• Farounbi, Yoruba youths insist not swearing in President-elect unconstitutional
• Task him on engagement of competent hands
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has said that he bears no grudge against the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying that unity of purpose in Lagos supersedes political affiliation.
He, however, said that because of his position and membership of an opposition party, he would not congratulate Tinubu until litigations relating to the election were concluded.
George spoke, at the weekend, when some elders in Lagos State met with him and urged him to support and collaborate with Tinubu as he assumes office on May 29.
He said: “The elders came for three things. They talked about the running battle I have with Tinubu and I said I have no battle, nothing personal between me and him. What has happened has happened and gone, vengeance is God’s. We can disagree but we must not be disagreeable.
“They made a request, which we are still looking into. I said election matter is still in the court and whichever way it goes, the issue of congratulating him or not will come to fruition. I have nothing personal against him because I believe as a believer, nothing happens outside the knowledge of God.”
MEANWHILE, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi and President of Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association (YYSA), Habib Olalekan Hammed, have frowned on any attempt not to swear in Tinubu, saying such will amount to an unconstitutional act.
The two leaders, who spoke with The Guardian in Ibadan, yesterday, stated that it is conventional to swear in anyone declared as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
They pointed out that swearing in the declared winner would not affect the ongoing litigation.Farounbi said: “To breach this convention would amount to an unconstitutional act.”
On his part, Hammed said: “The President-elect is no doubt an administrative and political colossus but notwithstanding, I will advise him not to overwhelm himself with hailers and apologists but to ensure that he as well appoints fearless, bold and confrontational people who will not hesitate to tell him the true situation of things when he later becomes engulfed with administrative tasks.”
