Enemies within APC unveiled
His suitability not in doubt – Loyalists
He should first present his school certificates – George
BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s dream of becoming Nigeria’s President in 2023 may be hanging on a cliff of religion, age, zoning and opposition in the All Progressives Congress, investigations have shown.
It was reliably gathered that key political heavy weights in the country were strongly against the idea of Tinubu for President.
With deft political subtlety, the former governor of Lagos State and one of the key national leaders of the APC, last Tuesday, cleverly declared his decision to take his chances in the 2023 presidential election, saying he would not decline the many calls by supporters and admirers for him to contest.
By this statement, Tinubu had made it clear that his resolve to contest the 2023 presidential election was no longer in the realm of speculation.
Tinubu, who hinted at this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Northern Alliance Committee, however, insisted that he would still consult widely before finally declaring his intention for the 2023 presidential poll.
He said, “I am not going to turn them down but I will still effectively and widely consult, particularly brainstorm with my friends and find a date to come out openly and tell Nigerians.
“But the President is still in office. I don’t want to distract him from all the challenges he might face today. So, don’t muddle the political waters. Consult, make our programme known to the people later. And the intention is clear. So, you can keep guessing.”
Leader of the group, Lawal Munir, while endorsing Tinubu’s presidential ambition, also revealed that the meeting resolved to work towards the actualisation of his ambition in 2023 due to his superlative qualities.
“The meeting ended very well. We are working for him. We are working for him because we know he will win the election when the time comes,” he said.
Despite the fact that the former Lagos governor has not formally declared his intention to run, one of his mobilisation machines, Tinubu Support Group, has already commenced mobilisation of party faithful across the country in order to ensure his 2023 presidential ambition comes to fruition.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had in October inaugurated the South West Agenda 2023 (SWAGA ’23), a political movement that has been mobilising support for Tinubu to throw his hat in the 2023 presidential ring.
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN CANDIDACY ECHOES
However, a senior staff at the Abuja secretariat of the APC, said the party might be considering a Southern and Christian candidate, noting that this was the wish of some party members.
Should this proposal scale through, Tinubu might be walking on a tightrope, it was gathered.
Also, John James Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, had said the party would come up with a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate that would fly its flag in 2023.
A reliable source in the party told The Point that the belief among some APC members at the moment was that in a bid to foster unity and togetherness in the party, the zoning between the North and South must be honoured. However, some others are of the opinion that Presidency should go to the best, regardless of where the candidate comes from.
Another source noted that there were others who strongly believed that the issue of religion should also be considered, especially among Christians and Muslims, the two major religions in the country.
“I can bet you, any amount of money, let Bola bring out the certificate of his Primary School, the Secondary School, and the university he attended. We want to see them
“
He said if President Buhari, a Northerner and Muslim, could settle for a Christian Vice President from the South in 2015, then it was imperative that a Christian presidential candidate from the South would emerge in 2023 and that the person would choose a Muslim running mate from the North.
The source, who asked not to be named, owing to his position in the party, said, “That position is very true. There is a strong belief in the APC now that the next presidential candidate must be from the South. We can’t afford to gamble with another Northerner after President Buhari has served for eight years. However, there are also others who are of the view that if the candidate must come from the South, the person must be a Christian.
“That is how it has always been since 1999. Obasanjo, a Christian, and Atiku Abubakar, a Muslim, ruled from 1999 to 2007. The late Umaru Yar’Adua, a Muslim from the Northern part of the country became president in 2007 and Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the South was the Vice President.
“When Yar’Adua died, Jonathan became president and he chose Namadi Sambo, a Muslim from the North, who was former governor of Kaduna as his vice. When President Buhari became APC presidential candidate in 2014, he almost settled for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a Muslim from the South, but even within the party, there was uproar against a Muslim-Muslim ticket and he had to settle for Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a Christian.
“I don’t think the situation will change in 2023. There are some people who are already grumbling that will another Muslim take over from President Buhari in 2023 even if the ticket is zoned to the South? These are issues we are considering and it is important it is given utmost attention because all indices matter in politics, especially for a country like Nigeria.”
He said this just as the League of Imams and Alfas, Muslim professionals and stakeholders in the South-West have insisted that if presidency must come to the South, then it must be given to a Muslim.
According to them, no Muslim from the South has either been President or Vice President in Nigeria since independence.
TINUBU’S ‘ARCH-ENEMIES’
Inside the APC, Tinubu’s perceived arch-enemies are said to be growing by the day with the likes of Rotimi Amaechi, current Minister of Transportation; Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor; Akinwunmi Ambode, former Governor of Lagos State; Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo (not in the APC).
Obasanjo, a reliable source hinted, would prefer any other person to be president of Nigeria rather than Tinubu.
Obasanjo, it was alleged, was among those who prevented Tinubu from becoming President Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate in 2015. “Obasanjo swiftly scuttled the combination on the grounds of religion,” the source claimed.
Although Tinubu said he was still consulting and that after the consultation, he would fix a date to make a declaration for his ambition, an APC stalwart who does not want to be named, said there were three southerners that Tinubu should try as much as possible to consult.
He said, “Tinubu seems to be concentrating most of his efforts on the North, whereas the northern region can’t be enough for him. As a southerner, he needs to look into ways of incorporating southerners into his plans. Hence, there are three of them that he should meet if he has yet to talk to them.
“Rotimi Amaechi deserves some attention. He doesn’t appear to be in the scheme for the 2023 general elections, but his importance and roles can’t be overemphasised. He is still the main leader of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
“It is true that a faction controlled by Magnus Abe has given endorsement to Bola Tinubu. That doesn’t mean Bola Tinubu can win Rivers State without Amaechi. As a matter of political strategy, Bola Ahmed Tinubu should have a negotiation with the former Rivers State governor, Amaechi.
“The fact that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is an ex-president means he needs to be consulted all the time. When Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was working on becoming the president, he settled his differences with Olusegun Obasanjo. Then, it means Obasanjo couldn’t be overlooked in politics.
“Tinubu and Obasanjo don’t belong to the same camp when it comes to politics. The good news is that nothing is permanent in politics. They can settle their differences and move on. Tinubu can win the presidential election without Obasanjo’s help. However, it will be much easier with the inclusion of the ex-president.
“The third politician is Rochas Okorocha. It appears other politicians have not yet understood the strength of the ex-Imo State governor. Truly, he has some axe to grind with the current Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma. It doesn’t mean Okorocha doesn’t have his own structure and base.”
“Tinubu should consult him as soon as possible. Okorocha participated in the victory that brought in the All Progressives Congress at the national level. Whether Okorocha will be ready to work with Tinubu or not, the national APC leader should consult the serving senator and they should unify their struggles,” he advised.
SOUTH-SOUTH, SOUTH EAST FACTORS
Outside these personalities, a credible source hinted that Tinubu might have the South-South zone to contend with, having assisted in denying them power in 2015. The South East also saw Tinubu’s action as a religious attack against the Christian presidency in 2015, with the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“These are issues before Tinubu,” the source said.
“The South-South are still licking the wounds of 2015 and what some of them regarded as a betrayal of the presidency of the South, may pay Tinubu back in his coins,” he noted.
TINUBU’S SUITABILITY NOT IN DOUBT -BAMIGBETAN
A former Commissioner in Lagos State, Kehinde Bamigbetan, said Tinubu had a history of contributing value to the political process, noting that, as governor of Lagos State, he had made his mark as an administrator, human resource manager, innovator and visionary leader.
“As a politician, Tinubu has been responsible for the sanctity of electoral votes in this country. Remember that there was a time in 2003 when a lot of rigging and malpractices happened across the country, particularly in the South West, and the sanctity of the votes became an issue. He was the one who sponsored several court cases in which he was able to use what we call forensic strategy to expose various rigging methods used by the Peoples Democratic Party to rig.
“That was why it was possible for the court to reverse the victory of Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and many others. He is not just an administrator, or just someone interested in the quality or value of our votes, he has invested in it,” he noted.
In developing the APC, Bamigbetan said Tinubu had been established and acknowledged as the key visioner, designer and orchestrator of what is today called the APC.
“You know, before APC, other parties, for instance, CPC, had contested election thrice and failed woefully. And for them to now come to the party ACN of that time, ACN had six governors, CPC had only one governor. Tinubu could have comfortably insisted on continuing to be a South West champion but he took the risk of creating a national party with them and he didn’t even insist on running for president. He agreed that somebody who had just one governor should run for president.”
“In the last six years of APC, he has played the role of a policy advisor, both secretly and openly, alerting the government to challenges, proposing his own concepts and ways out and generally ensuring success of the administration. So, on the basis of his contributions, there should be no doubts whatsoever about his suitability for the job. As far as there is a level playing field, there is no reason Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu shouldn’t contest this election and we are asking him, advocating, begging and making all the noise to step out and contest, because it is going to be a game of numbers at the end of the day, and when the going gets tough, the tough gets going,” Bamigbetan stressed.
BANANA PEELS AHEAD – GADU
A former Foreign Service officer and government relations officer with the Nigeria LNG Limited, Iliyasu Gadu, told The Point that there were many possible banana peels ahead of Tinubu’s presidential aspirations.
He said, “First, the issue of his educational qualifications or lack of it, which has refused to go away, may likely come back to haunt him big time. Did he attend Government College Ibadan as he claimed? What evidence can he tender to support the claim and who were his contemporaries for the years he spent there as a student? For his tertiary education, it was claimed at one time that he attended the world-famous University of Chicago where the atom was first split by Enrico Fermi.
“Then when that claim met a “k” leg, the story changed and it was said that he actually went to Richard Daley Community College in the same city (Richard Daley was the famous Irish-American Mayor of the Windy City). This institution as of the time he purportedly attended was a little better than our own equivalent of a preparatory school where indigent Chicagoans go to brush up their educational deficiencies with a hope for an upgrade to enable them to qualify for more salubrious educational institutions.”
He explained that the issue about Tinubu’s educational credentials, especially the one he “purportedly” got at Government College Ibadan, might well disqualify him for the presidential race, going by what the constitution says.
Gadu said the constitution does not specifically say a candidate for the presidential office must possess a certificate indicating they sat for and passed secondary level examinations.
“It merely says the candidate must show evidence of having attended a secondary school, like a testimonial. If Tinubu cannot convincingly prove he attended Government College Ibadan, as claimed, then his presidential aspiration will run into serious constitutional and legal challenges,” he noted.
He added, “Yes, there is every possibility as we all know of money playing a huge part in the 2023 elections as in previous elections in the country. It is a given. And that is why from my sources, the Tinubu camp is planning to make sure money is not an obstacle. And the Tinubu camp also knows that the opposition is thinking along the same lines. This, coupled with the factor of hunger and poverty pervading the land, the use of money will definitely be a veritable factor. For a fact, there are places and people in Nigeria who will go for the highest bidder among the candidates, not minding what type of person as long as the money is right.
“The second question is whether there is a credible northern Christian to pair with Tinubu. The issue is not really about lack of a credible northern Christian. There are quite a number of them. There is Boss Mustapha. There is Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and many others. But the issue is will the northern majority Muslims vote for that?”
“Tinubu is considered as a nominal Muslim by northern Muslims. His wife is a Christian. So if he takes a northern Christian, the Muslim northerners will consider that ticket as three quarters Christian ticket, meaning his wife and Vice President will call the shots. And so it will be easy to condemn that ticket. And if PDP fields a northern Muslim as its flag bearer, then it is likely that the Tinubu ticket will go pear shaped. The campaign will turn religious with all its implications,” he said.
“Tinubu could have comfortably insisted on continuing to be a South West champion but he took the risk of creating a national party with them and he didn’t even insist on running for president
“
Gadu, who is also a columnist and editorial board member of Daily Trust newspaper, said he does not see Tinubu stepping down for the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, or another candidate from the South West.
“As Yorubas will say ‘Oro pe sije’. It will take a camel to pass through the eye of a needle for Tinubu to do that. This is power for God’s sake. It will not work.Tinubu and his supporters would prefer he goes in and loses than not to go for it. It is the culmination of his lifelong political career. And just at the point where he is now seeing the possibility of success, he will then relinquish it? It is not possible.
“Indeed, if he steps aside for any South West candidate, I can bet you with my last Kobo that PDP will win hands down. Osinbajo does not have the kind of political clout that Tinubu has. Nobody in the South West has it. So for Tinubu to step down for anybody in the South West is out of the question,” Gadu said emphatically.
A one-time presidential aspirant and presidential adviser, Sarah Jibril, pleaded not to be drawn into Tinubu’s presidential conundrum.
“Abeg, my brother, don’t worry, I don’t know. I don’t understand the complex confusion that is going on about him (Tinubu). I have no comment at all. I wish everybody well and God’s guidance. Thank you and Merry Christmas,” she told The Point.
OGUNLEWE, GEORGE DIFFER
Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe of the APC and Chief Olabode George of the PDP sharply disagreed over the candidacy of Tinubu for the 2023 Presidency.
While Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works told The Point that Tinubu was the best person for the Presidency if the position is zoned to the South West, citing his pedigree, mental capacity, leadership quality and unequalled political structure, George maintained that the position of Ogunlewe got him thinking of the sincerity of Nigerian political leaders.
He declared that Tinubu was not fit to be Nigerian President going by the way he ran Lagos State as governor, corruption allegations against him in the past and present, as well as other factors.
George described Tinubu as a cancer who was ready to get anywhere to perch and destroy, adding that he would renounce his citizenship of Nigeria if the APC national leader becomes the president of the country.
He argued that Tinubu did not manage Lagos State very well, claiming that huge allegations of corruption against him still extended to the present government in the state.
He added that if Tinubu becomes president, “I would do whatever is necessary to review and renounce my citizenship.”
On Tinubu’s education, George said, “I can bet you, any amount of money, let Bola bring out the certificate of his Primary School, the Secondary School, and the university he attended. We want to see them.”
