A chieftain of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan, has again taken a swipe at Governor Seyi Makinde over his recent jumping display during a political gathering, describing it as an unnecessary spectacle that falls short of the seriousness expected of someone aspiring to lead Nigeria.
Olopoeyan said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rally in Kaduna had demonstrated the difference between a politician campaigning to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and one whose public conduct, in his view, resembles performances associated with the defunct World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now known as WWE.
The APM chieftain stated this on Saturday in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to Olopoeyan, the difference between Tinubu’s political engagement in Kaduna and Makinde’s jumping display raises questions about the message the Oyo governor intends to communicate to Nigerians as he seeks to position himself on the national political stage.
“President Tinubu’s rally in Kaduna has shown the difference between someone who wants to become President of Nigeria and someone who appears to be auditioning for the championship of the World Wrestling Federation of the 1970s.
“Is the Nigerian presidency now a wrestling arena? Is the presidential campaign about who can jump the highest, or about who has the experience, ideas, political maturity and capacity to lead a country as complex as Nigeria?” Olopoeyan asked.
“Governorship is not a comedy show, and the presidency is certainly not a wrestling championship. Nigerians deserve to know what a presidential aspirant intends to do for them, not merely what he can do on a campaign stage.
“If Governor Makinde believes he has what it takes to lead Nigeria, he should tell Nigerians what he wants to do differently. He should present his ideas, defend his record and explain how he intends to tackle the problems confronting our country,” he said.
The APM chieftain maintained that political campaigns should be platforms for presenting policies, engaging citizens and demonstrating leadership qualities, rather than opportunities to turn serious national conversations into entertainment.
He also urged Nigerians to look beyond campaign spectacles and assess political aspirants based on their records in public office, their policy proposals and their ability to provide responsible leadership.
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