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Lawyer Knocks Lagos Governor's Aide, Joe Igbokwe, For Attacking Him Over Comments On Tinubu, 2023 Presidential Election

February 12, 2022

Igbokwe claimed that the lawyer mocked President Muhammadu Buhari and a chieftain of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his interview.

Legal practitioner, Kayode Ajulo, has fired back at Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Drainage and Water Resources, Joe Igbokwe, over statements credited to him on his social media page.

Ajulo said the interpretation of his statements by Igbokwe is false and do not represent the content and context of his interview.

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"Apparently, Pa Igbokwe must have watched another version of interview to have warranted such erroneous misrepresentation of my stances which were simple and clear enough to understand," he said.

Igbokwe had on Thursday reacted to Channels Television's Politics Today where Ajulo analysed governance under the present administration and the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2023 presidential election.

According to a thread of posts on his Facebook page, Igbokwe claimed that the lawyer mocked President Muhammadu Buhari and a chieftain of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his interview.

Ajulo, who disregarded the claims said the clip of his interview on Politics Today was still available on Channels Television's website for anyone seeking clarity.

"I am disappointed at how it is very comfortable for somebody in the rank of Pa Joe Igbokwe to deliberately distort facts for whatever reasons best known to him. I challenge him to present where I made these statements in the interview.

"Asiwaju is a well respected leader across party lines and I even acknowledged his benevolence towards me in that interview but it's unfortunate that did not interest Pa Igbokwe.

"I'm a known defender of President Buhari both in court of law and in public space. My reference to Mr President's health was on the basis of his own statements that his age tells on his performance, that he could have even performed more than he has done. How does referencing age and having personal preference for a younger and more competent person to become the next president of Nigeria translate to insults?

"And if I had quoted the many important responsibilities on the desk of the Vice President as part of reasons he has not officially declared to run for president, how does it mean to saying another person is jobless. This is simply a matter of perceptive of priority for Prof Osinbajo as at this time period.

"Therefore, Joe Igbokwe should be bold enough to vent his thoughts and stand by them. He cannot stylishly hang his hidden thoughts on my open and harmless statements. For me, this puts a question tag on Baba Igbokwe's loyality to his mind and even his principal,” Ajulo said.

Some of the posts on Igbokwe's Facebook page were also targeted at the person of the human rights lawyer.

 

Ajulo said the 2023 presidential election cannot thrive on propaganda, saying Nigerians were expecting campaign manifestos centred on real issues and how to set the country on the path of sustainable development.

"I am a noble man of conviction with a pedigree and I toe the path of integrity. Pa Igbokwe thrive on causing unreasonable upheavals where simple understanding is needed. That is evident in many inciting statements that have been credited to him in the media. I don't understand what he stands to gain by misrepresenting my words to cause tension where there is none.

"I really do not understand what Pa Igbokwe meant with "He will hear from us soonest". He should be reminded that I am a lawyer and I don't take issues of threat for granted. So, he has to be very delibrate about his statements as I urge that his principal to call him to order. 

"The realities of 2023 elections campaign is beyond campaign of calumny. Nigerians will only entertain issues based campaign with practicable ways to tackling prevailing issues. 

"This a mere distraction. My position on 2023 presidential election is simple and clear. Prof Yemi Osinbajo is the best option for the APC and Nigeria,” Ajulo added.