Arise TV Presenter and daughter of the late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election, has reprimanded her sister, Hafsat, for using their father’s name to promote the presidential bid of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi.
Recall that last Saturday during the Presidential declaration of Yahaya Bello, he appointed Hafsat Abiola-Costello as the Director-General of his campaign, and also adopted the slogan “Hope 2023” similar to the slogan of Abiola during the 1993 presidential election Campo.
The DG, Hafsat later appeared on Arise TV interview and said she accepted the appointment because Yahaya Bello shares some qualities with that of her father.
The comparison did not go well with Tundun, who reacted to the development on Monday while co-anchoring Morning Show, a programme on ARISE TV, stating that her sister does not have the right to “exploit” their father’s name for Bello’s benefit.
“You did warn me, didn’t you Dr. Abati that all kind of characters are going to be coming on here, that I should brace myself, but I was actually quite dismayed by your interview yesterday.
“I have come to expect certain things, even from that individual, but just because it’s not surprising does not mean it’s not staggeringly inappropriate. I’m referring to my half-sister, Hafsat who is the DG of Yahaya Bello’s campaign, and her making comparisons with my Dad.
I mean, there are a lot of political players in his team and not one of them feels the need to throw their father under the bus for the sake of their principal. Come out and talk about your principal, his antecedents, his stands for the future of Nigeria and leave Daddy out of it.
It’s not her right, because it’s not her name, it’s our name and it’s also the name of future generations of Abiola yet unborn who should be proud of the legacy. My father was tortured because United Nations does consider solitary confinement as torture. He was tortured and then murdered, and has left his legacy only for it to be abused in this fashion
“Everybody should just leave his name out of it, especially dishonesty, false equivalence, and cynical exploitation of a genuine struggle. It is nauseating,” she said.
Watch video:
Still on Hafsat Abiola as DG of Yahaya Bello campaign, where she compared Bello with MKO Abiola, I find this response by Tundun Abiola of AriseTV very brilliant. The MKO Abiola name is a family legacy & no individual, child or not, should be allowed to soil it for selfish gains. pic.twitter.com/dlEFQ5n7Pg
— Ayò-Bánkólé Akíntújoyè (@AyoBankole) April 4, 2022
In a related development, former Senator Shehu Sani had described the comparison of Abiola to Yahaya Bello was unconscionable and bogus.
