Tinubu accuses PDP of frustrating CPC/ACN alliance move
By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo
LAGOS — Immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, opened up on those behind the failure of the proposed alliance between the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, saying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, frustrated the move through some of its agents, who clandestinely crept into the process.
Tinubu made the declaration at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, where he said the leadership of the ruling PDP sponsored some people on contract who participated in the talks to ensure that the process was not successful because of the possible threat of ousting them from power through the alliance.
Tinubu said: “The PDP paid some people to frustrate the party’s effort because it knew that if the alliance should work, the PDP would be swept out of office. This is why the ruling party worked against the alliance through its agents planted within.
On Ribadu’s running mate
Also at the forum, Tinubu explained what led to the emergence of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu’s running mate, saying former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Yemi Osibajo and the incumbent Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Ben Akabueze, were presented to be Ribadu’s running mate from the inception of the presidential race.
But Tinubu said the party leadership ruled against Osibajo because he was in the same legal profession with Ribadu, explaining that the party insisted that two legal professionals could not hold two strategic positions in the country, and favoured instead any candidate with requisite experience in managing economy.
“Akabueze was subsequently contacted to be Ribadu’s running mate because of his experience in economic planning and budget management. But he rejected the offer because he claimed he had not decongested his table, which he described as tough and herculean task, and was not ready to add any additional one.
“We need somebody with the vast knowledge of the economy and budget planning who can explain economic theories according to the realities of the time. That is how we succumb to the choice of former Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Mr. Fola Adeola,” he said.
