Tinubu’s aide alerts public on ‘nefarious agenda of NADECO impostor’

As pro-democracy group distances self from USA branch, congratulates Tinubu

A special adviser to President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has cautioned members of the public over an alleged plot to “disparage and cast aspersions on the credibility of the 2023 presidential election freely and fairly won” by Tinubu.

In a statement, yesterday, Dele Alake said “attention has been drawn to an attempt by one Lloyd Ukwu, a United States-based Nigerian, claiming to be the Executive Director of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), to organise a press conference specifically intended” to rubbish the election.

Also, NADECO Secretary, Ayo Opadokun, distanced the pro-democracy group from the activities of Ukwu, saying: “We will like to state without any equivocation that NADECO has no existing branch in the USA, having regard to the fact that a global conference of the organisation, presided over by its then leader, Chief Anthony Enahoro, at Virginia, USA, in October/November 1999, decided to wind down its international operations and activities, thenceforth. And there has been no discussion and or decision to reopen any office outside Nigeria’s shore till date.”

Alake said: “It must be stated emphatically and without any ambiguity that Ukwu is an impostor, hell bent on hoodwinking unsuspecting Nigerians in the diaspora and the international community to further a sinister agenda on behalf of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, who came a distant third in the last presidential election.”

According to him, “that Ukwu is attempting to fraudulently exploit the NADECO platform for Peter Obi against Asiwaju Tinubu is so laughable and a grave insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians, who witnessed first-hand the struggle by the pro-democracy group in restoring democratic rule to Nigeria and the roles played by prominent Nigerians, including independence hero and nationalist, the late Chief Anthony Enahoro, Asiwaju Tinubu, and Prof. Wole Soyinka.

“We reiterate that Ukwu was very peripheral to this group of eminent statesmen and illustrious Nigerians who bore the pain and peril of exile, so that our country could be free from the jackboot of military dictatorship of the late General Sani Abacha.

“It is imperative to remind Ukwu and his desperate paymasters that while Asiwaju Tinubu put his life and resources on the line during those challenging times, the likes of Peter Obi were either hobnobbing with the military or nowhere to be found.

“In trying to robe himself in an unbefitting garb, Ukwu’s desperation to confer credibility on his mission by using the NADECO name is bound to hit a dead-end and ignominy. To hide under the name of NADECO to deceive the international media and interest groups is an act that should be condemned by right thinking people.

“We are of a firm belief that Lloyd Ukwu is an agent of the LP and Peter Obi, who were rejected by majority of Nigerians at the February 25 polls.

“Majority of Nigerians have spoken loud and clear that Asiwaju Tinubu is their choice to lead Nigeria from May 29, 2023. There is absolutely nothing Ukwu and his ilk can do to change this fact of history.”

Meanwhile, NADECO congratulated Tinubu for his victory at the February 25, 2023 presidential election, adding: “We strongly believe that he would diligently utilise his good offices to right the many wrongs in Nigeria, particularly, the urgent demand for speedy return to federal constitutional governance, which he had fought for both as part of us (NADECO) in the trenches and as a two-term governor of Lagos State.