By Christiana Ekpa
Osinbajo Grassroot Organization, a support group for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed anger over alleged defamation of their principal by someone they described as a fellow in the House of Representatives.
They said that some political jobbers led by the House of Representatives members have come together with an agenda to defame Osinbajo so that they can give their candidate an edge.
In a statement on Wednesday, National Convener of the group, Ojo Sylvanus Foluso, said they have seen and have been privy to some of these plans in the past, adding that they have chosen to ignore the lawmaker and his co-travelers.
“With the recent one they are trying to embark upon, we can no longer keep silent hence the need to issue this statement,” the statement said.
“We do not believe this is how to play politics. Let everyone who feels he is qualified for the position of President of Nigeria take his matter to the electorates.
“Let them put their qualifications before the people. Let them come up with a well articulated program and agenda to consolidate President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy and move the country to another level.
“For anyone to think that the path for him to rise is to destroy another, destruction awaits such a person at the gate.
“We, therefore, want to sound a note of warning for the jobbers that if they attack Osinbajo, we may be pushed to go after their principal as well.
We, however, do not believe in the politics of mudslinging.
“We do not even know why they fear so much a man who is yet to declare an interest in becoming President.
“For the fact that they think this Osinbajo is their only obstacle to power we shall heighten our pressure on him to harken to our call and enter the ring.”
Osinbajo is as qualified as any other Nigerian and his right is guaranteed under the law of this country to seek the highest office . We are not practicing monarchy whereby someone can be said not to have blue blood. The qualification for the office is very clear and Osibajo has this in abundance and it can not be questioned, doubted and rubbished.
“This is specifically why he is most qualified at this time to assume the position of leadership in Nigeria after another man of integrity has completed his term. He is just, he is reliable, he is not greedy and he will not convert the commonwealth of Nigeria to his own and that of his family.
“He treats everyone equally, poor or rich, Christian or Muslim, king or plebeian. As Nasiru El Rufai once said Osinbajo is as comfortable in the midst of Alfas as he is with pastors. He is a friend to Kabiyesi’s as he is with Emirs and Obis . He is fair and just, not minding whether you are from the North or South, Hausa- Fulani, Yoruba or Igbo, Bachama or Junkun, Kanuri or Efik.
“Osinbajo is “pure as crystal, gentle as a lamb, brave as a lion and chivalrous to a fault and the most perfect man in the political field” to borrow the words of Mahatma Gandhi in his description of his mentor Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
