National leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Ogun-East senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu yesterday resumed their verbal war with the latter telling the former governor of Lagos State to live above pettiness and be a true democrat.
Kashamu, the chairman of the Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West in the just concluded elections stirred the hornet’s nest when he described Tinubu as his role model and the architect of modern Nigeria last week.
To the annoyance of Kashamu, Tinubu had in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, described Kashamu as a pretender, among others, adding that he felt insulted by the open letter addressed to him by Kashamu.
In the renewed verbal war Kashamu said in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists that, “My attention has been drawn to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reaction to the innocuous congratulatory messages that I sent to him and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the aftermath of the general election.
“First, I must say that I doubt if the statement was approved by him. However, if it was, I must state that I am taken aback by the unwarranted attacks against me as if we were still campaigning. It is unbecoming of someone of his stature and calibre.
“For me, it is high time politicians and leaders rose above petty issues.
and raise the bar in constitutional democracy. We should not just be democrats in words but also in deeds. We should play politics without bitterness.”
He argued that it is on record that no Nigerian politician has taken former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the cleaners even as a sitting President like Tinubu did, saying Obasanjo forgave him.
“As for me and Baba Obasanjo, he remains my father and leader, just as I am his son and follower. At no time did I abuse Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
“As a true party man, I campaigned vigorously for my party and its candidates. Now, the elections are over, and as a true sportsman, I thought I should congratulate those who won. Short of any praise-singing, what I said in the congratulatory message that they chose to react to a week after it published was that there was no way anyone can wish away the achievements of Asiwaju Tinubu in the nation’s political annals, particularly in Yoruba land.
“Part of the message also reads: “Although I now belong to the opposition, your achievements transcend political divides and I am not ashamed to publicly acknowledge them.
“I salute your courage, commitment, doggedness, forthrightness and tenacity of purpose even in the face of daunting opposition and challenges.
“By your sheer wit and unwavering commitment to democratic ethos, true federalism and economic prosperity, you led the Alliance for Democracy (AD) from a one-party state to a regional party, and now a national party that is about to form the government at the centre.”
According to him, these utterances do not translate to praise-singing, saying they are facts of history that he merely adumbrated.
On the contentious U.S case he said, “I wish to state for the umpteenth time that the United States as the bastion of democracy and the rule of law would not lend itself to any form of abuse of the fundamental human rights of an innocent soul, especially one that has been arrested, tried and freed by its most trusted ally – the United Kingdom.
“I am not running from any trial. All I have asked is for the relevant parties to follow due process – if they believe that I yet have a case to answer.”
