By Sholyment Olusegun Olusola
President Tinubu’s choice of candidates have both emerged as Senate President and Speaker of the House respectively in two fairly contested elections. This, to me, is a product of vast consultations, re-consultations and continuous consultations by Tinubu and his inner caucuses.
This cleared all doubts and validate Tinubu as a charismatic Democrat, one who is on top of his job as the leader of the party and father of the nation.
Are you aware he also held meetings with lawmakers-elects of the opposition parties; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, SDP and other minority parties to negotiate for his anointed candidates who later triumphed at today’s national Assembly inauguration?
This was the same role expected of former president Muhammadu Buhari but he failed, woefully at that. Buhari did not only fail to consult the lawmakers and his party, he did not also speak out on who his preferred candidates were at all given chances. The defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) camp lead by Tinubu spoke on his behalf, unfortunately their choices of senate president and Speaker did not reflect justice, equity and fairness. The choices were believed to be rooted in a revenge mission, attempt to deny the nPDP led by former senate president Bukola Saraki their portion in the sharing equation. Saraki, being a Midas in politics, outsmarted his traducers and emerged the Senate president leaving Dogara with the speakership.
This event marked the beginning of crisis in the APC-led administration since 2015. Some people who blamed – and continue to blame – Bukola Saraki for outsmarting the party failed to realise that the opprtunity came because the then President was not offering reasonable leadership. His (Buhari) aim was to become the president and he has become that – he cared not a hoot for what become of others.
Former President Buhari symbolised selfishness, corruption and lawlessness, this is why his government from 2015 to 2023 was crisis-ridden, full of intra and inter party comflics, terrorism and corruption.
There were killings everywhere in the country, Buhari did not deem it fit to make any official visit to those volatiles zones to encourage the citizens, save for the useful Facebook sympathy messages produced by his media representatives.
Buhari’s failure as President to offer leadership ignited and still igniting insecurity in many parts of the country.
Buhari successfully sent away all the brains and digital political players of his government including Dr Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwa, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Dino Melaye, even Asiwaju Tinubu who is now president. All of them were not given any say in PMB government, their opinions were not sought-after and their concerns were ignored.
Buhari instead surrounded himself with sycophants, praise-singers and opportunists. They told him what they he wanted to hear, and Buhari based his performances on their sayings; which was as far from reality as sky is to mother earth.
Even Mrs Aisha Buhari, his beloved wife, was sent packing to Dubai leaving behind those who the president called his trusted allies.
Buhari also failed the test of leadership each time political gladiators who brought him to power have issues among themselves.
His weak leadership created problems between Senator Dino Melaye and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi and escalated to unfortunate level which resulted in loss of lives and properties during elections. The former was instrumental into bringing latter into office. This was a very little which president ought to have prevailed upon from scratch was left unattended to. It escalated and made Kogi politics so volatile till date.
Furthermore, Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq emergence as All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in 2019 was at the instance of Buhari and his Aso Rock cabals. When AbdulRazaq however got to office Buhari left him unattended to and without support. This was at a time the Kwara chapter of the party was in great crisis especially as Otoge conveners were on each other’s necks. Bubu was just looking and watching his party men in Kwara dragging themselves and even violently attacking each other. It came as no surprise that the first term of Mallam Abdulrahaman was also also full of crisis and led to factions of the party collapsing to form SDP.
If not for the failure of leaders of PDP in the state to take full advantage of the conflict, Kwara today ought to have become history for the APC. I wish the opposition leadership had shown understanding and played an inclusive politics within the party especially with the mobilisation of resources for the campaign and motivation of party members and those at the forefront of the struggle.
The same issues can be fingered for Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Kano and Katsina states even the homestate of the president. In Kogi State, the APC has been divided into APC and SDP, giving PDP in that state opprtunity to stage a comeback
I hope it dawn on Buhari now, who ascribed fake integrity for himself that he and his allies almost ran Nigeria aground before the new dispensation of Tinubu?
Nigerians should stop blaming Dr Bukola Saraki over his emergence as SP in 2015, any smart political players who sensed cheating in institutional arrangements, by the party he toiled to build would pull similar stunt if given opprtunity. Politics is not for small boys; it’s for the brave, the courageous and the smart.
I congratulate Senator Godswill Akpabio and Honourable Tajudeen Abbas on their emergencies as well as other principal officers for the two Chambers. May your tenure bring good luck and prosperity to Nigerians .
To those who lost out in the race, that is democracy, you must summon courage and work with those who won, today is for them, tomorrow may be your turn.
How PBAT is running his government is really an indictment on Buhari weak, inept and selfish leadership . May Nigerians not experience such wicked dispensation again.
Sholyments Olusegun Olusola writes from Ilorin, Kwara State.