Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has described Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s stance on the controversial Amotekun security outfit as “wishy-washy”.
The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) made his position known in a statement signed by his spokesman, Tunde Rahman.
Part of the statement reads: “Seeking to fulfill their mandates by helping protect their people, the governors of the Southwest collectively established a program to buttress existing security mechanisms. Seeking to protect the constitution as best he could, the Attorney-General offered his opinion on what he believed the governors have sought to do. No one can blame either party for seeking to fulfill what they genuinely see as their public duty.
“Until now, I have deliberately maintained a studied silence regarding Amotekun. Many have tried to goad my swift public reaction. Those who have taken this road did so not because they care about Amotekun or even the people it intends to help protect. They did so knowing this had become a delicate and emotional issue for many. These cynics did so with the adversarial hope that, in haste, I might misspeak or misstep in a manner they could twist to their political advantage.
“Such people are possessed of a mercenary aspect that permits them to sacrifice almost anything, even jeopardize the very foundations of our political unity, if they might exact personal gain from the upheaval. In that they know no nobler purpose than their own appetites, we should feel sorry for them. However, we must not allow our sympathies for their barren condition to persuade us that there is worth in their destructive misconduct. They must be left to the consequences of their own devices.”
But many Nigerians who took to social media berated the former Lagos governor for giving “a political answer” to the raging controversy.
Fani-Kayode, who has expressed strong opinions in support of Amotekun, described Tinubu’s statement as a futile attempt to defend the Federal Government, which had declared the security initiative illegal.
Taking to his verified Twitter handle, the ex-minister wrote: “I read BAT’s (Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s) wishy washy statement on Amotekun & his futile attempt to defend the FG.
“He should stop trying to defend the indefensible.
“If by now he does not know that the FG openly supports, encourages & protects those that kill our people then he is far dumber than I thought.”
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