As a young politician with over twenty years practical experience across the Nation, I am gifted to understand from afar the capacity of any individual especially in politics and civil societies which are my practical constituencies and my instincts have never failed me in this regard not for once.
Reading through the piece written by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters domiciled in the Vice President’s office, I am not surprised at all at his assertions on his position on Tinubu’s Presidential ambition because I have known him over the years to be a double standard personality with a posture of a principled man.
Babafemi Ojudu is no doubt a media guru, who has carved niche for himself in the media world, young Ojudu during his days as a reporter was known for an in depth analysis of issues and analytical reportage and as an Editor in Chief during his days at The News Magazine, he was excellent especially in the struggle against the military rule, give it to him, Ojudu was superb.
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Principled Political Choices are not Betrayal
However, his foray into politics has not been successful and as much as he is trying to carry over his glorious posture from media world to the World of politics, the more he sinks himself politically among young Nigerians and in the grassroots. I can say with all sense of responsibilities and authoritatively that he is currently living on a gone glory, the only breakthrough he recorded in politics as a Senator of the Federal Republic is by God’s grace through Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a compensation for his contributions during the military/democracy struggle. If not for God through Bola Tinubu, Ojudu lacks the capacity, the character and human relations to win any electioneering ticket in Ekiti State.
Tinubu is not God but it has pleased Almighty God to use him over the years and he has allowed himself over the years to be used by God for human emancipation and Babafemi Ojudu has been one of the beneficiaries of Tinubu’s kind gesture, may it please God to use me the way he is using Bola Tinubu.
Babafemi Ojudu in his piece “Principled Political Choices are not Betrayal”, he so much
reiterated and emphasized how Tinubu and himself have been helping each other whereas in some of his previous articles, he described Tinubu’s kindness and humanity like that of God that can never be pay back adequately, like my brother used to say, Hmmnnn; praises of men.
Quoting Ojudu “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been described in so many ways, but his attribute that melts my heart the most is his unrivaled and almost God-like kindness. It does not matter who you are or where you are from; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu sees equality in all men, shoe-maker, Senator, President, or the homeless. Tinubu treats them equally, not giving himself to mundane things as status” Ojudu wrote.
In another quote, Ojudu has described Tinubu as the only one in this generation that can give the way he gives because it is one per generation and no one can pay him back the way he gives.
Quoting Ojudu again “ I have watched Asiwaju Bola Ahmed give and give, without expecting anything in return. The manner and rate at which he gives awe people like me, sometimes shocking us beyond words. Many today, including myself, are beneficiaries of his kindness. I have tried to measure up in this regard, but the more I try, the more I realize that a man who would measure up to Asiwaju in Nigeria in acts of kindness must belong to another generation as I have come to believe it is one per generation. Tinubu has already been chosen as the one for our own generation. Talk about giving back to humanity, I say without apologies that Tinubu has given more than enough. If it were possible for humanity to return excesses (like we have in budgetary situations), Tinubu would have too much kindness to take back.” Ojudu wrote.
The two quotes above by Senator Babafemi Ojudu are at variant to his assertions in his recent piece where he posited that Bola Tinubu and himself have been there for themselves, that is double standard against the stature of a principled man that Ojudu is claiming to be. On one hand, Tinubu’s kindness is like that of God that cannot be measured up by anyone in this generation and on the other hand, both of you have been there for yourselves, meaning you have been paying him back. Make no mistake, Bola Tinubu is not an island and he will always need people’s help in his assignments on earth and like you have said before, Bola does things for humanity without anything in return rather he looks up to God for favour at all times and God has been faithful to him.
However, Senator Babafemi Ojudu cannot be blamed, the current delicious meal on his table is not directly from Bola Tinubu but from another Principal who may also be interested in Nigeria’s Presidency like Bola Tinubu, so it is about the past meal and current meal. Though, it was the past meal by Bola Tinubu that brought Ojudu to the current dinning table but a new principal is the server of the current and fresh delicious meal, hence at this point, we must remember the statement of our Egbon Babatunde Raji Fashola and prayed that “May our loyalty never be tested”.
Babafemi Ojudu has used his mouth to confess the democratic nature of Bola Tinubu and his hatred for political violence, why now is he concocting lies that such noble person whom he confessed to be an unbeliever of political violence is now sending thugs after him or instructing people to send threat messages to him. Politics, Double standard and current menu are the causes.
As Ojudu is refusing Tinubu his vote, his fundamental right, I am cocksure that one thousand and one votes will troop in to be cast for Tinubu and his refused support will not in any way affect the fortune of Bola Tinubu in his lifelong ambition and I strongly believe that after Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu becomes the Presidential Candidate of the APC, Babafemi Ojudu will retrace his steps as a prodigal son to lend his voice, his vote, to support his life Principal but for him now, he is serving a new Principal who is currently dishing him meals as you cannot serve two master, you must love one & desert the other but concocting violence lies against your huge benefactor because of a meal is unprofessional, unacceptable and uncalled for.
For us, one missing spanner is not enough to stop this moving train. Thinking that his refusal to support Tinubu in this course will make our camp shake, No, no, no, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, this is politics and not the newsroom.
Comrade Adeboye Adebayo is the Director of Media & Publicity, Project Beyond 2023 and writes in from Abuja