Tinubu And The Hurdles Towards Emi’ Lo Kan: A Tale Inspired By Resilience Birthed In Controversy

By Matthew Godfree

INTRODUCTION

It was Friedrich Nietzsche, who said “that which does not kill us make us stronger”. This proverb aptly captures the story of Tinubu in his dogged determination to become the President of Nigeria. However, despite acceding his destination of Emi’ Lo Kan as the 16^th President of Nigeria, his attainment of such feat was not a success story that is devoid of controversies. The controversies surrounding Tinubu were so enormous that one wonders how he survived such tirades to reach the destination of Emi Lo Kan. But in politics, controversies are sometimes assets and liabilities. This is because in politics controversies sometimes activate the political atmosphere, thereby making politics more interesting. That is why William Hazzlit says “When a thing ceases to be subject of controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest”. Thus, controversy sells a lot in politics.

In his political journey to become the 16^th democratically elected President of Nigeria, controversies about Tinubu sold a million copies more than some music albums. But what is the nature of controversies surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT)? Are they birthed in virtue or vice? How can we classify Tinubu’s controversies? The reader is at liberty to exercise his opinions on this question and stick by it. It is his democratic entitlement. However, in all the impressions one might have about President BAT, the conscience- pricking question to ask is that, with all the shenanigans and controversies that surrounded President BAT, how was he able to survive these hurdles? And are there tougher hurdles (s) that President BAT is yet to cross? These questions should stimulate the mind of the reader to further engage this article.

THE HURDLES AGAINST TINUBU FROM CAMPAIGN TO SWEARING–IN

Tinubu and Consensus Candidate

The first political hurdle against Tinubu was the conspiracy by All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt consensus candidates in their primary election. At that time, some elements of APC who did not want him to emerge as Presidential candidate, suggested the adoption of consensus, instead of primaries election. Apparently genuine reasons were advanced against his candidature. However, a clear perusal of section 84(9) of the Electoral Act, 2022 clearly shows that the decision on who became a consensus candidate MUST be determined by the ASPIRANTS. Thus, political parties have no say. This law made the intra-party opponents of Tinubu to sheath their sword and allowed the rule of law to prevail.

Failure of his intra-party opponents to successfully maximize the ploy of consensus candidate against Tinubu, made them to accept direct primaries. This has become a relief for him because most of the delegates cannot conscientiously write their political history without mentioning the positive role of Tinubu. As such, to those who honor good deeds, one good turn deserves another, and Tinubu was not an exception.

Tinubu and the Muslim/Muslim Ticket

After the primaries, Tinubu had a difficult choice deciding who should deputize him. The general expectation was to have a Christian from the North, however, through some party intrigues (plausibly to weaken Tinubu), APC brought in a Muslim Vice Presidential candidate. They first tested the water when they field Mr Ibrahim  Masari as Tinubu’s running mate. When they noticed the public uproar or discontentment was high, they decided to replace Masari with Kashim Shettima from Borno State, another controversial fellow. The choice of Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate was a premeditated permutation to detract President BAT’s  EMI Lo Kan Odyssey for the following reasons.

Firstly, with both Tinubu and Shettima as Muslims, the distaste for Muslim/Muslim ticket became a major detestable fact because it was deemed to be divisive and insensitive to the unity and plural nature of Nigeria. The opprobrium against Muslim/Muslim ticket of Tinubu was greeted in the North by some Muslim Elders, as well as Christian politicians, and in the South by some Christian communities. No place was tougher for Tinubu than his own geo-polity, the South-West. The Afenifere opposed him, prominent Yoruba leaders opposed him; his people were against him. The choice of Muslim/Muslim ticket, plus his old-age during the election, made Tinubu to be a prophet who lost honour among his people.

Unlike his predecessor, Buhari, whose supporters from the North in 2019 said that even if Buhari was on his sick bed, they would vote for him, Tinubu did not enjoy such partisan patronage from his Yoruba kinsmen. They applied the maxim that ‘when your child is wrong, don’t defend him against strangers, expose him.’  A virtue that endeared the Yoruba people to some political observers as the most detribalized people during 2023 Elections, who really wanted a united Nigeria built on justice and equity.

While the conspirators of influencing Muslim/Muslim ticket on Tinubu thought that their permutations would work to influence power shift to the North, circumstances did not turn out to be so. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose candidate was Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, via their sympathizers in APC, thought that they could contend the Muslim/Muslim Ticket of Tinubu, by bringing Okowa as Atiku’s Vice President. But that was not enough.  At the time Tinubu and Atiku were politically strategizing their games of throne,  the third emerging force and ‘trending’ opponent that will overwhelmed them at the campaign was yet to emerge. He was Peter Gregory Obi.

Tinubu and the Obidient Movement

The emergence of Peter Obi in the political scene of Nigeria in the 2023 Election changed the trends of political campaigns. His coming into the political arena was like the emergence of United State during the Second World War.  While the initial political tension between Tinubu and Atiku could be likened in polemology, to the initial confrontation between Britain and Germany during the Second World War, the coming of Peter Obi could be likened to the advent of America into the theater of the war. As America changed the contours of Second World War against Germany, so did Peter Obi change the Political campaigneering of the 2023 election. However, the only irony is that Obi’s emergence, unlike U.S, did not make him victorious at the Election, rather, his influence created circumstances that favoured President BAT.

Peter Obi symbolizes a revolution against the old order which came to be known as ‘Obidient movement’. He was seen as a ‘Third Force’, predicted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in one of his political epistles to Nigerians. Peter obi was a rallying point for the frustrated Nigerian youths who yearned for a change of political power from Old Politicians – which includes Tinubu and Atiku. Peter Obi was also endeared by Trade Unions to the extent that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) openly endorsed him. Teachers in strike for over 8 months vowed to deal with APC at the polls and saw Peter Obi as a better option.

Peter Obi has permeated the hearts of all Nigerians across the nation. Atiku’s home state and region was consumed by the Obidient Movement. Worst was Tinubu’s region. A story was told of a Professor from Southwest who tried to persuade his children to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu for President. However, he could not resist the youthful objective submission of his children; as such, he allowed them to exercise their franchise in defense of the Obidient movement.

The wave of Obidient Movement was so strong that even APC members decamped and joined the Labour Party. Civil servants and other workers publicly declared support for Peter Obi by displaying the obidient stickers on their cars, houses, motorcycles, tricycles, phones and books. Persons known to be stubborn to their parents suddenly become Obedient and if you want to return them to their disobedient status, touch Peter Obi. The declaration of presidential results showing Peter Obi as winner of Lagos State clearly showed that Obidient Movement was a Tsunami to Bola Ahmed Tinubu; yet Tinubu survived.

However, the way and manner Tinubu survived the Obidient Tsunami plus Atiku’s contentions to be declared the winner of the 2023 general election, was a political mystery that defied logical reasoning. Perhaps, it is only the judiciary that can unravel this mystery in due course, a view which many may doubt.

Tinubu and Social Media

The social media was one entity that was hostile towards Tinubu. A lot of disrespectful remarks on his personality and family trended on social media. His errors and mistakes attracted traffics on most social media handles. Social media was so hostile that President BAT justified that to decline media invitations for presidential debate.

Social media was factually hostile to President BAT, that even his traducers began to have some soft landing for him. Some of the social media hype against BAT is not worth stating. Two of the popular hype that trended was the popular ‘Bala blu’ incident and ‘Agbado’ declaration. The ‘bala blu’ is so trending that it was adapted into a rap song by Nigerian youths. The Agbado saga was a trending popular satire by social media handlers. It was seen as a disrespectful manner Tinubu was looking down on the youths. The Nigerian youths on social media saw the reference to ‘Agbado’ as a reflection of puerile manifesto that is bereft of sound political and leadership vision.

APC further exacerbates BAT’s plight when they refer to Peter Obi as a political candidate who lacks structure. This further made the social media space to become agog against APC and gaga for Peter Obi. Social media become more active in support of Peter Obi with the hashtags such as #whoStructureHelp and #NoStructure. These developments made social media a hostile den for Tinubu during and after the elections.

When Osibanjo was criticized by Kashim Shettima  that he is only good at selling Ice Cream, Osibanjo supporters served Ice Cream to people  during APC primaries, thereby, justifying the saying that, if they throw lemon at you, give them lemonade. One could have expected President BAT to do likewise; he rather remained silent and proceeded with his campaign. The man believes that reaching the destination of ‘Emi Lo Kan’ will be a good relief and recompense for all these assaults.

Tinubu and political ‘prophets’, witches and wizards,

One thing that Tinubu’s Emi Lo Kan saga  helped Nigerians to know is that ‘prophets’, predictors, Mallams and witches and wizards cannot abort one’s destiny. There were some prophets who said that God told them that Tinubu will not win. Some said it is Peter Obi and others said it is Atiku Abubakar that will win. The few that predicted Tinubu were looked upon with disdained and betrayers. Finally, when the Presidential election result was announced, Tinubu was declared winner. Let’s put a full stop to this arm of the gist by saying ‘God truly knows those who are truly His.’

Again, in the North certain people and Malams were ranting against Tinubu’s candidate. A young man in a viral video on social media questioned the ‘Muslimicity’ of Tinubu. He said that even, Dino Melaye’s Fati’a  (holy profession of Islamic Faith, revering the Holy Prophet Muhammed, PBUH) is better than that of Tinubu. Some said Tinubu is not a true Muslim, because his wife is a Christian. Another person launched a video campaign against Tinubu and said, even if Tinubu picked the Sultan of Sokoto, the Supreme leader of Muslims in Nigeria, as his Vice President, he will not win this Election. However, when the election was announced, Tinubu was declared winner. ‘Prophets’, predictors, and Mallams could not abort Tinubu’s Long Journey to the Empire of ‘Emi Lo Kan.’

Tinubu and Cabals; Currency Swap and Cash Crunch

The greatest blows that could have throttled and toppled Tinubu’s journey to ‘Emi Lo Kan’ Empire’ were the inflations, increase in fuel price and the fuel scarcity, plus the cash crunch that greeted the 1^st quarter of 2023. These tripartite economic woes terrorized Nigerians. The role of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emiefele, and Abubakar Malami, in this unholy policy, can never be forgotten in the unpleasant pages of Nigerian history. The theory behind the cash swap/crunch was that the moment these policies were meant to discourage money politics. It was believed that some politicians have hoarded a lot of money which affected monetary circulations in the economy.

In the minds of some Nigerians, Tinubu was among these money bags, especially as he was once involved in the Bullion Van controversy. The total outcome of the public plights orchestrated by insidious inflation, fatal fuel scarcity and crazy cash crunch, a month to the general election in 2023, was to poison the mind of the public against APC (Tinubu). Thus, there were riots in Benin, Abeokuta, and other cities in Nigeria due to cash crunch. Despite these, after the election was conducted, Tinubu reached his destination of ‘Emi Lo Kan’ as the 16^th democratically elected President of Nigeria.

Tinubu and Shettima Controversy,

Some pedestrian theory alleges that Yar’adua’s saga was the reason behind the Northern selection of Shettima as Vice President to Tinubu. His dressing at the NBA Conference in 2023 further endeared him to social media critics. Shettima was not popular even among his people. Shettima personally admitted that he was not favoured in the North because he was not a Fulani, the Hausa–Fulani are against him. Shettima’s alleged link with Boko Haram was also another dangerous public image that ought to sink Tinubu’s ship of Emi Lo Kan, but he survived it somehow.

Tinubu and Post-election Saga

Ordinary after election results were announced, if a popular candidate, whom the masses expected was declared winner, there will be a nation-wide jubilation. For example, when Buhari defeated Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 people died in wild jubilation. But in Tinubu’s saga, reversed was the case. Even before the declaration of the results, there was an appeal by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, begging the INEC not announce the results because of potential security risks. This follows a drama by Dino Melaye and other party agents at the presidential collation center, who wanted the collation results to be stopped until the results of Ekiti and other States were electronically uploaded on the INEC review portal.

However, INEC rejected that appeal, when ahead with collation of results and after declared Tinubu as a winner. Yet, there were low key celebrations, in some parts of the country, even Lagos State and other States from his region. It was a sullen moment as if people were mourning. Yet, the Man strived forward towards reaching his ‘Emi Lo Kan’ declaration.

The struggle for recognition and congratulations by outside world

Immediately Tinubu was declared winner, the international community were not in a haste to congratulate him. Two reasons could account for this. The first is the reports by foreign observers that showing that the election was not credible. Secondly, there were fears of some conspiracy theories that military might take over power, and interim government will be ushered in. This made foreign countries not to be in a hurry to congratulate the President-Elect. But after the Nigerian army refuted such rumours, the coast is now clear for President BAT; ‘Emi Lo Kan’ is now internationally recognized.

Tinubu And The Attempt To Scuttle His Swearing-In

Despite Tinubu’s victory, the arrows of public premonitions, especially from Obedient community, and other Nigerians, kept trending. Some of the popular rumours was that Tinubu cannot be sworn-in because (a) he rigged the 2023 elections, (b) he did not win 25% in Abuja, (c) Shettima has double nomination, and (d) American will arrest Tinubu on the day of his inauguration.  One surprising feature of this propaganda was that it was promoted by learned and educated people. If one attempts to hold a contrary view, one would be ostracized and castigated in some social media agora. In those days, to be popular and acceptable, and to have more likes, on one’s social media handle, just repeat the above tirades against Tinubu and you will become a celebrity of the moment. The Court made a wonderful intervention on some of these interventions, went it dismissed two of these suits and award N40 Million Naira against advocates of such views. It was this judicial intervention that hushed such opprobrium. Thus, Tinubu got another sigh of relief to proceed with his Emi Lo Kan mandate.

Tinubu And One More Road To Cross

The main hurdle that awaits President BAT is the election petition against him instituted by Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar and their respective parties. The most engaging issues facing Tinubu before the court include (a) non-compliance with Electoral Act for failure to electronically transmit election results, (b) Tinubu has not win 25% of the voters vote in Abuja, and (c) the conviction of Tinubu for drug related case via forfeiture by a court in United State of America.

In conclusion, whatever opinion one will have about President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and his purported victory at the Poll, in the spirit of fairness one should humbly commend his audacity to triumph over all these myriad of political hurdles. For those contesting the integrity and transparency of the electoral process that brought him into power, let’s hope that the court will address the grievances through the lens of justice. The story of Tinubu shows that while resilience could be a virtue to overcome challenges and achieved a dreamed goal, it also shows that such victory could be birthed in controversy. The victory of Tinubu at the polls and the controversy surrounding it is still a reality Nigerians are struggling to come to terms with. It is a type of controversy that Bertrand Russell describes when he said, “the most savage controversies are about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way”. As to whether or not the controversies that gave birth to Tinubu victory’s is bereft of ‘good evidence’, only time will tell, as Nigerians await the verdict of the judiciary in matter of some days; because ‘ time  is the best judge’ of  every present controversy.