Kola Abiola, son of the late MKO Abiola, says he will not
react publicly to the recent comment by his sister comparing their father to
Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi.
Earlier in April, Bello declared his intention to run for
president on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and appointed
Hafsat Abiola-Costello, one of Abiola’s daughters, as the director-general of
his presidential campaign organisation.
The Kogi governor’s campaign slogan is ‘Hope 2023’, which is
similar to the slogan used by Abiola during the 1993 presidential election
campaign.
Speaking on her appointment, Hafsat had said she accepted it because the Kogi governor shares some qualities with that of her father.
But reacting to the development, Tundun Abiola — another
daughter of Abiola — said Hafsat does not have the right to “exploit” their
father’s name for Bello’s benefit.
Speaking on Friday when he featured on ‘One on One’, a
programme on ARISE TV, Kola said he would rather not speak on the matter in
public, adding that he doesn’t know the Kogi governor “well enough” to comment
on if he deserves the comparison.
“My late father, MKO, is a national brand that belongs to
all Nigerians. We’re the custodians of that brand and for me, as the head of
the family, my response is a lot more mature. I’d rather not discuss family
issues publicly. That’s my role. It’s to protect that, and not just to protect
that, but to protect what MKO himself stands for,” he said.
“So, I won’t comment
publicly on that. If I have my comments, when I see Hafsat, I’ll make them
directly to her or any family member that wants my comments. But publicly, I’d
never do that.
“They’ve come to me to ask and I’ve told them what I think
and that’s it. It’s family. I won’t go public. I have to play the mature one
here and that’s always been my role even at my own expense, detriment, because
that’s the role I’m meant to play.
“I think I’ve met Yahaya Bello one or twice. I don’t know
him to talk about him. I don’t know him well enough. Also, he’s a lot younger
than I am anyway. I’m not so old either, but that’s that.”
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