TheCable

Dele Alake, director of strategic communication in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, says those criticising Bola Tinubu’s godfatherism in Lagos are envious of his good deeds.

Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, was governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007. Since then, he has spread his political tentacles and gained influence in national politics through his allies.

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Friday, Alake said that though the notion of godfatherism has been given a negative connotation in Nigeria, there is nothing wrong with the concept if used to promote the public good.

He said those who criticise the former governor for being a godfather lack the mental and financial capability to attain the hegemonic status.

“The notion of godfatherism has been given a negative connotation in the political lexicon of Nigeria and by those who are unnecessary envious of others, not because they do not wish to be godfathers if they could work for it if they could have the mental and financial wherewithal to become a godfather,” he said.

“There is nothing absolutely wrong with godfatherism if that godfatherism is public-spirited.

“Awolowo, our revered sage, was a godfather because he produced many other leaders, and Ahmadu Bello was a godfather because he produced many leaders.

“Nnamdi Azikwe was a godfather because he also sired leaders politically, so therefore why should Tinubu’s own be given a negative connotation simply because people who are indolent, lazy, suffuse with inertia and lethargy, cannot work assiduously and cannot attain political height through which they could also develop other leaders and become positive godfathers.

“So, there is nothing essentially, inherently wrong with having a godfather as long as it is public-spirited.”