TUG OF WORDS :PRESIDENCY AND TINUBU

The presidency has said the view expressed by the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the proposed national conference is not that of the Yoruba.
It said since Tinubu "spoke of himself," his opinion should not be misconstrued to be that of the Yoruba.
The Senior Special Assistance to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr Toyin Okupe, stated this at the new conference in Abuja on Monday.
Okupe said that Tinubu's initial reaction on arrival from oversea's medicals trip on October 5 was not well-thought-out.
The former governor, who is also the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, had described the national dialogue as "a Greek gift and an act of public deception" which was ill timed because of the closeness of the forthcoming 2015 elections.
But Okupe said that the comment of the former governor was roundly opposed, rejected and condemned by a clear majority of the Nigerian people, especially the "authentic Yoruba Leadership" in the South West.
He, however did not mention the authentic Yoruba Leadership in the South West.
The Presidential aides said, "It is therefore clear and unarguable that whatever position the APC Leader holds on the issue of the national conference does not represent the views of the majority of Yoruba people in the South West."
He argued that Tinubu assertion that there was an ulterior motive for the conference was surely conjectural and speculative, adding that such a position had no foundations in any reasoning and logic.
Okupe said it is wrong for Tinubu to cite the non-Implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais committee recommendations on electoral reforms as a basic for his action.
 He said the conduct of the governorship elections in Edo state and Ondo states, where the ruling People's Democractic Party, lost to the opposition was hailed by majority of Nigerians, including Tinubu.
"One therefore wonder the mischief Tinubu to play by the alleged non-implementation reports of the Justice Mohammed Uwai committee on electoral reforms." Okupe added.
On whether the President would be bold enough to implement the outcome of the conference,Okupe said this is the first time the Federal Government took a bold initiative to call for a national conference without "no-go-area."
In order to realised this, he said the President has given the advisory committee headed by Senator Femi Okunronmu to determine the power of its nature and or struture.
Okupe also dismissed the claim by Tinubu that the President was organising the conference at the time PDP was embroiled in internal crises.
He said "The APC Leader, as usual, is completely off target. Desperate politicians and self seeking politicial leaders tend to believe their quest for power or insatiable appetite for wealth accumulation through politics is superior to the genuine desires and innate aspiration of the ordinary Nigerians.
"While the Tinubus of this world focus only on the 2015 general elections, most patriotic ordinary Nigerians are more concerned on the emergence of a united country based on equity and justice."
Okupe said that Tinubu wanted the Yoruba nation and indeed the people of Lagos State to believe that he was rendering service.
He called on Nigerians to ignore "the vituperation of such leaders who don't see anything good in anyone or any programme except they are either in control or that it is tailored to satisfy their inordinate desire and greed.
But Tinubu said in a statement on Monday his stance on the national conference could not be changed by the Presidency's "shadow boxing and presidential foul language."
He describe the presidency as "flip flopping," adding that it had failed to address the salient issues he raised about the proposed conference.
In the statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Sunday Dare, Tinubu said rather than deal with his questions, the Presidency only succeeded in reeling out fictional achievement
The statement reads in part, as usual, rather than deal with the salient and substantial issues surrounding the proposed national conference raised, the reaction from the Presidency skirted around them.
"In typical fashion, it resorted to abusive language and name calling. Okupe, like a punch drunk pugilist threw several empty jabs and went top a flight of fantasy praising his boss and flaunting fictional achievements of the administration in the face of Nigerians."
Tinubu, who chalenged the presidency to give answer to his "searching questions, added that Nigerians, who would "not be able to relate to all the fictional transformational achievements reeled out by the Presidency", would be the ones to judge.
He said, We urge Jonathan and his crying babies to take time to read the statement and address the cloud of doubts surrounding the proposed conference.
"This is flip-flopping Presidency that needs to provide answers to the question raised. It must know that no amount of shadow boxing and foul language can change that.
"While we wil not mind such person to be a leading figure in our Nollywood film Industry, I am frightened that he is the Chief Resident of Aso villa and is surrounded by a cast of likes mind
Punch.