Confusion has continued to trail an open letter allegedly written by President elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Chief Bode George.
Gatekeepers News reports that an open letter is trending online allegedly written by Tinubu encouraging Bode George to not go on self imposed exile.
In February 2020, when the presidential ambition of Tinubu had not been made public, Goerge, in a chat with PUNCH, attacked the idea.
He described it as a “challenge” and the “most illogical and most disruptive issue”.
He then added that “I will disown Nigeria to take the citizenship of Togo or any other country” if Tinubu becomes the president.
“It is a challenge. It would be the most illogical and most disruptive issue to have him (Tinubu) elected as President. If this happens, I will disown Nigeria to take the citizenship of Togo or any other country,” he said.
“Look, what this fellow did in my state, all the lies and the most painful thing was that on the day of the election (2019 election), two bullion vans drove in the daylight to his house.”
However, Tinubu in his purported letter asked George to ‘shelve all thoughts of self-exile and political retirement.’
The letter reads, “Open Letter to Chief Bode George
Dear Chief Bode George,
It is with genuine purpose and a peaceful intent that I write you this letter. I do so because the time has not yet come for you to proceed to political self-exile.
It will not be a thing of happiness for me that my emergence as President-elect will herald your departure from public life in Lagos and Nigeria. I, therefore, urge you to shelve all thoughts of self-exile and political retirement.
A capable opposition is a fundamental requirement of good governance, pushing the incumbent administration to be its best self or face electoral oblivion at the next election. In your many years in opposition in Lagos, you have never been victimised or persecuted; neither by me nor by any of the Governors who came after me.
The presidential election was hard yet cleanly fought. At the end, a victor was declared and, by the grace of God almighty, the Nigerian people chose to make me their next President. However, we must not take the battle so personally as to threaten retirement any time we fail to win. Defeat is as much a part of politics as victory.
As President, I will draw no distinction between supporter and antagonist. I will not grant undue favour to those who voted for me nor will I persecute those who voted against me. I will govern for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Under my leadership, Nigeria shall be a good and pleasant home. There will be room for freedom of expression. There will be economic growth and development. There will be opportunities for the young and social safety for the old. There will be security for all.
I hope you find it within yourself to stay and be a part of Nigeria’s hopeful future. However, if you feel that you do not want to live in the new Nigeria, nobody, least of all me, can force you to remain here. Whatever you choose to do, I bid you Godspeed.”
However, the Director of Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga in a terse statement disowned the letter.
Onanuga said the letter is fake.
The statement read, “The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did not issue any statement on Chief Bode George. The viral statement in circulation purportedly signed by him is fake.”
