The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest has decried the contribution of over N2 billion by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) control Southwest States of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti for
the birthday of the party’s leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, describing it as “fraudulent, shameless and the height of political
irresponsibility.”
National Vice-Chairman (Southwest) of the PDP, Chief Segun Oni said “the PDP as a party won’t close its eyes to the reckless spending of funds that should be used for the development of Yorubaland on false birthday of a single individual.”
In a statement issued today by his Media Aide, Mr Lere Olayinka, the PDP Zonal Chairman said the party (PDP) was aware that each of the five states under the controlled of the ACN was made to contribute N100 million, while each Local Council in the States coughed out N10 million.
“Going by the above, Osun States’s contribution will be N400 million, Ekiti; N260 million, Oyo; N430 million, Lagos; N670 million and Ogun;N310 million,” Oni said.
While querying the rationale behind lavishing public funds on the birthday of an individual, Oni said; “We will not hesitate to drag them to the EFCC to explain why peoples money should be used for the inanities and vanity of an individual.
“Or isn’t it disheartening that these same people who present themselves as followers of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo are the ones lavishing billions of public fund on a birthday that will go down in history as the most expensive birthday celebration in
Nigeria’s history?
“Was it part of Awolowo’s teachings that public funds should be spent
to celebrate false birthdays?”
While congratulating Tinubu on his 70th (not 60th that he claimed or 69th as claimed by Sahara Reporters) birthday, he said; “It is our expectation that he will use the occasion to come out and straighten all the hidden facts of his life and seek God’s forgiveness.
“To us, this is the period he should publicly make a reunion with his kith and kins in Osun State instead of forcefully making himself a member of a Lagos family that has shut its doors at him by documenting in book form all its members, living and dead.
“The birthday, real or false should be an opportunity offered by God for Tinubu to come clean of his past strewn with shadowy and confusing background, shady and, inconsistent record of educational attainments and birth and other activities that has made him (Tinubu) a negative influence on politics in the Southwest region.
“In spite of our disagreement on matters of principle and on issues of establishing a credible platform of assuming governance through democratic means as against crooked and underhand methods, we as fellow Yoruba offer our hearty congratulations to the Asiwaju of Lagos on the occasion of his birthday, praying that Almighty Allah will open
his inner mind to reflect on his past, for a new beginning that will be a rewarding legacy for the future.
“It is also our prayer that Bola Ahmed Tinubu will use this occasion to make peace with his origin, which he has consistently denied just to protect the fake identity that he built for himself in the past.”