Ifeanyi Ebenezer OnyikeTake it or leave it, the man Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has established himself as a brand in Nigerian politics. Not just because of his characteristic eye glass and cap that serves as his icons, but, because of his kind of politics which has set him apart as a sophisticated schemer who understands the importance of building bridges.
Thus, he has acquired for himself more than enough ground army to win any war and this makes him the candidate to beat in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
Perhaps, apart from his fight with the Obasanjo led federal government that saw him govern Lagos State without federal allocation for nearly two years, his ambition to become the next president of Nigeria will as a matter of fact be his biggest political fight ever. He doesn’t need tutorials on this, and if he was, events leading to the APC primaries with the attendant alignments, realignment, betrayals and all, must have served as an early warning signal to him.
The way the man maneuvered all obstacles to clinch the APC ticket could be considered as a major political win by some politicians and some of them would wear it like a badge as long as they lived. Such persons will seize every opportunity to announce that he or she was candidate of this or that political party 20 or even 40 years ago. But, not a Tinubu who has his eye on the bigger political turf. So, Baba is not resting, he began reconciliatory moves a day after the primaries. The game is to reconcile with all the major aspirants so that they can forge a formidable force against the PDP, Labour party and NNPP. Political pundits will consider this as a powerful political calculation, but, the health professionals may not be comfortable with it considering the man’s age and ailing health.
Although Tinubu’s age remains a matter of contention, his poor health condition is public knowledge. The BAT I saw at the Eagle Square on the 6th of June was a shadow of the man in whose administration I received free education in Lagos State between the year 2000 and 2003. The man had trouble flipping through a 2 or 3 page speech prepared for him. The climax was the confirmation of his victory, and lifting of the flag. But, the lion of Bourdillon could not lift a little flag, the same occasion he labored tirelessly for. My eyes got misty as I saw the sickly Buhari helping the allegedly healthy Jagaban to lift his flag. This still did not work until the party chairman (I guess) supported him from under. Is that how sickly the aspiring president has become?
The inability of a party’s flag bearer to lift the flag casts a very poor picture of the preparedness of the party for election. But, this is Nigeria where recent events have proved that being fit for leadership is removed as a precondition for participating in an election. Knowing that the politicians in Nigeria value big spenders and would goad even a zombie to the position of authority, as long as he is willing to buy himself through, one should be more concerned about Tinubu’s children and well-wishers. Is it that his state of health doesn’t bother them?
The Jagaban is not healthy enough for the stress his cheerleaders are making him go through. What he is doing now is against medical advice and his family should be fair enough to caution him. Old age, especially one that is attended by ill health demands that the man enjoys sufficient rest. Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate for the election, is another old man lured by the desire to become president in his life time. But, unlike Tinubu, Atiku has been resting in his ‘castle’ in Dubai since he clinched the PDP ticket as the flag bearer. Perhaps, he understands that he needed to be alive and strong enough to lead the country if he eventually becomes president.
Understandably, a man can be deceived by his own assessment of his readiness or fitness for an action. What Tinubu is doing is akin to a 90year old man that gets himself entangled with a sweet sixteen girl. It’s a discerning mind that would see this as suicide. This man’s family, especially his children should have been able to see the ailing health of their father as enough reason to discourage him from the mission he is embarking on. Even a warrior selects his fights even when he is sure of victory. The lure to be called the first family can be enticing, but, not enough.
Most annoying is the attitude of the delegates. They cheered the man on from the beginning to the end. One risks thinking that these were people who genuinely loved the Ashiwaju, but hell no, the level of bureau de change kind of service that allegedly happened at the event exposes their love for what they got and not the giver. To an extent, the slogan now is that while other aspirants were buying delegates, Jagaban bought both the delegates and aspirants.
The Jagaban had children who are old enough to become president. I’m very sure he wasn’t as old as some of his kids when he became a senator in 1993. Wouldn’t it be better to use his connection across the country to enhance the chances of any of his sons, rather than going through the onerous task of leading over 200 million people from the front? Olusola Saraki did it. He used his might to enthrone his son who was barely 41 years at the time as the governor of Kwara State in 2003. Today, Bukola Saraki is one of the biggest political heavy weights in the current dispensation having served as Senate President for two tenures.
Tinubu has done well for himself, but, a big masquerade should learn to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. To me, what he is doing currently is suicidal, and I’m sure nobody that genuinely loves the man would support this mission. The cheering crowd will eventually disperse the moment they succeed in cheering him to perdition. They did it to Jesus Christ; did it to MKO Abiola and they are doing it to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu- the Jagaban.
Is Buhari stronger or weaker now compared to when he just assumed office of the Presidency?
Maybe medical attention that comes with the relevance of being a president will vindicate him!