Youth group taints Saraki on media Smear campaign against Tinubu

By Lanre Adesanya

The Lagos State Association of Indigenous Youths (LAIY), has condemned in strong term what it described as “hoax and junk media reportage” making the round about the purported friction between Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari over ministerial nominations to the Senate for screening.

A South-East influenced popular daily newspaper allegedly reported on Saturday 10th October 2015, that the Presidency is building a ring of security surveillance around Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over “Tinubu’s rage” on the ministerial list submitted by President Buhari to the Senate for screening.

The newspaper also reported that Tinubu has since begun move against Mr President, by lobbying Senate President Bukola Saraki to jointly revolt against President Buhari ,it also claimed that Asiwaju is trying to exit the country and fight this battle from abroad.

LAIY alleged that Senate President Bukola Saraki’s is the mastermind of the fake media report with the intent to stir controversy in the party, shift attention away from his financial crime trial and disparage Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who he believes is a predominant force behind his trial ordeal.

The group condemned media report as baseless, derogatory, childish, cheap and unprofessional.

Piqued by recent development that there are masked enemies, who are bent on discrediting Asiwaju because they envy his achievements in the current national political space, LAIY said the media report was nothing but sponsored fabrications to achieve heinous objectives.

President LAIY ,Temitope Ogungbo, in his words, said: “this is not the first time we are reading speculative and junk media report on strain relationship between Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and President Buhari.

It only comes out funnier with the appendage that Asiwaju is even lobbying Saraki to wage war on President Buhari. I think this kind of story coming from a popular newspaper betrays intelligence and journalism.

It is a story that will not fly if told to a student in Secondary School. It is nothing but sponsored fiction targeted at a man who is living his dream as a common sense revolutionist and liberator of the masses.”
He added that it is funny that Tinubu could be used as object for speculations in Nigeria’s political space every time a national issue arises. He said it is unthinkable to assume Asiwaju is going to start to destroy a house he strived hard to build.

“Even among achievers, he is a distinguished champion”, Temitope said.

LAIY submitted that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains a respected leader who understands the rudiments and advanced nature of politics and a leader who does not go for cheap political game-play in the country.
It urged Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to remain steadfast in the face of people playing games to create
face-off between the Jagaban and the presidency.

While concluding, the LAIY President warned that Lagosians and youth groups from the state will not spare any disgruntled element that continues to undergo sleepless night to paint vague pictures about relationship between the respected Yoruba leader (Bola Tinubu) and President Buhari, warning that such attempt will be resisted and countered with corresponding reactions.