By Dotun Oladipo
Published: Monday, 28 Aug 2006

This advice was given by notable Nigerians who spoke at the 60th birthday celebration of former Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, in Lagos on Sunday.

Among those who made the call were the Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade; founding Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Solomon Lar; and the former Military Governor of Lagos State, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu,

Tinubu described Opadokun as a true democrat, a dogged and consistent fighter of the democratic struggle.

Tinubu said he combined this virtue with his stubbornness in spite of the travail he went through.

Lar faulted the mode of operation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, describing it as a Gestapo body that should only have existed in the era of the late Nazi leader, Adolph Hitler.

He said EFCC had consistently contravened the provision of Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, which he said forbids a an alternative police force.

Akinrinade praised the contributions of Opadokun to the democratic struggle, adding that he had choices to look after his family but instead choose to face the struggle headlong.

He said the struggle would continue for as long as there is lack of equity and social justice in the country.

Kanu said that as things were in the country, there is no way the lovers of democracy would not have to return to the trenches and probably return to the NADECO days.

Kanu said that those who formed NADECO did so when they became frustrated with the late General Sani Abacha for not honouring huis words to handover to the late Basorun Moshood Abiola as agreed to before he sacked the regime of Chief Earnest Shonekan.