By Wuraola OyedokunÂ
An elder statesman and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, on Sunday, called on President Bola Tinubu to stop intimidating those with divergent views and voices against his government, saying past Nigerian Presidents did not browbeat the president.
Farounbi lamented that the security architecture of the country appeared poised to intimidate anybody with divergent opinions.
The former envoy said what is happening now is contrary to the promise made by the president during his inauguration.
The elder statesman spoke on the heel of the arrest of Omoyele Sowore and other recent security invitations and arrests, saying if God and men had been gracious to Tinubu, he must be gracious to Nigerians.
The former media manager said: “In his speech, he promised to tolerate divergent opinions. He promised not to intimidate or victimise anyone on the account of holding divergent political opinions. What is happening now? The security architecture of the country appears poised to intimidate anybody with divergent opinions.
“If those who were in government when he aired and held divergent opinions had intimidated him, he would not have been where he is today. Aside from the late Sanni Abacha, no other past presidents intimidated him. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd) did not intimidate him and his people in the Alliance for Democracy (AD) when they formed the party. Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan did not intimidate him. Former President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t intimidate him, even though they said he didn’t support him. If men and God have been gracious to President Tinubu, I expect him to be gracious to others”.