State would backfire.
He recalled how he met Oshiomhole a humble man who suddenly became irritant and was insulting Edo Elders in the guise of ending godfatherism in Edo.
Kadiri said that he wanted Adams Oshiomhole in his estimation to leverage on his Trade Union background, but got to a point he respected no one in his state, particularly the elderly ones and monarchs.
He explained that Oshiomhole once labelled Pastor Ize-Iyamu a thief, wondering what has suddenly changed that he was now supporting him in preference to Godwin Obaseki.
“The world is a funny place and Nigeria and Nigerian politicians are very funny people.
“Oshiomhole, I met him once after he won election in Edo State, a lady, Tessy Ikimi, younger sister of Tom Ikimi organised a dinner for him in Abuja and I was there and he was there with his friends and Tom Ikimi was there and we told him all about good governance, especially as he was coming from the background of a trade unionist; that he was going to deal with human beings with different ideas.
“He got to Edo, he did well physically until he started insulting people that godfatherism has come to an end.
“He insulted Anini, Igbinedion the father, Esama, Igbinedion the former governor. All of them he labeled as thieves, but when he was leaving Edo State was there a fair competition as to who will succeed him? No. I know members of Obaseki family, I worked in Benin for almost 14 years, the incumbent Governor is a younger brother to Gaius Obaseki the former GMD of NNPC, so Godwin Obaseki is from a noble family whether you like it or not.
“The man he called thief Eze Iyamu is the man he is trying to support.
“We are waiting to see. What he kicked against is exactly what he wants to do and he wants Obaseki to keep quiet? No he will fight to finish.
“I don’t believe in godfatherism, I am not a godfather to anybody, politicians come here to consult but they don’t come back again because of what I tell them.”
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