A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as saddening the defection of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to the All Progressives Congress.
Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode spent about a month together in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in October last year.
While Obanikoro was under investigation for allegedly receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Fani-Kayode is being prosecuted for allegedly receiving over N800m when he was the spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation.
However, Fani-Kayode said it was unfortunate that Obanikoro would agree to join the camp of those who had been persecuting him.
He said, “My brother, Musiliu Obanikoro’s decision to join the APC irks and saddens me. I say this because I have always loved him and I care. You cannot fight evil by joining it. You cannot bring light by entering the darkness. You cannot find joy by partaking in the bread of sorrows.
“You cannot run away in the heat of battle. You must have the courage of your convictions. Where is your honour? Where is your strength? Where is your dignity? Where is your self-respect? Where is your sense of self-worth?
“You and I are royalty. We are princes and kings and children of the living God. We were taught and brought up to fight to the end and never to bow to the enemy.”
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former minister of state for Defence, may have made up his mind to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, which he joined while in the Senate more than 10 years ago.
According to The Nation, Obanikoro who ran in 2011 as governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State will soon pitch his political tent with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Nation quoting reliable sources said Koro, as he is fondly called, has been making overtures to leaders of the ruling party as part of efforts towards his joining the APC.
The Newspaper said baring last minute changes, the former governorship candidate of the PDP will join APC in a matter of days.
According to sources within the ruling party in Lagos State, leaders of the APC will be discussing the defection plan of Obanikoro this week.
The decision to look into his request to join the party followed what some sources described as a positive nod from the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It was however gathered that Tinubu initially showed reluctance to Obanikoro’s return to his political camp which he deserted over a decade ago to join the then ruling PDP. But the national leader soft pedalled on his stance after the former Minister reached out to some prominent Lagosians to intercede on his behalf before Tinubu.
The Nation gathered that Tinubu eventually agreed to meet with his erstwhile godson after much pleading. “It was after the two met that Obanikoro started getting good response from APC leaders in his quest to join the party. Many prominent Lagosians, including monarchs and business moguls, intervened on his behalf.
“And when he met Asiwaju, he apologized profusely for his past misdeeds and political miscalculations. You know Asiwaju has a large heart. It appears he forgave him and gave a positive nod to his quest to join the APC. Following that, Obanikoro met and discussed with several other party leaders.
“It is likely that the party leadership will formally discuss his request to join the APC this week. It is most likely that he will be considered positively. On his part, the former Minister is not leaving anybody in doubt that he is ready to join the ruling party. There are even talks that he nurses a return to the senate on the platform of the APC come 2019,” our source added.
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