The Yoruba Youth Forum has cautioned the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, “not to put the Yoruba nation on fire with his utterances,” especially his alleged derogatory remarks about former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The youth said they took serious exception to Tinubu’s alleged description of Obasanjo as “an unserious man who should not be taken seriously.”
They expressed sadness that the APC leader, a Yoruba man, would allow himself to be used to attack Obasanjo “who is one of the highly respected Yoruba leaders of this generation.”
The YYF, therefore, called on Tinubu to “repent and tender an unreserved apology to Chief Obasanjo,” saying his statements about Obasanjo were capable of causing “chaos and disrupting the peace that we enjoy in the South-West.”
The YYF said this in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Chairman, Olusegun Bolarinwa.
It said, “It was not just by a mere coincidence that Obasanjo ruled Nigeria as a civilian and as a military man; it was an act of God.
“Today, Obasanjo still remains the issue because he is a true, detribalised Nigerian who puts Nigeria as his priority above ethnic consideration and he has not been sentimental about this.
“Because of his boldness, and intellectual ability, he remains an international figure whose opinions are highly respected all over the world.
“For casting aspersions on such a highly respected leader who has done so much for Nigeria and the international community, one would say that Tinubu has exhibited arrogance and disrespect for a leader that has been championing the unity of Nigeria.
“This is not expected of Tinubu since he claims to be a Yoruba and political leader who should know better.
“Tinubu, who claims to be one of the Yoruba leaders, should have known that it is a taboo to disrespect an elder.”
The YYF also complained about Tinubu’s alleged insult on the people of Osun State during the campaign for the governorship election in the state.
“Tinubu openly insulted the people of Osun State with his statement that he was richer than the people of Osun State put together and that he presented Gboyega Oyetola of the APC because he wanted to bail the people of Osun State out of poverty.
“The Yoruba Youth Forum regards this statement as an insult on the Yoruba race and this is not expected of Tinubu who should have known better than an ordinary politician,” it said.
However, when contacted, Tinubu’s media aide, Mr Tunde Rahman, said he was unaware of the alleged insulting statement by Tinubu that the YYF was complaining about.
As for Tinubu’s statement in Osun State, Rahman reiterated that Tinubu was misconstrued, explaining that the point that the APC leader made was that Oyetola was a self-made man who sought to lead Osun State, not for personal aggrandisement.