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Tinubu Peace Mission: Charity Should Begin At Home – By Enitan Olukotun 

Charity Should Begin At Home

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When the news broke that President Muhammadu Buhari had designated Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to reconcile aggrived members of the party ahead of the 2019 polls, many expressed doubt about the success of the Tinubu peace mission.   Tinubu as an arbitrator expectedly should first be at peace with others whom he had offended before setting out to placate warring APC members across the nation.  In his south west base, efforts should have been made to close ranks with his lieutenants whom he had cut to size politically.  No outsider would respect an arbitrator whose house is in disarray and could not effectively contain contentious issues threatening to consume his inmediate base.  Tinubu’s successor  Babatunde Fashola, a bellweather minister is more or less a fugitive in a state he worked to place as a reference point of excellence public service.   Gradually before Fashola’s eyes, his landmark achievements are being downplayed while a deliberate moves are afoot to totally obliterate him from the consciousness of the people he arguable served meritoriously for 8 years.   Asiwaju Tinubu would have done by brokering a truce between himself, Fashola and the incumbent, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who sometimes ago clashed with his predecessor over the Airport road rehabilitation.   Ditto, for the national legal of APC, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN who was persecuted by the Lagos State Government for opposing imposition of candidates at the last Local Government election urging Henry Ajomale, the state chairman to comply with the provisions of Article 20 of the APC constitution 2014 as amended.   Banire was hounded, his supporters and allies were harrassed.  Failed attempts were made to oust him out of office by the local chapter after his detractors sponsored protests against him.  Funmilayo Tejuosho,  a staunch supporter of Banire and a member in the Lagos State House Assembly was intimidated and her residence was partly demolished and sealed up on the order of the state governor.  A 48-hour demolition notice was served by the Lagos State Government on a building belonging to Banire’s 90- year old mother.   The unusual silence from Bourndullion signalled  Tinubu’s sanction of ill-treament meted to Banire and his supporters by the state governor .   He needs to resolve that too.  Aspirants who were shortchanged by the Lagos APC during the last local government primaries should also be appeased by Tinubu who decreed automatic return of 18 ex-council chairmen without caring a hoot about the legitimate aspirations of hundreds of aspirant.  The APC leader should not also paper the crack over the strained relationship he triggered as chief agent provocateur in the build up to the last Ondo guber race.   Bola Ilori, ex- commissioner under Aregbesola who jointly ran on the ticket of Alliance of Democracy, AD with Olusola Oke in Ondo publicly said, ” Asiwaju asked us to go to AD”.   Tinubu ought to humble himself to appease party members who were grieved by the role he allegedly played in Ondo.  In Ogun, Asiwaju needs to extend olive branch to7 Amosun and rein in forces from Lagos West which are bent on running him(Amosun) out town. It is believed that the invading political troops of Lagos Senator, Olamilekan Solomon(Yayi) are mentored by the lion of the Bourdillion.  The confidence building should also include accomodating and bringing back to the fold the politically displaced persons who had been schemed out in Oyo, Ekiti and Osun.  If the south west truce outing is successful, the rest of the states will be a workover for Tinubu.  Then would he command respect in other crises-ridden terrains like Kaduna,Sokoto,Kano, Rivers, Kebbi and the rest.   In fact, i just imagine how Tinubu’s image will loom if he enlists the likes of Fashola Fayemi, Banire in some of his peace trips.  The statement will be pronounced and audible.