Prof. Sola Adeyeye, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, praised outgond Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for stepping down peacefully and without the pomp and circumstance that is customary for politicians in this region of the world.
This was said on Sunday in Abuja by the former Chief Whip of the 7th Senate.
The viral video of Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo arriving at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos from Abuja shortly after the conclusion of the handing over ceremonies in the country’s capital last week prompted what the ex-lawmaker called insulting comments.
Sen Adeyeye said, “I have received, for the umpteenth time, a video of the arrival of Prof and Mrs Osinbajo at the Lagos airport. The arrival was without the pomp and pageantry that holders of exalted political offices receive in Nigeria. Along with the video are tendentious and silly snide remarks.
“It would have been easy for Yẹmí Osìnbàjò to do what most politicians periodically do. He could have instructed some of his staff and supporters to organize an impressive crowd to await his arrival at the airport.
“For far less than ten million nairas, he could have distributed bales of Ankara along with snacks and some chicken change to singing women and noise-belching men.
“Needless to say, the capacity of a politician to stage such shows is directly correlated with the extent of his involvement in crude, appropriative, cash-and-carry politics,” he said even as he asked God’s grace to come upon the Professor of Law and his family members.
“May God bless Yẹmí Osinbajo for not embracing the wayward exhibitionism that often defines the thoughtless populism of the Nigerian political class. His job as Vice President has been done. A hallmark of the Christian life he professes is to be able to truthfully say with Apostle Paul, ‘I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4:12-13,’ he added.
According to him, “Osìnbajo does not need a red carpet. The real losers are not Yẹmí and Dọlapọ Osinbajo but those whose superficiality makes them define a leader by the carpet on which he walks.”
The former vice president received some harsh criticism from the public on social media and in the viral video, with some claiming that his decision to run for the APC presidential ticket was a sign of disloyalty to Bola Tinubu, who would later choose the ticket and go on to win the February 25 presidential election.
