The Action Congress of Nigeria as described the ongoing needless smear campaign and reaction of the People ‘s Democratic Party to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s attendance of the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA as symptomatic of an indolent, frightened and seemingly intimidated government suffering from misplaced priorities and whose past time is peddling rumours half truths and disinformation.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed the party said if anyone is guilty of mischief, falsehood and deliberate attempt at disinformation on this matter it is the People’s Democratic Party led federal Government.
According to the party , in the first instance at no time during this entire needless controversy did the Action Congress of Nigeria issue a statement concerning Tinubu’s attendance of or invitation to the Democratic National Convention and we challenge the PDP propagandists -in chief -to produce evidence to the contrary Rather, the party explained,it was the Tinubu Media Office that issued an unambiguous self explanatory statement excerpts of which we reproduce below unedited for the benefit of all Nigerians :
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor and National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria will from Monday join the American President, leaders of the Democratic Party and thousands of party members and donors to attend a 3 day National Convention of the Party in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tinubu who was invited to the Democratic Convention in his right as the leader of the Opposition and an influential figure in Nigeria will be at the ringside as the Democratic Party conducts activities that will culminate in the nomination of President Obama as it’s candidate for the November 2012 Presidential Elections in the USA. Tinubu received a gold card which is prime and with this he will be joined by three other eminent personalities – Governor Kayode Fayemi, Mr Dele Alake and Lagos Speaker Ikuforiji.”
Where except in the jaundiced mind of the People’s Democratic Party can anyone infer from this statement that Bola Tinubu claimed that he was personally invited by President Barrack Obama or that Obaa signed gold card for him as being sales sly peddled by the PDP and agents of the Federal Government. Is it not clear now to all people of goodwill that the PDP and the Federal Government twisted this innocuous statement to serve the agenda of persons who at all cost want to smear Tinubu and the Action Congress of Nigeria, the party asked.
Obviously intimidated by the the towering figure and influence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the unstoppable growing popularity of the Action Congress of Nigeria, should anyone be surprised why the People’s Democratic Party would be ever so willing to latch onto anything however tenuous, ridiculous or illogical to discredit him and the party.?
How does Tinubu’s attendance of or manner of invitation to the Democratic National Convention in faraway North Carolina affect the governing of Nigeria which should be the priority of the Federal Government and the PDP?
What bearing does Tinubu’s attendance of or manner of invitation to the the Democratic National Convention have with the Federal Government’s inability to confront insecurity, unemployment, epileptic power supply, corruption and the myriad of other problems facing the country today?
How is Tinubu’s attendance of and manner of invitation to the Democratic National Convention become a matter of such urgent national importance as to warrant a morally damaged Presidential aide through his office to be shopping the unsubstantiated and utterly baseless story from one media house to the other at the expense of tax payers’ money,the party queried?
This needless controversy according to the Action Congress of Nigeria is being orchestrated by the Federal Government to serve cheap political points. It is nothing but a smear campaign and a panic response by a government in dire search for relevance. Is it anyone’s fault that the PDP lacked the presence of mind and foresight to know that they should have been present at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina? Why must Tinubu and the Action Congress be pilloried simply because of its National Leader’s international exposure and strategic thinking reasons for him making the right decision to attend the Democratic National Convention ?
In conclusion the party advised the PDP led Federal Government to busy itself with improving the economy and the lives of millions of Nigerians rather than lecturing Nigerians on the rules of attending party conventions.
