By Tunde Abatan, tunde2013abatan@gmail.com 08165660217
Ordinarily,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress,APC, as a Muslim by birth and faith is not your dye in the wool Muslim.
While he may practise his religion in his own way but in the public life you cannot classify him as belonging to the category of today’s Islamic religious zealot.
Not necessarily on account of his wife being a Pastor but more of an average Yoruba man’s disposition to religious belief which to some extent is never allowed to disrupt family relationship and cohesiveness.
Since his foray into public life when he became a Senator in 1991,he is often seen more as a politician by the public while his Islamic faith takes a back seat just like most liberal but educated Muslims from the South of Nigeria.
But today,that categorization has since changed.
It has changed because of the care free attitude of mismanaging nations diversity by his anointed President in person of Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari has since 2015,reversed the country’s gain in maintaining a multi religious state to almost a full- blown Islamic Republic both in his appointments, governance,style and policy.
Indeed,the last seven years have witnessed unprecedented deaths through religious extremism never known in the country while mis-governance based on weak selection process dominated by religious and ethnic bigotry, has pushed the nations unity to the brink.
To say that Buhari has mismanaged Nigerias diversity is an understatement.
But in his resolve to downplay and run away from his decision to ignore clarion call for religious balancing, Tinubu, never known to run away from battles, displayed his bravery when he said he will neither listen to antagonists of Muslim- Muslim and protagonist of Muslim- Christain saying that while those with the two view points” have impressive reasons passionate arguments, neither is right in the way Nigeria needs at the moment”.
Whether Tinubu is right or not on his apparent gamble with Faith,he appears determined to risk his choice towards making what he described as “bold and innovative decision not to win political points but to move the nation forward “.
Though, he hinged his choice on the conviction that Senator Kashim Shettima, a serving Senator is most qualified in his bid to get a partner with” maturity,strength of character and patriotism”, the ticket of which he enthused represents a milestone in our political history”.
Yes, as a man not giving to defeat,Tinubu believes in and confident that in spite of the undercurrents that happened after June 12 1993, Abiola-Kingibe Muslim-Muslim ticket, Nigeria has outgrown such to begin a new journey devoid of religious or ethnic sentiment.
Whether,Tinubu is right in his simplistic interpretation or approach to emergent problems the mismanagement of the nations diversities has caused,the fact remains that he knows he has more jobs to do to integrate his views with opponents of Muslim -Muslim ticket who are not a minority to be ignored.
To forge ahead ,Tinubu and his supporters are not oblivious of the fact that crucial engagements has to commence with critical stake holders who though criticised his choice, appears still open to consider his party inspite of it’s seven years nightmarish tenure.
Perhaps, what would be their soft landing symphathy for Tinubu could be his Southern origin given his main opponent Abubakar Atikus dreaded Fulani ancestry.
Akeredolu,Fayemi, Sanwo Olu, Fayose Bridge Building moves:
In what readily appears to be Tinubus determined effort to reap from the Atiku mismanagement of process of his picking his flag bearer, the emergence of hitherto Tinubus critics in person of Governor Kayode Fayemi and three other governors to midwife a relationship with Governor Nyesome Wike is strategic and instructive.
That Tinubu could push aside old animosities between him and his new found bridge builders in Akeredolu,friend and foe Kayode Fayose shows his pragmatism and long strides in breaking the ice over South South/South West political relationship.
On his own, Wikes dilly- dallying over the consumation of a new found relationship into an alliance speaks volume of the self- ambition and motive of today’s leaders appropriation of collective ethnic interest for personal gains.
Should he remain within PDP and fight to deliver his states vote for Tinubu,then he must have calculated the risk ahead of the end of his tenure given that his choice candidate in the governorship election must not loose the seat since primaries have been held.
This explains why he must not jump ship out of PDP for now.
His romance with Tinubus men may also be a bargaining power since the PDP leadership is not tired of courting him yet.
Whatever option Wike adopt in seeking his pound of flesh from Atiku and PDP leadership,the fact remains that the style of this years PDP Presidential primaries have done more harm than good to nurture and develop the party in the South South.
Despite this,Wike will definitely not close his eyes and jump into bed with a new found groom considering his bold ambition to remain Rivers political godfather.
In maintaining the existing voter power of the oil producing state,he will want to be seen as motivator and long term beneficiary of his state emergence as power brokers cum beautiful bride in Niger Delta politics in the years ahead.
If he succeeds in rallying support for Tinubus success,then he would have changed the political direction of the state and people known for playing politics of the right since independence.
As they say 24 hours is too long in politics , we wait for the political maturity of decision.
If he succeeds , he may end up like Fayose in Ekiti who though remains in PDP he remains a force to be reckon with by his party leadership for his seeing to the victory of the opposition party and still maintain its respect.
Fayose today remains a ‘godfather’ courted by all including the leadership of the ruling party in the state.
If Wike succeeds in getting his people to support Tinubu he would like Fayose have proved his commitment to power shift to the South irrespective of the party such a President emerges from.
As Chairman of Southern Governors Forum on the delegates to woo Wike,Governor Akeredolu have maintained the groups position for a power shift to the South which other governors in the region in the opposition PDP have betrayed with support for emergence of Atiku. This is against preference for Wike in conformity with their pact last year.
Unfolding events in the next few weeks will determine the efficacy of the Bridge builders of the APC especially in the South who are posed to change it’s political narrative of the past six decades of politics in Nigeria.
