Al-Mustapha: War in OPC’s camps as Fasehun tackles Gani Adams, others

The Dr. Frederick Fasehun-led arm of Oodua People’s Congress has warned Otunba Gani Adams; a former Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, Chief Ayo Opadokun; and others to stop endangering the peace of Yorubaland by casting aspersions on the person and integrity of the Founder and President of the socio-cultural organisation, Fasehun.
In a statement signed by Fasehun’s faction’s National General Secretary, Comrade Dare Adesope, and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sola Ajayi Edward, the camp threw its weight behind Dr. Fasehun’s campaign for the release of former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, freed recently by the Court of Appeal from a death sentence he bagged from a Lagos High Court over the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
Rising from a meeting in Lagos on Monday, the OPC leaders made their views known.
Fasehun’s camp kicked against recent statements made in several print and broadcast media by Opadokun and Adams, who have derided Fasehun for campaigning for the release of Al-Mustapha.
Taking exception to Opadokun’s claim that Fasehun’s relationship with Al-Mustapha amounted to “dining with the devil,” the OPC challenged the former NADECO boss to explain what he and other Yoruba leaders went to do in Aso Rock with Abacha’s successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the day after the death of Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola.
The statement reads: “Rather than bad-mouth our esteemed Founder, Opadokun should explain to the world what happened to cash withdrawals made during their visit totalling, $200 million, £75 million and N500 million. All these are duly recorded and we have the tape.
“These self-appointed critics intentionally insinuate that Dr. Fasehun collected money from Al-Mustapha to support him because they themselves never do anything for free.
“Adams is demonstrating his usual taste for blood by calling for the head of a man declared innocent by the Judiciary. His reaction to the release of Al-Mustapha is a reflection of his educational deficiency and nothing more should be expected from an illiterate who dropped out of apprenticeship as a carpenter. How can such an educational-retard have the slightest notion that the ruling of a higher court, the Court of Appeal, supercedes the judgment of a lower court?”
Noting that the South-West has enjoyed calm for some time now, leaders of the OPC, who met in Lagos State, said recent utterances by Adams were capable of inflaming anger amongst members.
“We have the names of Gani’s sponsors and paymasters, and if trouble breaks out due to his violent utterances, they will not escape the wrath of Yoruba people. Adams is trying to get undeserved recognition and sympathy for himself, because he has been losing members in droves. It is better for him and his cohorts to stop disparaging Dr. Fasehun in the day and coming to prostrate before him at night.”
The OPC leaders said Adams and his paymasters were now afraid that Fasehun’s successful efforts in the Al-Mustapha case will give the about-to-be-resuscitated Unity Party of Nigeria colossal political mileage in the North., adding: “In fact, Gani Adams benefited immensely from Abacha’s incarceration of Fasehun. Adams seized the opportunity of Fasehun’s long absence to champion the factionalisation of OPC.”
They insisted that since Fasehun escorted Al-Mustapha to Kano last week, the lives and security of Yoruba people had become more guaranteed than ever before throughout the North.
“He needs to be educated that in sensitive criminal matters like murder, no court will convict an accused unless the case is proved beyond reasonable doubt,” maintained the OPC leaders.