Tinubu to back out, won’t contest under SDP, ’cos of ridicule of double failure
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bola Tinubu plans to back out of his quest for the Villa if he fails to get the Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in the primaries on 7 June, as a double whammy of ridicule will make things worse for him if he flies the flag of another party and still comes short.
APC Northern Governors and other political leaders formally agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend that the Presidency head South in 2023, as decided by the party in February.
The Governors issued a statement affirming support for power shift and asked all APC Northern presidential aspirants to step down for Southerners in the running. Jigawa Governor Abubakar Badaru promptly did.
But Tinubu is now hardly in the frame.
Even if the former Lagos Governor defects to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as sketched in his plan B, the odds are stacked high against him to win Aso Rock, and that will be too much for him and his supporters to bear, according to political readings.
The optics point to Yemi Osinbajo whose position on the leaderboard was affirmed by Buhari when he made it clear in his Buharispeak at his meeting with the 22 APC Governors on 31 May that he prefers his Vice President to succeed him.
Tinubu’s outburst in Abeokuta on 2 June that Buhari would not have become President without God and without him highlights his frustration that Buhari is determined not to hand over power to him – because of Tinubu’s bullion van and other sundry baggage.
It is the same reason Buhari has equally resolved not to hand over power to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Once Osinbajo gets the APC ticket, the South West will rally round their man, relieved the North rotated the Presidency to the South after Buhari’s tenure of eight years.
Tinubu knows that under the SDP or another party, he cannot carry the South West versus Osinbajo who has the backing of APC Governors and voters as well as the goodwill of other Nigerians who respect the VP as a decent and relatively clean man.
Tinubu can only capture Lagos and part of Osun in a head to head with Osinbajo. With failure staring at his face in his base in the South West if he contests under another party, it will be near impossible for him to win other zones. Why go through the trouble then?
Adamu warns of consequences for Tinubu’s outburst
APC National Working Committee Chairman Abubakar Adamu says the party does not take kindly to Tinubu’s outrage that he made Buhari President, and warns that Tinubu will face the consequences of his rude comments.
“He [Tinubu] went as far as saying how Gen. Muhammadu Buhari went to him, citing instances of even prostrating in tears begging him to endorse him and to support him for the presidency. He claimed Buhari went to him,” Adamu told journalists in Abuja on 4 June.
“His utterances are very, very insulting. It’s very unbecoming for a person of that standing to do what he did to the sitting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President produced by the votes of the APC.
“Though he is the President, he belongs to everybody. It is amazing how a fellow APC person would make that kind of comment in that kind of circumstances about the President. We take exception to this. It has shown that he does not show any appreciable level of respect for the office of Mr. President.
“Therefore, we want to make it public that we are saddened by what we saw in the video, in that reportàge and we condemn it in the strongest of terms.
“We do hope that he would never say that kind of again, particularly of the APC extraction to make such kinds of comments.
“Yes, yesterday [3 June] we saw some part of a retraction but that effort is not adequate. It is not sincere. It is not in-depth enough. It doesn’t wipe out the impression that that event has left in our minds.”
Will Tinubu be punished for his utterances? Adamu was asked.
He replied: “At the time this event took place, the screening committee [had[ not presented their report to us at all. And was not trying to suggest that anybody was under any threat. So there was no justification for the time that this thing happened.
“If there is the need to penalise any member of the party, not just Bola Tinubu, we will bring him to the party’s book. Anybody, as we watch events as they unfold.”
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Lamido says Buhari won’t let Tinubu become President
One of the leaders of the PDP, former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido says he believes only Tinubu with an APC ticket can defeat Atiku but Buhari will never support him to be President.
“Right now, Tinubu is going through hell from who? His own fellow brothers in Afenifere who openly don’t like him and also the APC Governors who don’t like him because they say he is too domineering and a dictator,” Lamido told Vanguard.
“I mean, he is their own son, why can’t they make him?”
“Mark my words, Buhari will never ever support Tinubu. I know the man’s mentality and psychology. He will never ever support Tinubu. I said it but people didn’t believe me but wait and see.
“The whole thing is not about Tinubu or about any other interest. It is not even about the bigger picture called Nigeria but other interests. There is no way Buhari is going to support Tinubu, because the whole thing is going to take personal dimension.
“Let us be honest, Tinubu today is swimming alone. Look at the phenomenon he was but they are now saying no to him.”
Buhari seeks party cohesion and unity
“In the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the Southern states of Nigeria,” the APC Northern Governors said in their statement.
The statement was issued after a dinner Buhari hosted for all presidential aspirants and some executives of the APC on 4 June, per reporting by The Guardian (Nigeria).
The Governors stressed the need for “all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.”
Buhari’s message at the dinner was loud and clear, as he urged the aspirants to hold consultations, and come up with a formidable candidate before the APC presidential primary on 6 and 7 June.
Said he: “Looking at this assemblage of personalities and considering your rich pedigree of accomplishments in life, I have come to the conclusion that our party, the APC, is rich in human resources and also that our nation is blessed with capable people that can successfully steer the ship of state into the future.
“Our party, the APC, has won two successive presidential elections, first in 2015 when we were in the opposition and in 2019 when I sought re-election. Both processes were achieved through unity of purpose, strategic alignment, consultation, fairness, determination and effective leadership.
“In both instances, national and party interests were overriding factors in our deliberations and decision-making.
“The 2023 general elections are fast approaching in a global, regional and national environment that is constantly changing and challenging.
“This demands that our party should become more aware of the changing environment, be responsive to the yearnings of our citizens, re-evaluate our strategy and strengthen our internal mechanism so that we would sustain the electoral successes.
“I am pleased to note that the party, recognising the significance of all these demands, has over time developed several democratically acceptable processes and policies, that promote consultation, internal cohesion and leadership to facilitate victories at the polls.”
Buhari enthused that previous consultations with stakeholders would help the APC down ballot and said he looked forward to meeting with them again before the presidential primary to sustain unity and cohesion.
He stressed the need for the APC presidential candidate to be a formidable man who appeals to the electorate across the board, possesses the ability to unify the country, as well as the capacity to address critical national challenges.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Badaru, and former Science and Technology and Minister Ogbonnaya Onu responded on behalf of the aspirants and thanked Buhari for his leadership and guidance.
They pledged, as he counselled, to hold the consultations “for the unity and strength of the party.”
APC Northern Governors back rotational Presidency
The statement issued by APC Northern Governors was signed by the Governors of Katsina, Niger, Nasarawa, Borno, Kaduna, Gombe, Zamfara, Plateau, Kano and Kebbi, and former Sokoto Governor Aliyu Wamakko (now a Senator).
It reads:
“APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges.
“During our discussions, we welcomed … Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC.
“After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of … Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.
“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.
“We therefore wish to strongly recommend to … Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.
“We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.
“We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague [Jigawa] Governor Abubakar Badaru to contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration.
“The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms.
“This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfill their responsibility in this regard.”
Akeredolu expresses delight
Southern Governors’ Forum Chairman and Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a strident power shift campaigner, expressed the delight of all Southern Governors at decision of their Northern counterparts.
“We did not expect anything short of this heart-warming decision from our colleagues, great patriots and reliable partners in the collaborative efforts geared towards the attainment of nationhood for our dear country,” he said in a statement.
“This is indeed another landmark achievement in our quest for understanding, rapprochement and continual engagements for mutual beneficence.
“We acknowledge this courageous stance for equity and moral rectitude. We applaud the zeal and determination of our brothers to engage realistically and honestly.
“We salute this uncommon resolve to confront issues militating against the march towards nationhood and ultimate greatness.
“By this gesture, we are convinced of the seriousness of our colleagues to join other patriots in ensuring that the ascendant march towards stability, progress and prosperity is not truncated by indiscretion.”
Akeredolu urged Buhari to ensure the search for his successor in the APC is limited to aspirants from the South.
“We appeal to all aspirants from the Northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.”
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