Former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu has made it public: big interest in the Nigerian presidency. Yes, visiting President Buhari on Monday, he made his intention clear that he would like to succeed Buhari in Aso Rock. Call him the frontrunner for APC for the presidential ticket.
With Tinubu in, the Vice President of the nation, Prof Osinbajo seems boxed now as any declaration would be seen as a confrontation with his former boss. But it may not matter, as they say in politics, no permanent enemy or friend, just permanent interest!
With Tinubu’s declaration, the high-voltage tribal warfare will ramp up in the next few months. Yes, if Southwest wants to provide the next president, arguing that it is the turn for the South, the North can flip that point making it clear that by Southwest not yielding to the Southeast, the whole argument for North to cede power becomes voidable.
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In other words, what the South expects the North to do is the same thing Southeast expects Southwest to do. But since Tinubu has broken it, expect new permutations in the next coming months in Nigeria.
The three big tribes will determine the next election but the North holds the ace on whom to anoint. Kano and Zamfara states closely track the whole Southeast and by the time you add other states, it is over.
There is a high likelihood that the North will retain power because Tinubu’s declaration has made it clear that fairness, equity and balance are not central in anyone’s spirit but only when it favours that person. If you want the North to relinquish power, you should also expect that power to go to the Southeast which is yet to test “power”. If not, do not expect someone to do what you cannot do for your neighbour!
But does my political sagacity cut it? Pure distractions indeed. During Jonathan’s government, Southeast had all the key posts but nothing changed in the region. That Obasanjo was president changed nothing in his state. Buhari’s kinsmen in Katsina state are kidnapped weekly and he has not done much to stop the paralysis. People, north, south, east or west, is not the real deal.
But what is the deal? Eliminate state of origin and enshrine state of residence. That way, the game moves to competence over ancestral roots. For me, that is the only way to look for the best and avoid the politics of tribes and geography. But where that is not the case, let’s rotate the damn office for fairness and equity since we’re already doing a quota system in everything!
Tinubu Reveals Intention to Contest 2023 Nigeria Presidential Election (full text)
One Policy That Will Change Nigeria For Good – Abolish “State of Origin” for “State of Residence”
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Prof.,
I don’t agree with you on this. Power is not for the feeble minded. The South East has not done anything to show it is serious to rule Nigeria. Who, in the region, has shown interest and work on it. Apart from Former Senate President Anyim who is warming up in PDP, who else? Power is not served on a platter of gold. You go for it.
The South East region is too lukewarm about its interest to rule Nigeria. It seems as if the region is confused between ruling Nigeria as a whole or ruling Biafra. The region needs to be more strategic in rhetoric and action.
Check the recent history of Nigeria. In 1999, when Nigeria forced OBJ on Southwest, did they ask for power via him? We need to be fair and balanced. The same way Nigeria created OBJ from SW, Nigeria can pick any person and anoint him in SE. Did Yar’Adua ask for power? Did Jonathan ask for power? You are making it look like these men prepared for anything. There was nothing strategic SS did for GEJ to become president. There are many people running for presidents in SE – Moghalu, Ohuabunwa, Anyim, etc. These are credible people with great accomplishments. I cannot see the basis of using the word “confused”.
I am at a loss about how state of residence is a better identifier than state of origin if we must overcome ethnicity. Could you kindly clarify?
Click the link and read the argument. Nothing is perfect. But you can read my hypothesis. Another can make his own and we keep building the nation.
This type of self-serving argument garnished with falsified claims by people who ought to know better is one of Nigeria’s greatest problems. How can the country find peace and understanding within when the supposedly educated ones for whom many young and old in their constituencies looks up to for balanced reasonings offers this type of argument?
If the West finds it comfortable to foist Tinubu on Nigeria then no Fulani or Northerner should be blamed for asking Buhari to even vie for a third term. And If the West finds no Eastern Nigerian worthy of the throne, then there is no reason Northerners shouldn’t think the same about the entire South.
It is only in the tribal eyes would Tinubu be a better presidential candidate than Peter Obi or Moghalu for a Nation like Nigeria.
Sir, do you think that the “Middle Belt” block can change the equation.
This is how distraction and confusion will be thrown around until the political merchants and economic bandits capture power once again, then we will come here to accuse one another of being the cause.
Now that Tinubu has declared interest to succeed Buhari, who else is interested? They should all step forward, from there we can start removing those that shouldn’t have anything to do with Aso Rock.
Whether the president should come from Southeast, Southwest or North shouldn’t be the talking point now, until the contenders show their hands, then the elimination game can start, because some are too tainted to heal or advance Nigeria.
If we want a better president in 2023, we have to demonstrate that from those we are backing, but if people decide to turn logic on its head just to sell their incompetent candidates, then whatever befalls them, nothing can be done about it.
Tinubu wants to be president, who else wants it? You must contest before you can stand any chance of winning, now is the time…