He was the first aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of his readiness to succeed him in office after May 2023, and since toeing this line, the nation’s political firmament has never been the same again. Both the political landscape and the mass media have been awash with swirling waves of intrigues, innuendoes, and even insults from his unrelenting traducers and detractors. But from his legion of die-hard admirers and supporters now is the time for their benefactor to prove to the world that he is indeed a master political strategist and kingmaker who deserves to be crowned. They insist that his time has finally come and he should, therefore, go ahead and do the needful.
To this set of Nigerians, in and out of party politics, spanning all the six geo-political zones of the country and even in the Diaspora, Mr Tinubu is not only eminently qualified to contest, as he has recently indicated, but that he stands tall, head and shoulders above his peers. Some call him “the icon of Nigeria’s democracy”. Others state that he is indeed, the “political Jagaban, the juggernaut, the master strategist and political enigma” of modern politics in Nigeria.
Of the number that have indicated an interest in the plum, Mr Tinubu parades the most intimidating credentials. Here is one politician who has built structures across the country, akin only to the Chief MKO Abiola era.
Mr Tinubu’s declaration of intention has however thrown-up several issues that may constitute a stumbling block to the achievement of what he describes as “lifetime ambition”. Although he has publicly admitted interest in the office, some of his protégées including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola are rumoured to be equally interested in the position. Though none of these has made public such intention as Mr Tinubu did, their coterie of followers and supporters have been up in arms often not minding the fact that they are from the same zone and/or political family.
Although the insinuation that he played a key role in the emergence of Mr Osinbajo as President Buhari’s running mate in 2015 has since been discountenanced, the supporters of the Vice-President insist he could not have done anything extraordinary if indeed he played any role whatsoever. Mr Tinubu was equally a beneficiary of the kind consideration of the leadership of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999. “Chief Abraham Adesanya and other Afenifere leaders, who controlled the party, preferred him to even more prominent rivals including Engr. Funsho Williams MrsMrs. Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, they contend
Vice-President Osinbajo is considered the greatest challenge to the realisation of Mr Tinuibu’s political goal. The VP has endeared himself to the hearts of many Nigerians especially during the period he acted as President while President Buhari was outside Nigeria on medical treatment. His loyalty to Mr President, his ability to effortlessly pilot state affairs and forge a common front were put to test and it is believed he distinguished himself in this regard.
Mr Tinubu’s headache may be compounded by the perceived endorsement of the VP by his boss. Although the President has not publicly proclaimed anyone as his preferred choice, he has however left no one in doubt as to the fact that he indeed has his eyes on someone. At a recent interview with a private television station, the President, when asked if he had a preferred candidate said: “I wouldn‘t (mention the name of my favourite successor) because he may be eliminated if I do. I better keep that a secret”. An analyst has interpreted the President’s assertion to mean indeed he has his eyes on someone, “someone that may not have enormous political clout. Someone not definitely in the mould of Tinubu”, an analyst told Rulers’ World.
A close Aso Rock source has equally pointed to what he describes as ” stoic silence” by Mr Tinubu’s henchmen who are members of President Buhari’s cabinet. “Have you noticed that none of his associates in President Buhari’s cabinet have said anything publicly regarding his ambition? Not (Babatunde) Raji Fashola, not (Rauf) Aregbesola. Not even Alhaji Lai Muhammed. The only person who has said anything is Senator Babafemi Ojudu, and what he said is in the public domain. That tells a lot. It is a pointer to something, and that thing may not be in Tinubu’s interest”.
It was also said that his decision to visit Aso Rock to inform Mr President of his intention to contest for the office in 2023 may be an indication that all may not be well between the two APC top shots. It may also be indicative of a silent rejection of the much talked about gentleman agreement between the President and Mr Tinubu regarding handing over to him after May 2023.
Mr Tinubu being a Muslim may also be confronted with the problem of a choice of a vice-presidential candidate. Although he maintains a robust relationship with the Christian faith – his wife, Senator Remi is a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) – this may still not be enough. Going by the structure of politics in the country, Mr Tinubu, if he emerges as the flag bearer of his party, may have no other choice than a Christian Northerner. Will that be acceptable to the Fulani dominated North, is a one million dollar question.
There are unconfirmed rumours that the former governor may have reached an agreement with the current governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje as his running mate. Mr Ganduje is a Fulani Muslim. Will a Muslim-Muslim ticket be acceptable to the minority Christian population in the North, their counterparts in the South-East, South-South and South-West?
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Late last year, the Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF) publicly expressed its rejection of a possible Muslim-Muslim ticket for presidency in the 2023 general elections.
In a statement issued by its chairman, Engineer Ejoga Oyinehi Inalegwu, and made available to journalists in Kaduna, the Christian body noted that “NOSCEF read with concerns the reported meeting of a frontline politician with some Northern elders, advocating a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“NOSCEF noted that since the report was made, there was no rebuttal by the Northern elders. We wonder which Northern elders were in the said meeting.
“Let us recall the Chief Abiola Alhaji Kingibe Muslim-Muslim ticket that won the election in a military imposed two-party system in 1993. ‘Majority of Nigerians, including myself, voted for that ticket because, a vote for that ticket was a vote for fairness, equity, justice and power rotation between North and South, South East and North East”, a statement issued by iNOSCEF chairman, Engineer Ejoga Oyinehi Inalegwu, read in part.
Mr Tinubu’s ambition may also be dogged by the numerous allegations of forgery of his academic credentials, age falsification, allegations bothering on financial impropriety and the alleged emasculation of Lagos politics. Although these allegations are not new, they continue to make headline news since the flamboyant politician emerged governor of Lagos State in 1999. Since they have not been frontally addressed by the Tinubu camp, they may be a veritable source of a campaign of calumny against him.
His alleged involvement in the Lekki Toll Gate debacle when some innocent youths were mauled down by gun-wielding soldiers who have now been confirmed, we’re invited to the spot by the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The governor is one of the loyalists of Mr Tinubu. He is equally rumoured to be the proxy owner of Lekki Concession Company (LCC). Some of Mr Tinubu’s business interests were torched in the aftermath of the Lekki shooting.
Also, in the wake of a pervasive kidnapping that rocked the South-West region, Mr Tinubu maintained a disturbing silence. His action was interpreted as a tacit endorsement of the mindless murder of innocent souls in the region by suspected herders.
Meanwhile, with the appropriation of the leadership of the by Mr President, and failure to get the President to support his candidature, Mr Tinubu’s ambition may just be BID (Brought In Dead).
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