The Jagaban is back. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is back. He’s the most talked-about politician today.
Let me say this, he may become president of Nigeria. Politics is about strategy, networking, empowerment and tact. Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu is a strategist. He’s a mobiliser. He’s a benefactor to many people.
In Nigeria of today, he remains about the only politician who left office, put people in offices and has maintained a stronghold on his followers and oils his political machinery still.
Politics is not won by shouting ‘God forbid’ on social media and in pubs. It is not won by shouting curses on social media. It is not won by repeatedly accusing a politician of corruption without going to court to prove it. It is about strategic thinking, planning, execution and mobilisation.
Tinubu is a strategist. He’s a planner. He’s a mobiliser. He’s generous. He is planning, mobilising, strategising, and reaching out.
What is your candidate doing? Shouting ‘it is our turn’. Which turn? Left or right? You can ask how, where he got the money from. Many of those you support should also answer your question.
You can accuse him of all sorts. If he becomes president, there’s nothing you can do. If you don’t want him to be president, begin now to plan how to stop him. But it’s not by writing on social media and shouting abuses.
He has the press at his beck and call. He has powerful pen pushers. He can match you on all fronts. Besides, if Muhammadu Buhari can rule Nigeria for eight years, why not Tinubu? Tinubu has many things to his credit. He also made it possible for Buhari after many trials.
Like you, he may not approve of the way Buhari has governed this country. I don’t approve of it either.
Under Buhari this country is more distressed than ever. Tinubu is partially responsible for this state of affairs. What can we attribute to Buhari before Tinubu brought his machinery to help install him? The only thing I can credit to our president is being the worst bigot we have ever seen, and presiding over the country in the worst manner possible.
If Tinubu comes for my support, I’d give it to him. He will have to promise me that he’d be broadminded.
No politician is a saint. Therefore, nobody should expect the Jagaban to be a saint.
I repeat, Tinubu may become president of Nigeria.
He has all it takes to secure the ticket and go ahead to win. Did you hear me? Win!
You’re free to shout, ‘God forbid’. Except his opponents plan well to upstage him, I won’t be surprised if he becomes our president. Unless God forbids it, it may happen.
*Fred Chukwuelobe, journalist and public relations consultant, writes from Lagos
