Godfatherism: Lagos Is Not Kaduna – APC Fires Back At Gov El-Rufai

APC Slams El-Rufai Over Godfatherism Comments

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has replied Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State over his comments on ending godfatherism in Lagos State.

Naija News recalls El-Rufai, while speaking at an event over the weekend in Lagos, stated that it is possible to end the domineering activities of godfathers in Lagos State, just as he did in Kaduna State.

The Governor went ahead to boast that he won re-election in Kaduna state without the support of any godfather, hence succeeding in ‘retiring four godfathers from politics.’

El-Rufai’s statement is believed to be a veiled attack on the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, whose dominance of the political structure in Lagos State is well documented.

However, in a direct reaction to El-Rufai’s submission, Joe Igbokwe, Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos, noted on Tuesday that Lagos was not Kaduna where El-Rufai ended the dominance of godfathers.

He added that Asiwaju Tinubu worked hard to attain his current political status and anyone interested in achieving such status, must be ready to work hard for it just like Tinubu did.

“That was what happened; he was making reference to Asiwaju Tinubu. The person that threw up the question is Muiz Banire, and you know the relationship between Banire and Asiwaju. But Lagos is not Kaduna,” Daily Post reports Igbokwe said in a press statement.

“They want to be like Asiwaju, they want to command respect, they want the world to accept them the way they have accepted Asiwaju, they want to get great followers like Asiwaju BAT, they want to be admired the way people admire Asiwaju, they want the people to love them the way they love Asiwaju, they want to stand tall anywhere they go like Asiwaju, they want to attract attention like Asiwaju, they want to be celebrated and honored like Asiwaju, they want to be worshiped the way Asiwaju’s great followers worship him, they want to be lifted up the way God has lifted Asiwaju up, they want to be noticed like Asiwaju, they want to stand out like Asiwaju and they want to influence decisions at all levels like Asiwaju, etc.

“But in actions and deeds they are not like Asiwaju. In character and in tolerance they are not like Asiwaju. In commitment and hard work they are not like BAT.

“In grace and empathy, they are not like BAT. In temperament and love for humanity, they are not like Asiwaju. They cannot surrender their home to the people the way BAT has been doing. They cannot fight for others the way BAT does.

“They cannot deny themselves freedom for the sake of others the way BAT does. They cannot stand for the ordinary people the way Asiwaju does. They cannot be trusted the way we trust BAT.

“They cannot give the way BAT does. They cannot sacrifice what BAT has sacrificed for humanity for close to 40 years. They cannot live for others the way the way Asiwaju has done for years. I can go on and on but he who must lead others must first lead himself.”