Following Monday’s
protest by the Oodua
Peoples’ Congress, OPC,
factions within the group
have risen up to dissociate
themselves from the call
for removal of Attahiru
Jega, Chairman of the
Independent National
Electoral Commission,
INEC.
The Gani Adams’ faction of
the OPC, accompanied by
members of the Goodluck
Jonathan Campaign
Organization, took to the
streets in Lagos to demand
the removal of the INEC
boss ahead of the March
28 general elections.
Mr. Adams said the rally
was not partisan, but a call
for Mr. Jega to be
removed from office.
“What we protested for
was the removal of Jega
over the poor distribution
of PVCs in the south,
registration of underage in
the north and creation of
additional 30,000 polling
units in the north,” Mr.
Adams told PREMIUM
TIMES after the protest.
The OPC members, armed
with guns, pocket-knives,
machetes, and charms
marched from the Lagos-
Ibadan expressway
through Ikorodu road
chanting anti-Jega songs.
Some of protesters
harassed motorists and
passers-by while others
vandalized campaign
posters of political parties,
particularly those of the
All Progressives Congress,
APC.
Last Friday, the Movement
for the Actualization of the
Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB,
held similar protests across the South
Eastern states of Anambra, Enugu,
and Ebonyi where they accused Mr.
Jega of incompetence.
On Sunday, the APC claimed it had
uncovered a plot by the ruling
Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, to
use ethnic militias to protest for the
removal of Mr. Jega.
But Mr. Adams accused the APC and
Lai Mohammed, its National Publicity
Secretary, of peddling falsehood,
adding that Monday’s protest was
peaceful.
“Nobody was attacked. Lai
Muhammed should stop peddling lies
against our members,” Mr. Adams
said.
“Nobody touched their bill boards.
It’s the most peaceful rally I have
seen. Even they, APC, cannot hold a
peaceful as successful rally as that. As
a matter of fact, over 30 Nollywood
stars took part in the rally including
myself.”
“Against Yoruba interest”
Another faction of the OPC responded
swiftly and angrily on Monday,
accusing Mr. Adams of betraying the
group and the Yoruba people.
“We, the members of the National
Coordinating Council of the Oodua
People’s Congress, OPC, the highest
ruling body of the organization, wish
to disassociate ourselves from the
shameful, destructive, violent and
reactionary activities of the Gani
Adam-led team which occurred in
Lagos today,” the group said in a
statement.
“What was witnessed today in Lagos
was the highest level of political
violence sponsored and funded by
certain elements in the Jonathan
government.
“Gani Adams is on his own and does
not enjoy the support of a large size of
our membership spread across the
country. He is working for the
sponsors of violence against our
people who want the March 28
elections not to hold. Unleashing
terror on innocent citizens and killing
them is not the way of democracy. It
is not our idea of a people-oriented
advocacy.”
In 2013, the Mr. Adams-led faction of
the OPC secured a lucrative contract
from the federal government to
secure crude oil pipelines in the
South West.
At the time, Mr. Adams justified the
contract by claiming that President
Jonathan had also awarded similar
contracts to Niger Delta militants and
that the OPC deserved its share.
“For a group that has been doing a lot
of things for the society free of
charge, it is not too much to apply for
a security job,” Mr. Adams had said.
Monday’s meeting of the OPC faction
was attended by Shina Akinpelu,
Monsuru Akande, Sunday Adebayo,
Kilanko Oladipupo, Kehinde
Ogunyale, and Gbenga Eegunlusi.
In its statement, the faction accused
Mr. Adams of being on “dubious
project” and using the pipeline
contract from the government as an
excuse to recruit people to work for
Mr. Jonathan and PDP in the South
West.
“Gani Adams is acting against Yoruba
interest. The compromises he has
made amounts to selling the Yoruba
to the present government for a piece
of Pipeline contract to line his
pockets,” the group said.
“OPC is not about pipeline contracts
or any other contracts for that
matter. The Yoruba interest is beyond
contracts. We seek justice and
fairness from the current
government.”
The group called on Yoruba sons and
daughters to join them in condemning
Mr. Adams and his “anti-democratic
tendencies.”
“We must renounce him and remind
him he cannot sell the Yoruba race to
Jonathan and PDP on the cheap. He
also has no authority to speak on
behalf of the Yoruba people,” they
said.
“We pity those who rely on him to win
votes. They will be sorely
disappointed. Their investment is a
bad one already. We reject today and
always any attempt to use our
organization and its members for
narrow and selfish partisan purposes.
“We must remind them that the
Yoruba people cannot be hoodwinked
by sweeteners. No one should expect
them to kow tow to an individual who
is a Lilliputian in the political
development and history of the
Yoruba nation.”
While renouncing Mr. Adams and his
activities, the group also renounced
other Yoruba sons and daughters who
are playing roles inimical to the
welfare and interest of the South
West.
“We call on our people to be vigilant
politically at this time. Nigeria needs
a new leadership, a new direction and
a country that works

God is definitely performing a surgery on the soul of this nation. Her enemies will keep having confusion in their midst. Their plans will keep blowing up in their faces.

Nigeria will be great again.

#iBelieve.
#iHaveDecided.

I LOVE MY LIFE........
WILL SOON GO OUT OF LAGOS AND I WONT RETURN TILL AFTER ELECTION. (who need my pvc abegi)

Op next time be careful with ur choice of words o, I was already picturing 'clash of the titans ' before I read the story. Biko the situation now is tense, let's not be too sensational in reporting

Obasanjo 18pages letter come to my mind the old man is right after-all it obvious that jonathan is training sniper adam is one of the jonathan criticism

omenka:
God is definitely performing a surgery on the soul of this nation. Her enemies will keep having confusion in their midst. Their plans will keep blowing up in their faces.

Nigeria will be great again.

#iBelieve.
#iHaveDecided.

Keep deciding fool

I NOW BELIEVED THAT ADAMS IS NO LONGER FOCUSED. HE HAS ALLOWED CONTRACTS FROM THE FED. GOVT. TO DERAILED GOOD WORK AND
GOOD INTENTIONS HE HAD FOR THE SOUTH WEST. HE IS NOT OUR MOUTH PIECE AND HE CAN NEVER BE. DOES HE THINK A RESPONSIBLE LEADER
SPRAY MUSICIAN WITH DOLLARS IN THE PARTIES AS HE DOES. HE KNOWS THE SOUTH WEST PEOPLE, WELL EDUCATED AND ATICULATE. WE HAVE REJECTED HIM SINCE. HE CONTROLS PEOPPLE FROM HIS VILLAGE.