- Mimiko says allegation is plot to blackmail him
The politics over advocacy for the resumption or resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to deepen with some actors perceived as fortune seekers trying to create scape goats.
National Daily gathered A pro-government group, under the umbrella of Coalition for Truth and Justice, alleged that N300 million was paid to civil society actors leading the advocacy for the resumption or resignation of the President.
The coalition alleged that the N300 million paid to the principal actors who include Charles Oputa, aka Charlie Boy, Deji (Adeyanju) and (John) Danfulani, was purportedly funded by Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State, a former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, and other political actors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The group argued that the money could have been better disbursed to cushion the harsh conditions facing Nigerians from the economic recession.
The National Coordinator of CFTAJ, Charles Timothy, had at press conference in Abuja, called on security agencies to place them “under passive watch”, because the protests were being sponsored to destabilise the country.
Timothy had declared: “It is true that the installment death of the corruption industry is compelling Nigerians to live within their means, which some have interpreted as hardship in the land. Nigerians should therefore task these protesters to inquire from their sponsors if the N300 million paid to celebrity activists – Deji (Adeyanju), John Danfulani and Charles Oputa aka Charlie Boy couldn’t have been better deployed to ameliorate the condition of those facing economic hardship.
“We therefore want to issue firm warnings. Because we know these protesters are mere fodders, tools in the hands of those that paid them to take to the streets, our warning is not directed at the protesters but at their sponsors. We therefore warn Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko who are the brain behind the protest against the ailing President.
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“Both Dankwambo and Mimiko are entitled to throw away their humanity on the altar of ambition but they must be aware that whatever position they are desperate to attain is not worth plunging the country into crisis over. They are free to spend their money any way they want but financing urchins, riffraff and celebrity activists but truly patriotic Nigerians will not sit by and watch them plunge the country into trouble.”
I’m not sponsoring anti-Buhari protest, Says Mimiko
Meanwhile, former Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, debunked involvement with any protest against President Buhari.
Mimiko, in a statement, said he has no hand in any protest as alleged by a group, which he said is out to either create mischief or blackmail him.
“We are aware of an attempt to blackmail Dr. Olusegun Mimiko by linking him to an anti-Buhari protest.
“The blackmailers are out to bandy figures running into hundreds of millions as funds released for the phantom support,” the statement read.
The statement said “Mimiko is not interested in causes he cannot stand up to be seen as supporting.”
While saying he is of the “firm conviction that the President, by transmitting power to the Vice President, has fulfilled the proper and constitutional requirement,” Mimiko, in the statement, reiterated that he has nothing to do with any anti-Buhari protest.