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By Kabir Sule
Nigerians thought they heard it all when the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, made that now popular ‘Emilokan’ and “O lule” comments in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Wednesday, June 2, 2022 before the party’s primary. It was also at that gathering that he also referred to the Governor of Ogun State as “eleyi” meaning “this one”. But those were the beginning of so many gaffes to follow, as many did not know that the mother of all shockers will hit them on Wednesday, January, 25, 2023, at the same venue.
Those present at Ogun State during the two separate occasions were shocked into silence, not just at the disparaging words and comments but at what was unfolding; the inexplicable political fall of a man who saw his life ambition melting away on account of arrogance, overzealousness, brashness and frivolity.
Tinubu uttered in public, and in the full view of journalists, what anybody seeking public office, least of all the highest public office in the land, should not voice beyond the privacy of his bedroom chambers and to the most private of his associates.
The self-acclaimed national leader of a ruling party (Tinubu) was obviously seen to be expressing his regrets with the alleged lack of visible charge or dedication of President Muhammadu Buhari to his presidential bid. His current negative emotions ferociously damaged the ongoing presidential campaigns of the ruling APC.
Claiming the redesigning of the country’s currency and the artificial scarcity of petroleum products were deliberately created by the Buhari administration to sabotage his presidential ambition simply showed that Tinubu pointing his fingers directly at President Buhari and the leadership of his party which has managed the country’s fiscal policies and petroleum resources since 2017. For emphasis, President Buhari is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Clearly, Tinubu was picking up a fight against Buhari and APC which he directly accused of failure, indiscretion and ethnic bigotry.
Worst still, the import of those remarks by Tinubu, reverberated throughout the country, because of his political stature, within hours and as a result depleting his goodwill as the presidential standard bearer and making him look like an over ambitious and desperate politician who wants power at all cost without recourse to decorum, dignity or decency.
This is not the first time Tinubu will be throwing tantrums and creating tension in the party and within its leadership structure. He did a similar thing sometime in February 2018 when he expressed concerns that his “presidential assignment” of reconciling the warring interests within APC, was being sabotaged by then party chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
“Disappointment greeted me when I discovered that you (Oyegun) had swiftly acted in contravention of the spirit of our discussions,” wrote Tinubu. “Instead of being a bulwark of support as promised, you positioned yourself in active opposition to the goal of resuscitating the progressive and democratic nature of APC.”
Pointedly, Tinubu then put it that Oyegun wanted “to undermine my mandate by engaging in dilatory tactics for the most part. When forced to act, you do so in an arbitrary and capricious manner.”
It is on record also that Tinubu and Oyegun started as political associates in the third republic when both, as members of the Social Democratic Party, served as Senator and Governor (of Edo State), respectively.
Then, the third republic Senator backed the former Edo governor to become the APC chairman in 2014. But soon after their party came to power in 2015, the relationship between the two politicians broke down and Oyegun was eventually forced out of the party, an internal wrangling which later paved way for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to succeed Oyegun.
Tinubu’s penchant for political high-handedness knows no bounds as he sees himself to be above everyone. His interest is often set above that of the party and the nation at large. That is exactly why he sees governance as his personal empire, and always expecting others to pander to his whims and caprices.
The “emilokan”, “O lule” and the January 25 tirades were not actually gaffes. They were indeed well intentioned and properly orchestrated ploys to embarrass the party, President Buhari and his kitchen cabinet. Definitely the widely-reported Ogun State events which inadvertently added to Tinubu’s long list of praise names will go down as an inopportune or ill-timed pass.
To worsen Tinubu’s difficulties, his mode of leadership was proving singularly objectionable as many of his foot soldiers, in terms of thinkers, pragmatists and foot-loose grassroots operators have been shedding off the yoke of the alleged strong upper lip tactics of their leader.
Tinubu set a wrong tone for himself in Ogun State on two consecutive occasions. And, unfortunately his pyrrhic victory at the party’s presidential primary seems to be giving him some confidence to throw down the gauntlet against his party, its actual national leader, President Buhari and his inner cabinet allies. This is a move which pundits have described not only to be foolhardy but also tactless and politically suicidal as February 25 presidential poll draws closer. Those may eventually prove to be his greatest political mistakes that will bring down the sun on his political journey.
Can he make any amends? Tinubu believes he is too big to apologise. His advisers also believe so. With his advisers, Tinubu believes that he is entitled to the presidency of Nigeria as reward for who he has become.
•Sule sent this piece from Kaduna
