Politics
THE Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum has described the comments of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Afenifere on a false report attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump as unpatriotic and unbefitting of their status.
The Secretary-General of the Southwest Socio-cultural group, Mr Akin Malaolu, in a statement on Thursday criticised the PDP and Afenifere for their attempts to justify the fake news.
According to Malaolu, no patriotic party or worthy socio-cultural group will be excited at such foul allegation against its country’s president.
“We are sad over the vituperations and several lines of insulting words poured out by Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, and his Afenifere counterpart, Mr Yinka Odumakin of once highly respected group.
“Their reactions against Buhari over a fake news (Lifeless) that had been denied promptly by the United States government.
“Descent into vulgarity from these two individuals had gained weight without caution and reprimands from their two political associations.
“Leaders and in particular those in Yoruba land owed it a duty to call the duo to order before our youths takes to ignoble routes of insulting elders in the land.
“Describing the President as been in a vegetative state or embarrassing the Nation on his several foreign visits are not only untrue.
“It is typical of those who have developed hate as a disease that needs urgent cure,” he said.
According to the group, most noticeable in their waywardness is their obtuseness in understanding what the offices they hold connotes.
It said the once respected Afenifere socio-political group had been serially misused by younger men within it, who now go cap in hands begging for benefits in cash and kinds.
“They jumped with the fake news because it was in line with their assessment of Buhari whose government does not patronise political jobbers.
“It is a shame that elders are allowing themselves to be rolled in muddy waters with putrid smell for political advantage that would never again be realised tomorrow or in the near future.
“Nigerians, particularly we in the Southwest should see political bodies like PDP and Afenifere as enemies of Nigeria, who have sold their souls to the Devil,” Malaolu said.
“We therefore use this opportunity to offer sincere apology on behalf of leaders, elders and people in the whole of Yoruba land to the President for the unguided insults on his person and his office.
“His continued patience is enormously appreciated and we urge him to continue in his good ways which Nigerians are proud of.
“lnternational communities and their leaders have similarly admitted openly that Mr President remains a gift to mankind and to Nigerians.
“No amount of fake news can put Buhari at loggerheads with friendly international communities,” the group said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Aruba Amirthanayagam, the Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy, has dissociated Trump with the fake report.
“We have no specific comment on that, a newspaper published it, the paper should comment on it,” the diplomat said.
NAN also reports that Financial Times, which earlier published the report, confirmed it did not get the information from any official source.
The Times is one of the medium earlier described by Trump as publishers of ‘fake news’. (NAN)– Aug. 30, 2018 @ 18:20 GMT |
