reportedly laying siege on the
Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos,
residence of the national leader of
the All Progressive Congress,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
A statement issued by the former
governor’s media office said
soldiers riding in three patrol vans
and army truck have been
stationed close to the residence for
three days to the consternation of
many people in the area.
Their obvious targets, the statement
said, include Tinubu himself and
perhaps the hordes of politicians
and visitors that visit the residence.
The statement said the soldiers
were first noticed in the area at
about 11.00pm on Sunday.
It said, “They stationed about 500
meters away from Tinubu’s gate.
Later they moved close to his gate
as if they want to enter the
premises. The stern looking soldiers
were around for hours on Sunday
and returned on Monday to
continue their surveillance.
“On Monday night about 10.45pm,
they returned to the residence in
two army vans and were there
throughout the night. Some of the
soldiers discharged from the van
and walked back and forth in front
of the house and around the house.
On Tuesday morning, two vans
from the army were stationed on
both sides of the house with their
missions shrouded in secrecy.
“Tinubu remains emphatically
resolute and committed to the path
of change in Nigeria and the
liberating manifesto of the All
Progressives Party. Tinubu is an
unrelenting critic of the
maladministration of the Jonathan-
led PDP government. He is credited
to have played the most pivotal role
in the re-building of the Nigerian
opposition and the formation of the
APC, Nigeria’s most formidable
opposition party since
independence.
“The exact mission of the soldiers is
not known but it fits clearly into a
new pattern of intimidation of
leaders of the APC and the
opposition. The recent massing of
soldiers for three days now at
Tinubu’s gate might be part of a
broader plan by the Jonathan
Presidency to intimidate Tinubu
and his political associates and
scare him from making provocative
statements or building a broad
coalition against the present
government as he did during the
NADECO days.
“As the scaremongering by the
army continues, Nigerians must
come to the realization that the
military has abandoned its
statutory role and have now being
dragged into partisan politics.
Nigerians and the South West
should hold the Jonathan led
military responsible if any harm or
danger comes to Tinubu and his
family. The case of the ‘Unknown
Soldier’ is too recent in our
memory.”
Meanwhile, the former governor
has said he will not be intimidated
“by this latest show of strength,
intimidation and possible
harassment.”
He stated this while reacting to the
presence of soldiers in places close
to his residence.
“I remain resolute in my advocacy
and support for the rule of law.
Jonathan’s government has through
the service chiefs staged a coup
against Nigerians and the
Constitution and now wants to
silence his critics. I will not be
muzzled through the barrel of the
gun. The guns and bullets they
should use to defeat Boko Haram
are now being turned against the
opposition and innocent
Nigerians,” he said.
