•Shehu Sani
Former Kaduna lawmaker Shehu Sani has called on the opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and others, to resolve their internal crisis and stop accusing President Bola Tinubu of being behind their tussles.
“It is unfortunate that the opposition in the country is looking up to the president to solve their problems,” Senator Sani said today on Channels Television.
“How logical is it when you have a problem in your house, then you start blaming your neighbour or adversary for it when you should address it.
“If there is a problem in the PDP, it is for the PDP to solve; if there is a problem in the Labour Party and SDP, it is for the Labour Party and SDP to solve. If there is a problem in the NNPP, it is for the NNPP to solve.
“I don’t know whether they are also trying to ask the president to come to their party and solve their problems.”
Opposition Accuses Tinubu
The opposition parties have seen their membership massively depleted in the past year, with governors, members of the National Assembly, and others joining the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Those who defected to the APC cited internal crisis within their parties. Opposition members have blamed the ruling party and Tinubu for masterminding the instabilities in their parties.
However, Senator Sani said blaming Tinubu for the internal crisis in the opposition is “irresponsible” and has asked them to fix their issues instead.
“If you are in the PDP and you have people working against your party, you refuse to suspend them, you refuse to expel them, and then you decide to focus on the president as being responsible for your problem. I think you are simply being irresponsible.
“If you are in the SDP and you have a crisis in your party and you don’t fix it, and then you are looking for the president or blaming the president, trying to find a scapegoat for your problems, I think you are just unserious.”
According to him, it is not in the best interest of the president to fix the issues in the opposition and said it is part of a political strategy to see “your adversary” battling so many issues.
“So, to me, as a president from a ruling party, he cannot be seen trying to fix a missile or a gun that will be directed at him,” the former Kaduna lawmaker said.
“It is part of a political strategy to ensure that your adversary has so much problem within his own area that he will not be able to contend.”
Tinubu Mocks Opposition
In his June 12 Democracy Day speech, Tinubu threw a subtle jab at the opposition parties, which he described as sinking ships.
Tinubu said he would neither bother about the crisis in the opposition parties nor help them fix the problems, adding that it was a pleasure to see opposition parties in disarray.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist,” Tinubu told a joint session of the National Assembly on June 12.
“For me, I will not say, ‘Try your best to put your house in order.’ I will not help you to do so either.’ It is indeed a pleasure to witness you in such disarray.”
