The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Gani Adams, said his group is opposed to a former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress, because Mr. Tinubu instructed governors of the South-West states not to deal with or empower the OPC.

Mr. Adams said this at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday in reaction to reports that his organization plans to disrupt the forthcoming general elections.

He said while Mr. Tinubu plotted to destroy the OPC by denying it of government patronage, President Goodluck Jonathan has been magnanimous, awarding pipeline protection contracts to leaders of the organisation and other militants across the country.

“Deliberately Tinubu instructed all the governors (South-west governors) don’t work with OPC, don’t empower OPC, don’t associate yourself with OPC,” Mr. Adams said.

“Ask our people from the south west, if you threat us very well, why should we get an opportunity from your enemy? If you gave us jobs, if you empower us, we would turn down the offer from the federal government. Because you neglected us, you don’t want the organization to exist anymore.

Mr Adams admitted that he, Frederick Faseun, and another militant leader from Ondo state were given multi billion naira contracts to protect pipelines, saying as Nigerians they have a right to share from the nation’s commonwealth.

He said, “They alleged that some ethnic militia collected nine billion, what I know is that President Goodluck Jonathan gave us a contract to protect pipeline and in that pipeline contract, the analysis is that Nigeria is losing 1.3 trillion naira every year to vandals. And when you see how much they will pay us for a year, in six zones- we have three zones in south west, three in South-South. I have only one in South-West; Dr. Fasheun has one and another guy in Ondo has one.

“The entire money NNPC will spend for us to protect the pipeline is not up to four billion for the six zones. You know what happened, they intentionally wrote the propaganda to affect the rally of last Monday, and at the same time, they haven’t given us a dime for the contract. President Jonathan has not given us money; we are just planning on how to start the job now. You cannot get money, it’s not a contract of buying something.

“As a Nigerian, we have a right to share from the commonwealth and that does not mean they have induced us. Tinubu is the chairman of OandO, and it’s an oil company and hardly will you see any governor in Nigeria that does not have interest in oil business. Hardly will you see any that minister does not have interest in oil business. Look, the south-south has been benefiting from the Amnesty package from the past four or five years. We have never benefited from it.”

The OPC leader described the All Progressive Congress as a party that strives on propaganda.

The OPC leader said his organisation wants the country to move forward and has decided to support the re-election bid of President Jonathan.

“We are not saying because we are supporting President Jonathan, we should be an enemy of other political parties. When you watch carefully, you will realize that nothing less than 23 political parties partially support President Goodluck Jonathan, so we are not here to harm any other political party,” he said.

Speaking on the protest by the OPC for the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s chair, Attahiru Jega, which many Nigerians, particularly the All Progressive Congress termed a violent protest, Mr. Adams described the APC as a party that thrives on propaganda.

“We deliberately kept quiet for one week to make sure that they lied to the extent that we would come out to tell the world that 85 per cent information coming from the APC is fallacy.

“You can’t win an election based on fallacy or propaganda and they have used their strength to concentrate on CCN protest rather than to go from house to house to campaign.

“If you watched newspapers, you will see some parasites signing different press releases that Gani Adams should resign, you will see Shina Akinpelu, and then you see Monsuru Akande again, so you see the level of propaganda? We even investigated; the second press release was released from the state (Lagos) secretariat in Acme, coordinated by Ajomale. Why are they doing that?

He maintained that the protest was not against Mr. Tinubu or the APC.

“We did not protest against Tinubu or APC. Why are they supporting the wrongdoing of Jega? I think most of them are product of free and fair election of 1993, so we should upgrade the conduct of our election and what happened yesterday has justified our protest.

“I don’t see why you should deny 19 per cent which is 12 million registered voters of their right to enfranchise. And if you recall, in the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the number of Nigerians who made the difference for MKO Abiola was 14 million. By the time you deny 12 million people the chance to exercise their right, certain signal is coming, but I’m appealing to Nigerians, they should not allow Jega to provoke them. Let us accept the faith but let the history run against Jega.”

OPC not a threat to election

Mr. Adams said his group is not a threat to the coming elections and was not sponsored by President Jonathan.

“Well, we have witnessed 1999 election, we didn’t get involved in violence, we witnessed the 2003, we didn’t disrupt the election, 2007 same thing happened, 2011 same thing happened, why should we disrupt election,.

“We challenge them, let them take the pictures to the police to investigate and identify those who destroyed that billboard. The picture that was first sent to the internet was a picture of an event held on eighth of December by Dr. Fredrick Fasheun. So I’m appealing to concentrate on how to win the election and the heart of the electorate and not to be concentrating to destroy the character of anybody who supports President Goodluck Jonathan

“We have been funding our organization before election; you will realize that we have not less than 25 programs in a year. Who is funding those programs? Why should they insinuate that anything that comes from us because of our belief to support President Jonathan that it’s because of money?”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/179053-while-tinubu-starved-us-jonathan-gave-us-multibillion-naira-pipeline-contracts-gani-adams.html

It is getting interesting. The battle for the soul of Lagos is on

Pls Adams what is otirious motive I heard you say from your previous interview?

Nigeria go change someday

GEJ is the people's choice...
Join the winning team, umbrella for shelter.

Before nko? Lol

Nah TINUBU born una?We all knw the role TINUBU played that saved the useless Gani from Military guys.Thief

If you are not funding my organisation despite supporting you in the past and you deliberately refuse to award contracts to engage my membership. Then l have no business with you. GEJ is right in identifying with this organization and OPC must return the favour.

Everybody should vote their conscience come 28 March. I prefer Goodluck over Buhari. Buhari was never ready for issue based Debates, let him remain in Daura with his cattle.

At least Goodluck is NOT PRETENDING AGAIN.

GEJ till 2019!!!

Kudos to tinubu for ignoring the fools
Kudos to Obasanjo for sending them to hell.
If we have to build a defence force for the yoruba homeland, it would have to be a disciplined one with a well educated chain of command. Not this ragtag force of touts and illiterates who would end up constituting a nuisance to odua states.

It is now well known that the rally in Lagos by OPC calling for Jega's removal is in a bid to secure the promised billions of Naira.
The question is: has the multi billion naira pipeline security contracts awarded to these militants reduced the rate of vandalism as expected?

what firm or construction companies do opc have in Nigeria? what business are they into that got them multi million naira contract from d clueless one? see how this shameless president is "cheering" money. There is god ooo.

Awon oloriburuku gbo gbo. won ti gba egunje. kaaa daafun gbo gbo eyin oniranu opc.

oduastates:
Kudos to tinubu for ignoring the fools
Kudos to Obasanjo for sending them to hell.
If we have to build a defence force for the yoruba homeland, it would have to be a disciplined one with a well educated chain of command. Not this ragtag force of touts and illiterates who would end up constituting a nuisance to odua states.

When dey have been supporting tinubu whom has since been stealing lag dry they weren't ragtag

Why don't u go and meet dem and say this

Smh

GEJ........personally I love u (no homo), u av so far been d best presido ever! i believe you are full of ideas but working wit d wrong set of pple,.......thanks for d privatization of d power sector, the building of power plants, the transformation of aviation, agric, education and oda sectors....thanks for d almajiri schools, thanks for d 12 universities (at least ma state got one), thanks for renovating some Polytechnics labs (if Obj and oda presidios had done half of d ones u did, we wud av been a step ahead) thanks for d reconstruction of federal road, (@ least, I know of Benin-ore, abuja-lokoja), thanks for d freedom of d press........thanks for d war against Boko Harram (though u wasted too much time tackling it) thanks for Nigeria football, (@ least, I can count nothing less than four major trophies).......

Nigerians say they want change......I hope if the change eventually comes, it won't be a step backward.......I love ur govt but dislike ur party (no love for APC either)........if u get voted out, take it in good faith and applaud ursef......cos to me u ar a good President...........thanks for taking us a step forward........though u allowed too much corruption infiltrate ur govt......thank you GEJ

What is wrong with this dude?

mahnn

Ok

I see CHANGE everywhere............

Eeeeyaaa! I said it. Tinubu is a wicked man. Chai! Starving innocent militants...oooo Nooo! Jonathan, may God make you the grand patron of all the militants in Nigeria. You are a cheerful giver.

What they fail to realise is that the name BUHARI is no more an opposition, it is now a MOVEMENT. We know he may not be the best replacement, but we want them out of office, 16years in office is enough for one party to rule the nation, give other parties chance. I remember vividly when they openly declare that they ll rule this nation for 40years. the movement starts now #REVOLUTION #MOVEMENT

the truth is gradually coming out

Gej till 2019!

.

Why would anyone reasonable government want to deal with OPC?

Space Booked

This is only Nigerian President in history that dignifies and patronizes miscreants, thugs, kidnappers, killers, embezzlers, the list is endless. Out of desperation though. Gani Adams is speaking for himself and his stomach, it is a shame when lowlives are dignified as representative of the Yorubas. Change is inevitable.


I thought they said it was apc propaganda when they announced 9 billion given to militanta. They are termed outlaws and they are the ones to protect our major natural resource. When did opc become a plc or conglomerate to now engage in contract proceedings. If shekau had accepted amnesty he too would have gotten his own contract.

Tinubu has a vision, he knows what is right for the country because a reasonable leader knows that supporting or financing a militia will surely have a very bad effect to the society which we have been seeing in Niger Delta and the Boko Haram issue,Tinubu is a nation builder not a destroyer.

[b]My question is why can't Jonathan encourage these militants to join army, navy and airforce instead of giving them money to buy weapons. I am sure he is going to spend less. But because of their evil agendas, they kept on weakening military and equipping terrorist. It will go a long way to destroy this country sooner or later. It will go beyond pdp and apc when, God fobid, all hell are let loose. This people will run away with their families living me and you to face the consequences.
Let us learn from civil war era. With due respect to ojukwu, we heard that he went to exile and still later came back to align politically with some people that frustrated his efforts. But what of those millions that died on his behalf?
Just like some empty brains that are happy about creations of many universities by this administration. Very soon the employer of labours will be demanding for only first class graduates with masters, less than 24 years of age, because the competition will be unbearably high. Instead to fix power and massively invest in technical schools and training centers, for all in all ramifications so that people can be self dependent, we are building structures and universities and depending on Asian countries for useless and substandard products .
CHINA GAVE US BILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOAN TO BUILD RAILWAY AND WE STILL GAVE THE CONTRACTS TO CHINESE COMPANIES? THINK PEOPLE.
For most populous black nation, we don't know our strength at all. That's why we will always be a slave to China.
Those u are wise will understand me better. [/b]