Since the declaration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the President-elect of the federal Republic of Nigeria from the Presidential election conducted on 25th February, 2023, a lot of issues have been generated. While some of the points raised appear germane, some are illogical and unreasonable while some others ridiculously off target.
Expectedly in a democracy there will always be dissenting voices but it becomes worrisome when some toxic views and positions which have the potential of destroying the nation’s nascent democracy seem to be canvassed and pushed into the public domain for our consumption.
It is obvious that the election that has brought in Asiwaju Tinubu is not a perfect one. Of course, no democratic system, anywhere in the world is a perfect one. The beauty of democracy is that it is self-correcting, and gets better over time. It will be unfair for anyone to say that we have not improved in our democratic practice. It is a system that has continued to deepen over time, with verifiable improvement.
A critical look at the way we have gone in our democratic journey despite its minor hiccups point to the truth that there is need for more commendation than condemnation.
Dissecting the just concluded presidential election that threw up Asiwaju Tinubu as the winner reveals essential truth, that the peoples vote can no longer be taken for granted.
This is one election that people who you will feel or think are untouchables where politically blown away. It demystified some old recycled politicians who to their own shock were overthrown by new forces of change.
The truth of the fact is that if the votes did not count, there was no way Mr Peter Obi, would have won Lagos and Abuja for instance.
For me, Mr Peter Obi is the Hero of the 2023 presidential election. His tactful political strategy to change the political equation of the country deserves huge praise. It is not a mean feat.
Realizing the political psychology of the average Nigerian at the moment, Mr. Peter Obi seized the opportunity positively to make a statement.
I give it to Obi on the political battle because he fought a good battle and I congratulate him for that. But it will also be very important to have the political wisdom to know how to and when to stop fighting, particularly, when the ovation is still high. Understanding seasons and times and its import matter a lot. Politics is a dynamic game that can change its beat on you within a blink of an eye when a politician is not sensitive or carried away by emotion rather than rationale expediency.
There is a saying that destiny is supreme and there is no armor against fate. As God’s creations there are times one needs to sit down, relax and reflect on life developments, the vicissitudes of life. I have personally carried out an unofficial study on the life of Asiwaju Tinubu, a lesson in hard work, a study in tenacity which so far points to a human personage that is also surrounded by grace revealing a Man of destiny. Yes, Asiwaju is one specially covered by the Hand of Grace. I also tried to look at the situation from the view of common sense to know why he was victorious.
Perhaps, if Peter Obi had ran with Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the story would have been different but there was no way a house divided against itself with so much bitterness could stand solid. The brand of politics which the G-5 group played against Atiku can bring any politician within Atiku class down, if the truth must be told.
The PDP’s decision not to honour the widely accepted zoning of the presidency to the south had already caused huge disharmony and this they stubbornly and arrogantly worsened by their refusal to cede their party chairmanship to the south.
Losing the G-5 Governors led by the River State governor Nyesom Wike practically sealed Atiku’s fate. In truth, they didn’t ask for too much. What seemed too much was PDP and it’s chairman Ayu thinking that they could eat their cake and have it while underrating their governors. They simply made it easy for the governors to demarket Atiku.
Should it then surprise anybody that these crisis created the leeway for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu? The gang-up against Atiku by the 5-Group was so huge that his failure at the poll was predictable. But give it to Atiku, the Waziri Adamawa his overall performance, given the forces that worked against him was not bad.
I commend Alhaji Atiku for all the political fights he absorbed. It showed he was not a pushover.
But for him to expect to come tops under the compromised, blackmailed, vicious campaign against him is to expect the political impossibility.
Moving forward, I think the presidential election has come, fought and won.
Politically speaking, for me it has been an exciting political race for which we must move forward. Peter Obi must hold his head high because his entrance changed the political arithmetic of the 2023 election, and he stands out as the Hero of this election. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yes a workaholic, a good man, one with a mission to serve humanity but what I see more is favour, a man deeply surrounded by and in the wings of divine grace, divine providence.
All his life, he has worked hard to put coy of smiles on the faces of the people through his service. Nothing good they say, comes easy.
Having worked hard, the Grace of God was manifest to take him higher. Personalities of this stature are scarce in a generation. He that destiny has given a cap of leadership, let him wear it.
*Akanbi, a former member of the National Assembly, writes from Oyo State
