Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has condemned supporters of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for describing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as a traitor and betrayer over his declaration to run for President in 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Loyalists of the former governor and presidential aspirant had pasted posters labeling Osinbajo as Judas who betrayed Jesus Christ while others called him the ‘modern day Akintola who betrayed Awolowo’.
The later was in reference to the 1962 Action Group crisis, which arose from the struggle for power between two political leaders of the Western Region and Action Group (AG), Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
Sagay argued that calling the Vice-President derogatory names for coming out to contest is uncalled for.
“I think labeling the Vice-President a betrayer for coming out to contest for the Presidency is most uncalled for. In the larger interests of Nigeria, anybody who thinks he has something to offer should be allowed to indicate interest and contest the election. This is because the greater the variety, the most likely possibility that we will get the best candidate.
“So, I don’t think it is good to try to curtail the variety of those who are interested by shutting down to anyone. Those publications against the Vice-President were very unfortunate and distasteful.
“We are all aware of the antecedent of the Vice-President, particularly as a former Attorney-General of Lagos state. What some of us are saying is that everybody should be given a chance so that the delegates will have a wide choice to make and will be able to pick the very best.
“When you begin to threaten or eliminate people, you are narrowing the choice and you may end up eliminating the best person. In my view, the Vice-President is entitled to contest. Let the delegates determine who the candidate will be.”