Twenty-fours after Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello declared to contest for presidency at the Eagles Square, Abuja, crisis has ensued in the late MKO Abiola family.
The crisis, it was learnt was as a result of the comparison of Kogi State governor with the late politician and businessman, MKO Abiola by his daughter, Hafsat Abiola, who is the Director General of Yahaya Bello Presidential campaign.
Hafsat had on Sunday on Television stated that she was pleased to lead governor Yahaya Bello campaign who she likened to her late father, noting that late Abiola and Yahaya Bello have no political godfathers.
Her utterances, however, stirred rage among the children of the late politician, feeling that it was an insult.
In her words: “Nigerians must be given the free hand to choose their leaders. That is the meaning of democracy. My father did not contest to represent zoning interest. His interest was Nigeria and Nigeria alone, These are the same qualities I have seen in the Kogi governor.
“He dared to contest, not minding that he was from a minority tribe in Kogi and won, and he has come out again. My father did the same, when it was believed that a Yoruba man could not be President”, she added.
However, some of the late MKO Abiola’s children were in rage over the the comparison, one of whom was Tundun Abiola, an anchor at the popular Arise TV programme, The Morning Show.
Tundun Abiola was in rage during the programme as she issued a stern warning to her sister to keep their dad’s name out of her politics, stating that MKO Abiola’s name should not be abused in such manner as it does not belong to one person but the entire MKO Abiola generation.
She further added that the comparison was false and further warned politicians to stop using her dad’s name to score point.
Tundun Abiola who said the comparison was “staggeringly inappropriate,” for the children, said:
“I am referring to my half sister who is the DG of Yahaya Bellos’ campaign and her making comparisons to my dad. I mean they are lots of political players in his team not one of them feels the need to throw their father under the bus for the sake of their principal. Come out and talk about your principal, his antecedent , his stand for the future of Nigeria and leave daddy out of it”.
She challenged her sister to talk about Yahaya Bello
antecedents, his plans for the future of Nigeria and leave Abiola out of it.
“It is our name and it is also the name of future generations of Abiola yet unborn who should be proud of the legacy,” said an enraged Ms Abiola.
