SECOND Republic politician and elder statesman, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, 76, was one of a host of Yoruba elders, who endorsed re-election of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, several weeks before the October 20 contest that Mimiko won.
In this interview, the legal icon, who leads the Nigeria Advance Party, NAP, said his endorsement of Mimiko was not targeted against any party or individual. However, he insists that no part of Nigeria should be under one-party control.
We backed Mimiko because of his track record
Asked what informed his endorsement of Mimiko and belief that the governor would win, he said: “We endorsed Mimiko for public support in the recent governorship election, particularly the support of the people of Ondo State because of his track record. I can only reiterate what I said, before the election.
“We identify with Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, primarily because in our country, presently, in the firm grip of knaveries, mediocre and utterly unfit persons who occupy sacred offices of state, due to the pervasive power of king corruption in the land, here, is one governor among the very infinitesimal few in government, whose sole purpose in government is the delivery of good governance, providing selfless leadership towards the development and improvement of the standard of living of the people of his state.”
Our support for Mimiko not against Tinubu
Braithwaite dispelled assumptions in some quarters that he supported Mimiko to spite former governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu saying: “Our support for Mimiko in the South West is neither against Ahmed Tinubu, nor against any individual.
Braithwaite: Our support for Mimiko is not against Tinubu
Unfortunately– due to the low level of the knowledge and understanding of the power, available to them, the masses allowed the rats and the parasites to become so fat that they now flaunt their illegitimate “wealth” with impunity, – while the people remain helpless.
“Nevertheless, we are optimistic that our revolution, our mantra in politics, will destroy these suffocating and deleterious effects on their lives pretty soon.”
We must shun one-party state
Asked his view on claims by the Action Congress of Nigeria that the South West must be under one party before it could witness needed development especially the South West regional integration agenda, he urged Nigerians to avoid one-party state.
“Neither the South-West, nor any geo-political zone, nor the country as a whole should be a one-party zone or state. The present trend and claims of “control” by these parties is a mirage. It is without any sincere acceptability by the people of the so-called controlling parties,” he argued.
Braithwaite expressed concern over pre-election jibes by one of the contestants to his opponent that South-West was not for sale querying: “Who is the vendor, who is the purchaser? This type of mindset is characteristic of the corrupt power-mongers, in this presently unfortunate country. These individuals perceive everything, in politics, only in terms of money and never in terms of service to the people. For them, politics is a matter of “do or die”. Well, they have to die, in their ungodly and ruthless quest for money and power, by means of mammon.”
Mimiko must remain focused
To fast track development in Ondo State, he urged Governor Mimiko to remain focused on his agenda. “He must continue, in transparency, his track by which he earned the critical and revolutionary support of people like us and our fast growing constituencies of revolutionaries across this nation.
Major parties to meet waterloo in 2015
Asked to assess all political parties in the country in terms of internal democracy and party discipline, and whether any of the party is well organised to lead the country out of the woods, Braithwaite said: “None of the so-called ‘major parties’ now in control of governments, both at the federal and state level is altruistic enough to lead the country ‘out of the woods’. I stand to be vindicated that sooner than later, indeed before 2015, the revolutionary forces, now on an irreversible course to destroy king corruption in Nigeria shall discharge that sacred duty.”
We’ve not endorsed Jonathan for 2015
On whether his call on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan, during the latter’s appearance at his book launch recently was not tacit endorsement of the President’s second term ambition in 2015, the politician said: “President Goodluck Jonathan’s launch of the Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles – was a fortuitous duty he had to perform and I am happy, he did not miss the opportunity. The book is not an ordinary book. I am more grateful to those religious leaders of all faiths, paramount Obas, Emirs, Obis, leading scholars and civil society groups that turned up for that historic launch.
“Unlike our unequivocal endorsement of Mimiko for the last Ondo Governorship election, the launch of my book by President Jonathan is by no means our endorsement of him for the 2015 election. The country still has to undertake a thorough house-cleaning before that election.
Indeed, we will soon call out the people for a final showdown, unless, a National Conference, by the People is able to resolve major outstanding issues relative to the well-being of this country and of Africa as a whole takes place, in a matter of months, if not weeks. I speak authoritatively. By the way, what happens to the ugly criminality of the bribery saga, in the National Assembly and some fuel marketers over the so-called fuel subsidy removal?”
Vanguard
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