Group advises Tinubu to forget partisanship, pay attention to Obi’s advice

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

The Neo Africana Centre has urged President Bola Tinubu to look shun partisanship and accept the advice given to him by Peter Obi on how to resolve the issues at hand. The Neo Africana Centre is concerned by the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s identity crisis as well as the controversy surrounding the authenticity or not of his certificate from Chicago State University.

Due to his assertion that he attended Chicago State University in the United States and received a credential from there, Tinubu had drawn criticism. The Chicago newspaper’ revelation of his name and gender irregularities had also raised doubts about his genuine identity.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the election for president in February 2023, had called Tinubu to stand at the podium and address Nigerians on these contentious matters in order to put an end to these disputes and spare himself and Nigeria the embarrassment it may caused.

The Center added in a statement from its Director of Public Affairs, Jenkins Udu, that it completely agreed with Obi that Tinubu should speak out on the problem since his silence is fostering further mistrust and suspicion.

The public policy think- tank asserted that Tinubu would benefit much from refraining from interfering with Obi’s advice with partisan motives. He should instead interpret Obi’s involvement in the situation as a friendly intervention by a patriot who is worried about the honor of the presidency and the reputation of his nation.

“We have noted with concern the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Chicago documents, particularly as they relate to the diploma he claimed to have obtained from Chicago State University, according to a portion of the statement.

“The Chicago newspapers have questioned Tinubu’s gender and other aspects of his genuine identity. These disgusting events not only make Nigerians feel ashamed, but they also damage the president’s reputation and the position he holds. In fact, if they are not managed appropriately, they might potentially plunge Nigeria’s presidency into contempt.

“We were therefore quite glad when Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the election for president scheduled for February 2023, set politics aside and extended to Tinubu a well-intentioned and sincere advice that, if accepted by Mr. President, will put an end to the current controversy. As some of Tinubu’s lackeys are doing, harangue and browbeat Obi for his patriotic intervention. Instead, he should be praised for prescribing the appropriate remedy for a festering sore”.