Ojudu denies the claim that Tinubu made him, saying he was already an accomplished publisher before meeting the Jagaban
The presidential ambition of former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has faced another rejection from his former associate, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu.
Ojudu, whom many see as a close ally of Tinubu, says his conscience won’t allow him to support the ambition of the self-acclaimed leader of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, or even cast a vote for him during the party’s primary.
Ojudu also dismissed the claim that Tinubu made him, clarifying that he was already an accomplished publisher before meeting the former Lagos State governor.
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In a statement, Ojudu, who leads the support group of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the 2023 presidential contest, said no matter the blackmail, he would never support Tinubu.
Ojudu, who was one of the co-founders of TheNews and PM News, recalled how his blind support for Tinubu made late Gani Fawehinmi, the fierce human rights activist, demand the refund of his investment in the publishing business.
Ojudu said: “The idea that everyone who has related with Tinubu and disagrees with him on this presidential bid is a traitor and a betrayer is puerile. Many of us, his associates, were not made by him as you also want the world to believe.
“We were already made before meeting him and in the course of relating, we gave one another a helping hand. As far back as 1992 when I came to know him, I was already one of the editors of a popular news magazine with a good standing too in the civil society.
“On this matter of 2023, I wish him well but I cannot in good conscience give him my support or cast my vote for him in the coming primary. It is my right. I am above 60 years of age for God’s sake. I almost died seeking these inalienable democratic rights, held up in detention and severely tortured. Your god is not my god.
“Let no one think he can browbeat or blackmail me to do what does not go with my conscience or my ideals. Enough of your phone threats and embarrassment of my family members!
“When I left that job, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a man whom I was indebted to greatly (gave me a scholarship in my school days alongside King Sunny Ade) invested in my publishing platform (The News, publisher of PM News). The same one that was consequential in the battle to bring democracy back to Nigeria.
“At the conclusion of that struggle, Chief Fawehinmi insisted we sit out politics. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu disagreed with this notion, and I did as well. Against an obvious choice to blind loyalty, I went along with Senator Tinubu even serving several times in critical roles as he assumed the governorship position. My actions angered Chief Gani so much he asked that I repay his investments. Guess what? I gladly did.”
“So, if my principled stance against the NPN, against IBB and against ‘siddon look’ was not a betrayal of my father, Chief MKO Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi respectively, why would my principled stance against our leader’s present ambition be?” he asked.
