The joy of a fulfilled father is hinged on right of chest thumbing, predicated on the number of children he has raised and those who are able to keep his dream alive long after he is gone. In Igbo land for instance, “afu nwa elota nna” is a popular hail line a true son of his father should derives pride in. Literally interpreted, “the reminder of his father’s memory” it speaks not only to a proud son who replicates his father in physical appearance but valour and uncommon traits that endear people to him whether living or gone.
Irrespective of what you think about the Lagos pillar of politics, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he stands tall in our country’s political firmament as one whose signature is bold and visible on the number of successful mentees he has churned out since his foray in public service. Like someone succinctly put it, big names as Babatunde Fashola, Akinwumi Ambode, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Muiz Banire, Rauf Aregbesola, Dabiri Erewa-Abike and many others have graduated from Asiwaju’s school of politics. Outstandingly, Lagos, Jagaban’s stronghold where the PDP throughout its 16 years in power never touched has in a way been in the lead in producing fantastic governors starting from Asiwaju in 1999 to Babajide Sanwo-Olu today. The status of Lagos as a mega commercial city of the largest black country in the world, with a burgeoning population that intimidates some African countries such as Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Guinea-Bissau and many others is not in any way a training ground for baby governors. Little wonder the city with its peculiar challenges has remained a reference point in infrastructure and good governance.
While some believe that this is a byproduct of Asiwaju’s gift for unravelling the best for certain assignments, others see it as a perpetuation of self hegemony with a cardinal objective of sustaining a carefully mastered mind coercion and abidance to a chain of loyalty that gives Asiwaju what belongs to Asiwaju and Lagosians what belongs to Lagosians. Ambode, the only governor in Lagos since the return of democracy in 1999 to have lost out a second term bid may have sinned, falling short of the glory of Asiwaju by giving to Lagosians what belongs to Asiwaju and even seizing it entirely. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former Vice, Atiku Abubakar taught us that political sins are not easily forgiven in Nigeria and we all saw how a state chief executive could not muster the needed support that would hand him a fresh four years in office in 2019. Who wept for Ambode?
That the Lagos big landlord is on the news today did not come as a surprise to keen political observers. His recent visit to the President, Muhammadu Buhari brought to an end months of speculations on whether he would vie for the number one job in the land in 2023 when the lifespan of the current administration is expected to end. Of course what else would be commensurate enough to appreciate the master himself for being the number one marketer of the APC brand if not the Aso Villa itself? What would one probably offer a man who ceded his vice presidential slot to a godson for the sake of religious balancing in 2015 than the number one seat itself? What would one offer a man who ensured that a Buhari brand, perceived to be carrying a baggage of military ‘khaki’ without any aura of democratic civility is marketed to the Nigerian people especially the South? What else will commensurate the effort of a man whose political party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN constituted the largest population among the birds of strange fellows that later formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) known as APC whose cardinal objective was simply to produce a Buhari Presidency or form a parallel government?
Undeniably, it falls within the fundamental rights of the former Lagos governor to seek for any office he so desires as a Nigerian citizen. Interestingly, he may be putting his arsenal together to square it out with the man he once appointed into his cabinet as Lagos governor to serve him as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the man he willingly put forward in place of himself as candidate Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015. Should Asiwaju not be happy that one of his political plants has germinated, grown and mature enough to face the master himself in a political tournament at the community square? In as much as VP Osinbajo has not declared that his eye is on Buhari’s seat, the same way Asiwaju did, there is nothing to suggest that he is not interested in graduating from his subordinate position to a supervisory one. Has the Professor of Law spoken on his campaign billboards springing up all over the country? Has he denied or dissociated himself from campaign offices operating in his name all across the country? Lest we forget, he is armed with the fundamental right to seek election into any office he so desires as well.
With the likes of Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and many more from the South indicating interest to lead the country in 2023, it is too early in the day to declare with certainty who will be favoured by the masses. Again, elementary knowledge of Nigerian politics teaches that VP Yemi Osinbajo couldn’t have emerged from the blue moon to mull presidential contest without taking it to the table of his Principal the President to gauge his pulse. That would have been a capital political sin.
Whichever means the Lagos chief political tactician may want to deploy in having an upper hand to outsmart his (former) godson who appears to have garnered sufficient war chest in terms of finance, experience and national appeal remains to be seen. Expectedly, the President, Muhammadu Buhari has kept mum on who his choice of successor will likely fall on. However, one can easily read the writing on the wall that Jagaban may not be Baba’s choice of successor. The reason to arrive at this conclusion is not far-fetched. Recall that after Tinubu’s visit, the President in a rare media outing declared that he wants to conceal the identity of his preferred successor to shield him from possible elimination. Could Tinubu have been the one in this description? Who is he that has mustered enough balls to dare he who even the Lagos mafias bow to?
Jagaban without mincing words has a legion of hurdles to reach his journey to the palatial presidential villa. Even among his battalion of godsons and daughters, there are few rebels who believe Asiwaju should jettison his ambition. Sen. Babafemi Ojudu will stop at nothing in telling those interested to hear that he was not made by Tinubu and that both of them only enjoyed a political relationship that was beneficial to both parties. According to him, it is his right to pitch his political tent anywhere he chooses. Who can dispute this? There are others though silent who are in alignment with Ojudu.
How much of grip Tinubu still holds in five of six states where APC holds swear in the South West remains to be ascertained. Does he really call the shot in states like Ekiti, Osun and Ondo where the SAN governor spikes him at the slightest opportunity? Understandably, his ambition has raised litany of unanswered questions within the ranks of South-East elite who think South West should wait a while, having had its turn of the presidency in Olusegun Obasanjo. Their argument is that in the tripod arrangement called Nigeria, the Hausa and Yoruba have ruled while the Igbo since Independence is yet to produce the number one man in the land, what they call marginalisation that may have brought about the resurgence in agitation for Biafra Republic and emergence of separatist groups.
The negative connotation which the acronym, APC and the slogan ‘change’ have acquired in the past seven years of this administration is another issue to be settled with a vast majority of Nigerians. The burgeoning poverty rate in the land, the massive job loss, the insecurity, fear and apprehension in the minds of our people, the dwindling living standard, the skyrocketing cost of living, free fall in the value of Naira and loss of confidence in the government are some common unpalatable indices a vast majority of Nigerians will remember this government for. Even among those who played a vital role in installing this government, they believe the Buhari and APC leadership has not met the yearnings of the people. Will Jagaban weather the storm?
Another concern those critical of a Tinubu Presidency are raising is about what his real age is. While Jagaban goes about telling people he is just little above 70, sons and daughters of Thomas are casting doubt. Even at that, they said the Lagos strong man deserves some rest from the mucky waters of politics at his age. Even when they want him to concentrate on his divine calling of kingmaking, the only question Asiwaju has for them is, “where is it written that a kingmaker should not be a king?”
As I bring this piece to a conclusion, there is everything constitutionally and legally right with Tinubu eyeing the highest office in the land. This nobody can argue. Added to this is his experience, contact and capacity to mobilise resources, even command bullion vans. Talking about morality, should Jagaban not bury his ambition and support a South-East Presidency instead, in the spirit of enhancing the mouthed national unity and peaceful co-existence?
While the race for the 2023 gradually picks, it is pertinent to state that irrespective of who carries the day, the security and welfare of Nigerians which have been at its lowest ebb in recent times should occupy the front burner as the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended captures it. The era of seeing the people as a ladder to climb to power after which they are discarded to the oblivion is long gone. The people are wiser and more informed. Let me not remind you of the almighty #EndSARS to prove this point.
Irrespective of what happens, we will only have one President in 2023 on whose shoulder the leadership of our country shall fall. Who that person finally becomes is a collective decision of over 200 million Nigerians. Enemanna, Abuja-based journalist, writes via [email protected]
