All those working to remove Tinubu didn’t do better in office – Obidient General, Azomchine 

~ Says president understands opposition game, won’t fold hands to be removed

By Ifeizu Joe 

Erstwhile staunch supporter of Mr Peter Obi; the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Hon Ikenna Azomchine has charged opposition figures rallying around to remove President Bola Tinubu to work harder if they must achieve their aim.

Azomchine who was a supporter of Peter Obi in 2023 and was popularly called Obidient General, while also leading the Obidient Movement which is a support group told journalists on Thursday that he was yet to make up his mind on who to support in 2027.

He said most of the opposition figures rooting to remove Tinubu are not better than him, describing Tinubu as a big masquerade, who knows how to emasculate the opposition, having been in opposition before.

He said: “So if opposition wants to fight a big masquerade they must be prepared. He (Tinubu) is a strategist and he knows where to hit them. The opposition are mostly former APC members, so it is about the old APC now telling us that the new APC is faulty.

“The only person who seems clean in all these things they are saying is Peter Obi; that is in terms of character. So, even if power is given to Peter Obi, how can he handle these guys who are power tasty?” Azomchine asked.

He added that: “Nigerians need to know that getting Tinubu out of seat will involve free and fair election, absence of money politics, absence of thugs and all that. Is the president ready to give you this? If money and thugs are to be involved, can you mobilize more than the president?

“You don’t expect the president to give you the opportunity to dislodge him. Few years ago we were talking about an Amaechi, el-Rufai, Malami. That was an Attorney General that was untouchable during the Buhari regime. Today the same guys are now telling Nigerians that they are opposition.

“Nigerians are hungry and may just follow anyone who can provide the next meal or make promises, but I have been in politics for long and I know that what we need now is holding leaders to account. We need to give Nigeria a safe place.”

He insisted that some of those who want to remove Tinubu are no better than him, asking some key opposition member to show what they achieved in previous positions they held. He also held that Tinubu has done well with road projects and steering the country away from crisis like other African countries.

“The men who are clamouring to remove him today were the same people that were in power just few years back. Was Nigeria better? If you want to remove the president, you must follow the right procedure.

“Let me say it again, you do not expect a sitting president to stay quiet and you come and collect power. Tinubu did not collect power a la carte, he was on top of his game. So when I look at this opposition figures, I just laugh because we have gone through this trajectory before.

“Some of these people who want to remove Tinubu have tasted power before and I ask, what were their track records? We have former governors, former vice president, former minister of transport and others among them. It is not about ganging up and claiming to be opposition, how formidable are they, who are they, are they people that can speak and others will listen to?

“It is only Peter Obi who seems clean among these opposition figures and only him doesn’t have what it takes to remove Jagaban. To be a Nigerian leader, you must have very strong fist.

“Tinubu is doing well with road infrastructure and I can tell you this because I travel a lot by land, and I can tell you that they are giving us good roads, and they are giving us roads that will last up to 50 years and more. I lived abroad, so when I see good things I know, but it is not only road, we need railway, we need safe highway, we need to buy food cheaper.

“As far as I’m concerned, Tinubu is doing well. Compare Nigeria to other countries in Africa and see that we are better. We have countries around us where a dying man has been elected for the sixth term, but here, we are even better and we need to thank God because we are not fighting.”