As expected, my article of Thursday 21st October above generated a lot of responses from readers across the country. And it was all down to the personality of the man Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who has established himself firmly as arguably the most outstanding political figure in the country today.
At the moment the great question hanging in the air is not whether he will contest the 2023 presidential election which to many is a given. And it is also believed by many that it will constitute one of the great wonders of the world for Tinubu not to win the 2023 elections should he decide to throw his hat into the ring.
In all this, the central question however is should he run even though the possibility of his doing so and winning is quite clear? A number of questions ranging from his age, health, background and antecedents and eligibility feature robustly in this debate, with many not inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.
I have selected two out of the many responses I got which to a large extent mirror the great divide that exists among Nigerians on the subject matter of Tinubu and the 2023 presidential race. In this regard I invite readers to take note of the robustness of the contrasting positions and decide for themselves which one makes the more compelling argument.
Good day to you sir.
I just read through your column on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While I enjoyed the read, most of the points you raised are factually correct except where you said ‘’he has never been heard pushing forth a coherent set of ideas’’.
I think you were wrong there, very wrong. Tinubu over time has contributed to many national discuss through his press releases.
When government was about to increase Value Added Tax (VAT), he used his colloquium to denounce it and instead suggested to government to increase the tax base.
He also spoke on farmers/herders crisis and how to resolve it. He also spoke about how to tame inflation and get out of the debt trap we are running into.
Infact, it is on record that he is the only presidential hopeful who has over time released statements containing solutions to the issues.
Atiku has not, Kwankwaso is not concerned. Peter Obi only tells us what he did in Anambra. You also allude to him returning Nigeria to the old ways of ‘’chop-I-chop, please pray tell how was his time in Lagos a “chop-i-chop’’ affair and assuming you have proof to back up your claims, then why is Lagos still head over shoulders of the rest in every developmental indices? Which properties did he annex as his in Lagos?
You see people at a certain level of education and exposure should not listen to beer parlour gossips. Of all his ills as you put it, tell us your candidate who has none. I will be waiting to hear from you.
We should focus on competence and track record which you conveniently avoided thus carrying out a subtle character assassination.
Is it not funny that with all the stories of how corrupt Tinubu is, the lesser corrupt ones are the ones having cases with the EFCC?
For 16 years of PDP rule, they couldn’t attach anything to him? You might not like him which is normal and within your right. But saying things you are not sure of about him is not fair, even if you were paid to say it.
Jamilu Momodu 07061039554
I refer to Iliyasu Gadu’s article on “Tinubu, the Kingmaker who wants to be King’’ published on Thursday October 21. The article made an interesting reading. It was an engaging and piercing dissect of Tinubu’s naked ambition to run for the 2023 Presidency.
As Gadu pointed out in his article, some Tinubu ardent followers believe and think that President Buhari’s visit to Asiwaju Tinubu’s residence in London was a “sign of subtle handover and endorsement of the latter’s undisguised ambition to succeed him’’.
To acute political observers and indeed discerning minds, Gadu’s God-like description of Tinubu’s political weight and power in Nigeria’s political weight and power is overblown and exaggerated. However I was relieved by Gadu’s prompt analysis, his surgical dissection( operation) of the ‘’brain box’’ of Tinubu’s political driving force to rule Nigeria; both on his political ideology and 2023 projections of a Tinubu presidency.
Gadu’s analysis brought to the fore the emptiness, platitude of Asiwaju Tinubu’s pretended agenda of Transformation which the writer to my mind, rightly dubbed as ‘’inherently lacking in ‘’pushing forth a coherent set of ideas on the political economy of Nigeria’’. I further agree with Gadu that Tinubu’s politics of participation in Nigeria has always been about riding sentiments and the convenience it offers him (Tinubu) to advance his own political and economic interests.
Iliyasu Gadu did a perfect summation on both and his conclusion that Tinubu should still contend himself with being a Kingmaker and the clear reminder and warning of the danger, the gloom that awaits him for daring to swim in the murky political waters of the 2023 Presidency should be taken in good faith and in great strides.
Tinubu is being told in very clear terms of the need to consolidate his political profile and enormous economic empire instead of wasting these accomplishments on an uncertain Presidential race.
What I believe Nigeria needs now are a new set of selfless leaders who are committed to unadulterated service, equity and justice and whose understanding of the utility value of leadership and the use of political power as social and economic transformation tools are not in doubt. Creative in every sense, integrity of character personified and excellent in spirit and not given to waste and ostentatious living.
These are the character traits our future leaders should wear to unite us and gaze at the same direction as a nation and build a virile, self-sustaining and egalitarian society.
The likes of Tinubu have done their best in the governance of this nation and we thank them for their service. We appreciate them. But their likes hardly add up to the great expectation of this new dispensation of leadership Nigerians clamour for.
The leadership we clamour for now is that which recognises that, obligations to the people take precedence over loyalty to an individual, group or religious sect. This should be the new thinking of the “New Nigeria’’ as we approach the 2023 elections.
Braeyi Ekiye, a publisher, wrote from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
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