Tinubu Has No Hand In Negative Report On Any Senator
The former Governor of Lagos and National leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied instigating negative report against any senator as reported in a national Newspaper.
Tinubu in a statement issued by his media office said he decided to react to the allegations in order to put the records straight and absolve himself of any complicity against the National Assembly.
His media office said, “After giving substantial time for THISDAY to correct the outright falsehood used as cover story for its Sunday, April 2 edition, we are constrained to correct the record.
“Those behind the report are practitioners of political libel. That blatant lie was reported as fact breached the minimum standards of journalism. It is sad that THISDAY allowed itself to become an instrument of errant mudslinging.
“Hopefully, THISDAY was only a dupe in this deception. It would be painful to think the newspaper might have been willfully complicit in this bald assault against truth. There is nothing wrong with publishing hot news; but hot news should never amount to a rotten lie.
“The newspaper claimed in the report “PDP Caucus Accuses Tinubu, EFCC of Conspiracy to Destroy Senate” that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in concert with the EFCC, has instigated media attacks against the PDP Senate Caucus.”
According to the media office, the story is such an outright fabrication that it claims the PDP Senators held a special meeting to discuss Asiwaju Tinubu.
It added that, “However, PDP Senators claim no such meeting was ever held and that they hold no special animus toward Asiwaju Tinubu. We are usually not in the position of agreement with PDP members. But on this rare occasion, we have no contention with them.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is a former Senator. He has a special affection for the Senate as an institution. It is not within him to belittle the institution or members of that institution who happen to be in the opposing political party.
“Moreover, his brand of politics does not lend itself to engaging in wanton character and personal attacks. There is significant policy difference between our progressive school of thought and the often reactionary ideas of the PDP.”
They maintained that there are more than enough serious issues over which to grapple the PDP, saying Asiwaju TInubu’s politics are driven by his policy views.
“He will gladly wrestle against the PDP on substantive political differences. But engage in personal attacks, rumor-mongering and mudslinging, never. We leave that for others. The gutter is no place to build a better nation. We seek higher ground. So that there is no confusion on the core issue here, we categorically deny any hand in any negative personal report on any Senator.
“In that the PDP leadership disavows such a meeting, we must question the source of THISDAY’s fictional account. More importantly, we can only conclude that the impetus for this liar’s account can only be a malign one.
“The false story is motivated by venal political objectives that dare not come out of the shadows. Those behind the report know they cannot show themselves for what they truly are. Their tactics are underhanded because their objectives are equally so. They lie because the awful objective they seek cannot be gained by telling the truth.”
The media office accused some malefactors of trying to use the name of Asiwaju Tinubu to stir opposition in the Senate to the confirmation of Magu as EFCC chairman.
“ By trying to paint Magu as Tinubu’s partner in mudslinging, the false story seeks to induce Senators to oppose Magu as a way of thwarting Asiwaju Tinubu.
“The authors of this screed thus revealed their moral barrenness. The fight against corruption is a cardinal battle this nation must win or forever forego its greater destiny. Despite the importance of this matter, someone is trying to exalt his narrow personal interests above the long-term interests of the nation. Someone so brazen and self-absorbed is a dangerous instrumentality when placed in a position of power.
“That person will undermine the very institutions of democracy to get his way. In this very story, they have tried to break down both the Senate and the press in one swoop. Sadly, they seem to have already conquered at least one important press organization,’ the media office posited.
