TheCable

In the last forty eight hours that major Nigerian newspapers broke the news that All Progressives Congress(APC) National leader and former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinu wants the party’s National Chairman, John Oyegun sacked for refusing to upturn the results of of the Ondo State Governorship Primaries in favour of his anointed candidate, I have been battling to answer these three questions.

Is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from Ondo state that makes him so desperate about the issue? Could President Muhammadu have decided overnight to merge Lagos and Ondo state together as part of measures to deal with the current economic recession? Is the APC now a limited liability company that Tinubu has the lion’s share to determine to who gets what and when? The more I try to brainstorm over these three questions the more confused I get . I will like Tinubu and his supporters to ponder over these questions.

According to Tinubu, Oyegun has shown that ‘’he and democractic fair play cannot exist in the same party at the same time’’. A critical analysis of his vituperations portrays him as the proverbial sympathizer crying louder than the bereaved. This is because Segun Abraham, his anointed candidate in the party primaries has since September 3,2016 when the primaries were conducted indicated his desire to seek redress using all civilized means within the ambits of the law. He has kept to his word by going to court few days after the party’s Appeal Committee and National Working Committee(NWC) threw out his case by submitting the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to the Independent National Electoral Commissiion(INEC) as Ondo state flag bearer in the forthcoming governorship elections.

For anyone conversant with party primaries in Nigerian, the results clearly showed the race was keenly contested between the aspirants as the margin was not too wide. This is not to say that there might not be isolated cases of irregularities due to the Nigerian factor. It is an undisputed fact that Nigerian politicians can be adopt different means to win elections whether legal or illegal. However, redress in provided for in democracy so as to right the wrong, but not using ‘’backdoor’’ tactics to arm twist people towards doing the bidding of an individual who thinks of nothing, but promoting his hegemony and widening his political empire.

From the foregoing, it is clear that Tinubu is the one who is not a democrat because the party leadership has made it position clear on why it threw its weight behind the September 3 primaries. I believe that if Tinubu has ulterior motive , his best bet was to wait for the outcome of the court case instituted by his godson,Abraham. In case, he has forgotten many Nigerians hold him in high esteem for his role in helping to chase Goodluck Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of office. Many Nigerians have also decided to look the other way by forgetting his past political sins especially in Lagos where he has turned himself to the ‘’Chief Landlord’’. The way and manner he humiliated Raji Fashola in the countdown to 2011 governorship elections in the state is still fresh in our minds. Had Fashola not gone to beg him and do his bidding he would not have allowed him to be the party’s flag bearer in 2011. Tinubu must realize that when one refuses to wear the garment of honour, he would be forced to wear that of disgrace. This is because he has taken his alms beyond the vicinity of the mosque such that he wants to determine virtually everything in South West and Nigerian politics as if the people cannot think for themselves.

This episode is litmus for APC that professes to be a better alternative to the PDP. Whether the President and the party leadership will succumb to this cheap political intimidation will determine its future. I cannot imagine why Tinubu has continued to display overbearing influence in the affairs of the party after all he joined the party like everyone. He cannot claim more stake in the party just because he mobilized votes for President Buhari in 2015. The truth is that the people of the South West saw in Buhari a man with electoral value which was why they voted for him and not solely because he campaigned for him.

Tinubu’s vituperation and undemocratic act clearly underscores the threat regional kingmakers and political IOU’s pose to our democracy. At some point, this same Tinubu wanted to name Ministers for all the strategic ministries and opposed the nomination Raji Fashola as Minister using Governor Ambode to dish out all sorts of political falsehood just to discredit Fashola. The change mantra must begin with Tinubu if he wants to remain relevant in Nigerian politics as Nigerians are tired of ‘’Baba Sope’’ politics that brings no good to the people in terms of dividends of democracy.

Rotimi Akeredolu should see this episode as a catalyst for his ambition to govern Ondo state because the way and manner Tinubu foisted him on the people in 2012 was responsible for his loss to Governor Olusegun Mimiko. It is my prayer that the people of Ondo will say no to political slavery by voting for the candidate of their choice as no one will love their state more than the people who are the real stakeholders and know what they want for Ondo.

Lawal can be reached through [email protected]. Twitter:Abdulrafiu19