The Publicity Secretary of Lagos PDP has accused the Cardinal of being a politician disguised in religion.
Cardinal Anthony Okogie of the Catholic church said recently, in Punch Newspapers, that Goodluck Jonathan was deceived by Obas. His comment did not go down well, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a telephone interview with Punch Newspapers, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Lagos State, Mr. Taofik Gani, said “With due regard to Cardinal Okogie, it may be coincidental that he is a progressive but a hidden politician in religion, who believes that the people in the APC are progressives. But I want to say without any iota of contradiction that it has always been convenient for Cardinal Okogie to support the APC and we know all these people. We also have them in the PDP who support us.”
He said “So, we wouldn’t blame Cardinal Okogie. We have professionals, activists, religious leaders, who are also sympathetic to the PDP cause. What Okogie said, therefore, was deliberate; just to embarrass the PDP and the former President. The royal fathers have their traditional role which is not to have anybody as beloved. Everybody in their dynasty is regarded as their subjects.”
Gani also said “We know the role the Oba of Lagos played. Is Cardinal Okogie oblivious of that fact? Why didn’t he generalise that all the Obas misled all the politicians? In fact, the xenophobic statement made by the Oba of Lagos could have destroyed the country.”
Adding that “It is now the same xenophobia that the APC is quick to impose on our leader, Bode George. But it was the APC who influenced the verbal attacks through the Oba of Lagos, who was an obvious member of the APC by his actions.”