National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has responded to allegations aimed at him by his "political opponents" who he said have the right to oppose him politically, but should do so openly.
Tinubu has been accused of masterminding the #EndSARS protests for political reasons ahead of the 2023 presidential election. How the damages he suffered from the attacks targeted at his assets in the State, would help his presidential ambition, is anyone's guess, though.
The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, is among those who believes the #EndSARS protests has a sinister motive behind it.
In his interview with Daily Sun, he said a "desperate politician in the Southwest is behind" the #EndSARS protests.
He said, "When the protest against SARS started, I was very happy because I saw it as the liberation of my people from these wicked security men.
"However, after few days of protests, with the federal government heeding to the demands of these young protesters by scrapping SARS, yet they continued, it then shows there was more to EndSARS that many people didn’t know.
"There is a hidden agenda in the protests. Following the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu disbanded the outfit, were the protesters not supposed to have retired to their respective homes, but they added other things to their lists; demanding for other things that were not in their original agenda or request. Today, I wanted to travel, after being on the road for six hours because they blocked everywhere, I missed my flight. Which kind EndSARS is this?
"From all indications, not just politicians, but a desperate politician in the Southwest is behind this movement, that is why we are no longer keeping quiet, and we have decided to let the nation know what is happening because most people were not aware or have not read meaning into what is happening. It is no longer protest; a desperate politician who felt he has lost out in the 2023 scheme is drumming for these our youths.
When asked why he made such allegation, he said, "It is not hidden; political analysts are saying the same thing. It is not hidden in the political circles. At first, the protest was very genuine and that was why, it is supported wholeheartedly, but from what we have been hearing and by the time we sat down to think, we realised that somebody was behind, giving supports to these our youths that are blocking everywhere in the FCT, Abuja, and other places.
"The highest a genuine protest can last is probably three days, especially this one that the federal government has acceded to the demand of the protesters, but this one is getting to two weeks."
However, Tinubu in a statement released by his media office Sunday night, said, “My opponents have every right to oppose me politically but let them have the courage to do so in the open, above board and to employ facts, not evil fiction in their efforts against me. They have no right to slander and defame anyone with the terrible and vile fabrications now cast at my feet.
“Those who have decided to hate me will hate me regardless of the truth. Again, they have the right to think as they may and I am not troubled by their unfounded animus. Today, I speak not to them. I leave them to the workings of their own conscience.
“Today, I speak to those who believe in the importance of, and want to know, the truth.
“The slander aimed at me is based on the untruth that I own the toll gate concession. The hate mongers prevaricate that I ordered the Lekki assault because the protests had caused me to lose money due to the interruption of toll gate activity.”