Former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu said he was informed about the plan of his ‘political opponents’ to burn down the Headquarters of The Nation Newspaper and Television Continental.
Both the Nation and TVC are linked to the APC chieftain.
In a 3038-word statement titled: “The #EndSARS protest; a fundamental lesson in democratic governance,” Tinubu confirmed his investment in the two media outfits and that he had prior knowledge of the plan to burn down the two buildings by those he called “malevolent enemies”.
He said, “The attackers came both facilities were significantly damaged. Although equipped with prior notice of the imminent trespass, I did not call anyone to seek or request for the army or police to deploy let alone attack, kill, or injure those who razed and vandalized these properties.
“I did not want any bloodshed. These elements, mostly hirelings of my political opponents, wreaked their havoc and destroyed those buildings and facilities and I thank God that the employees of these two media institutions managed to escape largely unharmed.
“There is a deeper truth involved here. Burned buildings and damaged equipment can be rebuilt or replaced. There is no adequate substitute for the loss of even a single human life. I am not one to encourage violence. I abhor it. Thus I did nothing that might endanger lives, even the lives of those who destroyed my properties.”
Tinubu said he gained nothing by ordering the shooting of protesters at Lekki, adding that “the present situation clearly does nothing to profit me politically or otherwise.”
“It has complicated matters for me because many people now wrongfully blame me for a violent incident in which I played no part. Still, I stand strongly behind the people of Nigeria and affirm their right to protest peacefully.
“Along with all well-meaning, patriotic Nigerians, I want to see an end to all forms of institutionalised brutality and I shall do my utmost to see that this humane objective is realised,” Tinubu added.
He also denied the allegation that he masterminded the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll gate by men in soldiers’ uniforms.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
