2023 election: Fani-Kayode asked to apologize over same-faith APC ticket

By Adeleye Kunle

Progressive Lawyers for Osinbajo (PLO) has asked ex-Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK) to apologize to Nigerians as the 2023 election season begins in full swing.

The group of legal practitioners declared that he went back on his word regarding the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

They said the former presidential aide has publicly recanted his advocacy because he joined the ruling party.

Fani-Kayode was recently appointed as Director of New Media, Bola Tinubu-Kashim Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

In a statement on Tuesday, PLO Publicity Secretary, Tom Praise Adoje made reference to FFK’s latest essay titled “Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu and Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral”.

Adoje said the politician attempted to promote APC’s controversial ticket and advised Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to support it.

“How can he openly criticize the same faith ticket in the past, and now solicit Prof. Osinbajo’s support for it?

“Fani-Kayode recounted the story of Absalom, but what about him completely denying and betraying his own faith.

“It is disappointing that those who believed in his strident crusade against Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 are now wondering what explains his sudden change of belief.”

The lawyers drew attention to previous comments, news stories and videos where the ex-minister opposed such a ticket before the 2015 polls.

Their reaction further stressed that it was misleading to solely credit the VP’s political successes to APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

PLO said the records of Osinbajo, who served as Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation in 1988, are not questionable as they are open to the public.

The group also recalled Fani-Kayode listed the disadvantages of same faith ticket in articles including an Op-Ed in 2014 titled ‘APC and the strange dream of Muslim/Muslim ticket’.

“That (FFK’s latest) article was in no way well thought out…he has eaten his words. We demand that he apologize to Nigerians”, the statement added