The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has been warned against influencing the emergence of the next Ooni of Ife by a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George.
George said this while speaking with The Punch newspaper. He added that Tinubu should not use his relationship with the Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to manipulate the process.
“He will be making attempts to manipulate the process. They will do politics with it but it will blow up. They should allow the kingmakers to do their work. If he manipulates the process, he will create a huge problem in Yoruba land.
“He (Tinubu) tried it at the National Assembly but came back with a slap. He should, therefore, not go out of his way to bring in an APC-inclined man as the next Ooni. We want an Ooni that will be fair and not connected with all these politicians.
“We need an experienced person. We want the person that the kingmakers will approve of. As the Atona Oodua, I know how these things are done.
“Let him allow the kingmakers do their job. He should not set Yoruba land on fire. Aregbesola should, instead, focus on paying salaries.” he said.
Bode George said the politics of Ife were not like those of Lagos and warned Tinubu to stay away from the ancient town’s politics.
The former NPA chair also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the south-east produced the next secretary to the federal government. (Punch).