It’s hard to drag an elephant into a room. But once there, it’s
surprisingly easy to ignore. Such is the case in the forthcoming PDP
governorship race campaign for 2015 which is fast unfolding with Obanikoro
as a player and Chief Olabode George as the life coach. After a series of
galling technical mishaps, the latest is the unguided vendetta of Musiliu
Obanikoro against the revered leader of the PDP in the Lagos and perhaps
the Southwest, Chief Olabode George since like an elephant dragged into a
room, unexpected calm and reverse retrospect is becoming the gage of
Obanikoro as he is been dragged to the law court over his once ignored
falsification of age and dual citizenship. I have always said, when you
are ready to hear your life history and have your dirty linen washed,
aspire to contest what perhaps is beyond reach at the time. The elephant
of course, is the fact that Musiliu Obanikoro though secretly called Chief
Bode George an ex convict over
a case he has been discharged of and acquitted, he is just beginning to
face his, which might well enough land him behind bar since if convicted,
he will simply pass to have defrauded the federal republic of Nigeria
through his many lies.
But then, his many lies have paid him off over the years so for him to
begin to believe that Lagos is made of him and for him. The records will
remind us that he was as soon as he lost out in the governorship race in
2007 compensated with an ambassadorial seat. Shortly after completing his
tenure as Nigeria Ambassador to Ghana, the same Obanikoro was appointed
into one of the most “lucrative†federal board (Industrial Training
Fund ) as a slot for Lagos and as if none is better than him, he later
became a federal minister of one of the most powerful ministries in the
federal government and yet again, wants to govern Lagos State. Perhaps the
excess of grace is what makes him think same grace must be by inheritance.
Of recent, his son who was elected as a local government chairman has a
seat reserved for him in the house of assembly of Lagos State by the way
of the ticket of the PDP. If Koro had been a prince perhaps of whales or
Buckingham, am sure
the highest office the rest of us could aspire for let alone occupy will
be that of a steward to him. One will think that if Obanikoro enjoys
these so much undeserved grace, why should he then wants to be Lord of
the minor who ask that all others that could equal him be put to death as
he and his cronies are doing to Jimi Agbaje who undoubtedly is the best
of the finest. In all these, one is amazed by the barrage of attacks by
Musiliu Obanikoro and his rented mob on another in the race Mr. Jimi
Agbaje, does it not make it sound clear to us as Lagosians that there is
a treasure of credibility in the candidate of Jimi Agbaje if he
eventually becomes the choice of the Paarty in Lagos or what could be
responsible for the sleeplessness of Obanikoro and his goons since Jimi
Agbaje threw his hat into he rings for the Lagos 2015 Governorship race.
Ironically enough, Obanikoro has over time boasted that he is the anointed
candidate of Aso Villa and nothing can stop him from being the PDP
candidate in the governorship race to Lagos Government house, except
perhaps now, the revelation of his many lies and falsehood. One thing that
baffles one or should, is the sudden wake up of Obanikoro to so realize or
falsely as the case may be, drop a heap of attacks and blames at the door
of Chief Bode George whom I suppose he (Obanikoro) is not afraid of or
refer as the case may be. Has Chief Bode George whom he once said CANNOT
stop him suddenly becomes his headache? When did Chief Bode George become
so suddenly rich like the immediate past minister of state for Defence who
paid the delegation from Abuja who supervised the delegate election, in
thousands of dollars?
Perhaps we will need someone to research what happened and transpired. The
statement by Musiliu Obanikoro as signed by his goons accusing Chief
Olabode George of influence on the result of the delegate election results
of Lagos, has the tainted virtue of being dead lies. While Obanikoro is
right on the fact that Chief George does not want him as the governorship
candidate of the PDP, he is wrong on the politics involved. Need Koro be
reminded that running the government of Lagos isn’t going to be lies. Be
it concealed or glaring? It’s understandable for the political class to
close ranks at a time like this and when otherwise is the case, the two
eyes need be kept very open then.
The case instituted against Obanikoro isn’t by faceless persons or the
opposition. It is clearly a case of very convinced people of what they
know to be true and hence they boldly put their names to the case
instituted and just why then as a learned person which we all thought Koro
is will accuse someone else of being the one that has a case against him.
Or has Koro now suddenly become afraid of Chief Bode George?
Given a slate of candidates untainted by the most damaging and recurrent
lies often found in the political circle in the country’s modern
history, why shouldn’t Koro go to court and prove it is a false accusation
rather than take to the pages of the online platform and papers to answer
a case most fit for the courts? As the dust from this issue hopefully
settles, it may irk the Lagos PDP to know that to look before the leap
that’s the choice of a credible and no blemish candidate will be the best
to do.
Eko onibaje jubayi lo.
Olufemi Lawson,
Lagos Study Group,
Herbert Macaulay way, Ebutte Meta.