Labelling VP Osinbajo traitor over presidential bid is unfortunate, says Sagay

*I don’t think it is good to try to curtail the variety of those who are interested by shutting down to anyone. Those publications against the Vice-President were very unfortunate and distasteful ─Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

In his response to recent developments in the Nigerian polity, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has berated supporters of a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for describing the Vice-President (Prof.) Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as a traitor and betrayer for declaring to run for the Nigerian Presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.

Some loyalists of the former governor and presidential aspirant reportedly had pasted campaign posters where they labelled Osinbajo as Judas, who betrayed Jesus Christ while others called him the ‘modern-day Akintola who betrayed Awolowo’ in reference to the 1962 Action Group (AG) crisis.

The crisis at the time resulted from the struggle for power between two political leaders of the Western Region and Action Group (AG), Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.

Sagay stated that calling the Vice-President Osinbajo derogatory names for coming out to contest was uncalled for.

The legal luminary stated: “I think labeling the Vice-President a betrayer for coming out to contest for the Presidency is most uncalled for.

“In the larger interests of Nigeria, anybody who thinks he has something to offer should be allowed to indicate interest and contest the election. This is because the greater the variety, the most likely possibility that we will get the best candidate.”

He also said: “So, I don’t think it is good to try to curtail the variety of those who are interested by shutting down to anyone. Those publications against the Vice-President were very unfortunate and distasteful.

“We are all aware of the antecedent of the Vice-President, particularly as a former Attorney-General of Lagos state.”

Sagay further said: “What some of us are saying is that everybody should be given a chance so that the delegates will have a wide choice to make and will  be able to pick the very best

“When you begin to threaten or eliminate people, you are narrowing the choice and you may end up eliminating the best person.

“In my view, the Vice-President is entitled to contest. Let the delegates determine who the candidate will be.”