By ‘Tunde Abatan
Since the entrance of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the race to secure his party, All Progressives Congress,APC ticket to contest next year’s presidential election, the nature of politics in Nigeria has changed.
Presidency is not about Tinubu but Nigeria – Oshiomhole
It has changed not because nobody expected him to throw his hat into the ring but because his entry has ruffled not a small feather .
This is prevalent especially among politicians of South West who see Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,former Lagos state governor referred to Osinbajo ‘godfather’, as the natural hair apparent to the Presidential throne.
Osinbajos entry has also exposed the underbelly of hatred by hangers on and politicians of all hues who not only see his entry as a means to deny their godfather ticket but as a means to deny them their daily bread which drops from Tinubus table.
Parties get 30 days to submit list of candidates -INEC
Yet, it has also revealed that in politics no permanent enemy or friend. The only thing that is permanent is interest.
Osinbajos entry has also thrown a challenge to advocates of South East Presidency who see his entrance and that of Tinubu as a hinderance to them.
It would appear as if Osinbajos entry raised much fear about the South East observation that the Presidential race is decidedly about the core North and South West.
Ethnicist are enraged that Tinubu and Osinbajo fight for Presidential candidacy have pushed back discussions and agitation for political equity for South East.
They are correct. Correct because since Osinbajo entered the ring, both he and his former godfather, who have since deny him as ‘godson’,has become the issue in Nigeria politics today.
It is whether you are for Tinubu,who is pursuing a life long ambition or Osinbajo who having spent seven years as Buharis deputy, is claiming right of first refusal to enter Aso rock front seat.
Darts are being thrown right,left and centre by followers and symphatisers from both leaders.
Don’t accept Vee Pee post,Ohaneze warns aspirants
But, by far the most distractive and disruptive issue now in the contest is the entrance into the race of hitherto ‘inconsequential’ pretenders and contenders from the Southern parts of the country especially the South West where Tinubu and Osinbajo has their root.
Without any prejudice to their rights to hold offices, former governors Ibikunle Amosun,incumbent Kayode Fayemi both who are tenously holding the APC by the tail in their respective states suddenly woke up and threw their hats into the ring.
This is even as contenders are yet to show face from the North of Nigeria.
Yet,spoilers are also known to be working on former Edo governor, Adams Oshiomole, who only last month declared interest in contesting for a Senatorial seat from Edo North, but suddenly woke up last week to express his desire to contest for the Presidency.
Surprisingly too, barely two weeks after Osinbajos entry,Rotimi Amaechi, transport Minister also threw his hat into the ring in a manner to show that Tinubu and Osinbajos candidacy is a tonic for their lethargy.
Even with the nomination form at a princely One hundred million naira,more contestants have entered the race even when you begin to ask where they will get the delegates to vote for them.
Nwajiuba,the minister of state for education has not only expressed interest,he has purchased the nomination form a week before the vice president does.
This is at a time when the nations universities are under lock and key because of labour face off between his ministry and University teachers union led by Academic Union of Universities.
By the end of May,the million of students would have spent four months at home at big cost to their parents and to the nations future.
The manner of declaration of intent by the various pretenders and contenders especially from the Southern part of Nigeria is such that it is not out of place to conclude that the politicians are either spinning a new style in power bargaining for relevance in their parties or subtly trying to use the nomination fees to raise money for their parties especially the APC and opposition People’s Democratic Party,PDP.
While no one could push aside Peter Obi, and Anyim Pius Anyim,former Senate President aside from the South East,Rotimi Amaechi,the Transport Minister whose Rivers state of origin shows he is from South South,is being vigorously resisted by SE politicians who see him as an opportunist trying to use clamour for Igbo Presidency to enter the race through the back door.
He is an Ikwere ,Igbo from South South with his Igbo surname to the boot.
Till now,Amaechi is still lock in contention with Nyesome Wike,his former ally who has not only crossed over to opposition PDP to demystify him in the state.
For Wike, it is doubtful whether only his deep pocket can do a magic for him in wrestling the party’s ticket from other Northern veteran contenders like Atiku who along with Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state had advantage of northern hegemonic collaboration,to upstage him.
Till date,it remains to be seen how any candidate among the
As for Pastor Tunde Bakare,the Citadel Centre General Overseer who have often proclaim himself as number sixteen to rule Nigeria, it leaves much to be desired how he hopes to get the delegates from his Ogun state base who will lead his onslaught against two other notable..Ibikunle Amosun and the vice President who are active parry men.
This definitely is a season of strange happenings.
Even ,Amosun,a former governor for two terms cannot today boast of having the party and specifically the delegates in his hand taking into consideration the domination of the party by incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Abiodun,though himself facing credibility problem,as a result of credit card allegation yet to be cleared in the United states,declared lady week his support for Osinbajo.
So where does Amosun and Bakare,a pulpit politician,hopes to get the delegates.
If it is a game of naira for naira,it is doubtful whether Bakare can march Amosun grit for grit.
Ironically,Fayemi who made his own declaration on Wednesday in Abuja was following day at the venue of Amosuns entry into the race.
Was he there as a symphatiser, friend or collaborator in a game they all knew the result.?
As a chairman of the Governors Forum, is Fayemi trying to ‘strike a deal’ for his colleagues in the forum and other allies in the South West from the two serious contenders in the APC Tinubu and Osinbajo?
At what point during the race which finality so come in three weeks will they seal their deal or go into a contest they knew they can’t possibly win?
If as being speculated,Senate President Ahmed Lawan,who has never hidden his will to support and never to oppose all what Buhari wants in the Senate, also enter the race,at what point will he summon the followership he has gathered in the NASS to confront Buhari who definitely is keeping his card very close to his chest?
Or is Lawan also part of the grand deception to lure candidates from the SW and SE into a tight corner before the North use its majority to score a hat trick on day of primaries?
This period definitely is a season of Jokers and Spoilers using their financial muscle to extract relevance from the serious contenders before the game is up!
Interesting times ahead indeed!
