‘I won’t say anything to demean Osogbo people’ — Tinubu clarifies comment after backlash

Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he will never do or say anything to demean the people of Osogbo in Osun state.

When he visited  the palace of Jimoh Olanipekun, Ataoja of Osogbo, on Saturday, the former Lagos state governor was quoted as saying “Osun doesn’t have my kind of money”.

He made the comment over insinuations that he needs access to the state’s treasury, hence his support of Gboyega Oyetola as candidate in the governorship election.

The comment sparked protests in Osogbo, with residents chanting “Osun is not like Ekiti (where the APC recently won the governorship poll)”.

But in a statement on Tuesday, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu’s spokesman, said the APC chieftain’s comment was twisted.

“This was intended to create bad blood among Asiwaju Tinubu, the highly respected Ataoja and the good people of Osogbo whom the APC leader holds in very high esteem,” the statement read.

“For the avoidance of doubts, however, Asiwaju Tinubu did not disparage the people Osogbo in his remarks at the palace. What the APC leader said is that in vying for Osun governorship, the party’s candidate, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola, is motivated by service and not by any selfish consideration.

“He said for Alhaji Oyetola, using the governorship, if elected, as an avenue for primitive wealth accumulation is the least of his considerations for the office. He recalls that Alhaji Oyetola is an insurance guru who has been in the corporate world for over 30 years now. He founded and raised his company to the enviable level that it is today.

“He will also not do or say anything to lower the esteem of the people of Osogbo. The report giving the impression that he disparaged them is concocted and should be totally ignored.”

The Osun governorship election will take place on September 22. Oyetola is the flagbearer of the APC.