2023: Tinubu for president ...But hurdles litter the way

.        Asiwaju Tinubu

By Foluso Adelaja

That Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu the National Leader of the All Progressives Party (APC), the ruling party in Nigeria presently, is interested in becoming the president of Nigeria by the next general elections coming up by 2023 is no longer in dispute, THE STATEPOST can now categorically affirm.

Though Tinubu, a one time senator and former governor of Lagos State continue to maintain sealed lips on the matter, emerging facts garnered by us continued to point positively to the certainty that the elder statesman and political tactician will bid for the exalted position in 2023.

The social media for instance is replete with several groups striving to actualise Asiwaju Tinubu's aspiration of becoming the next president of the country after General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Such groups include Tinubu Media Team 2023, Asiwaju Bola A. Tinubu for President 2023 and Tinubu Legacy Forum.

But of all these groups, two seem to outshine the others as their efforts are palpable on the Facebook and other social media.

The two are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Support Group which any interested person can join on Facebook and the Young Professionals for Tinubu 2023 which members cut across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The latter had been in existence for the past two years now as its National Coordinator, Mr Ahmed Mohammed Ibrahim noted that his members were routing for Tinubu because "he is a natural leader who has extended the hand of friendship to all regions of the country" adding that he had what it takes to lead Nigeria towards prosperity. 

But another political movement named 'BAT '23', also recently launched in Abuja with members cutting across the country has began mobilising support for Tinubu.

According to the National Coordinator of the group, Umar Inusa, "Tinubu is a highly experienced leader who has the required political tact to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023".

Inusa noted that "Tinubu is a leader who transforms nothing into something and feeds his people from the riches of what has been so transformed".

The Coordinator who routed for zoning of the presidency in 2023 to the South and a strong support for Asiwaju to take over from President Buhari pointed out that Tinubu has done a lot for the ruling party, the APC in the past as he was the financial powerhouse of Buhari in 2015.

Tinubu

His words: Tinubu is a man of caliber and pedigree, a charismatic and selfless leader we pray to get support to pilot the affairs of this nation and take it to the promised land.

Meanwhile, as these groups which are now springing up all over the places across the country become too numerous to number and each coming with bagfuls of methods to adopt in extending the frontiers of their principal's interest, many even found it convenient to forget that it is not electioneering period yet as they overdo themselves in their eagerness to prove their mettle.

In some parts of the country, many of these groups were already pasting posters of their principal all over the places while some have already daubed vehicles in the livery of APC with the picture of Asiwaju boldly emblazoned.

It took the dissociation of Asiwaju in some instances to discourage the excesses of some of these groups.

Apart from the activities of these groups which could however still be described as surreptitious as they were mostly behind-the-scene moves since it is not yet electioneering time, Asiwaju Tinubu may have now affirmatively shown his hands with the acquisition of a place to serve as his Campaign Headquarters in Abuja.

The property, a palatial compound, 2,700 square metres expanse, with reputable edifice is in the prestigious area of Maitama, Abuja.

The property once housed a private school, the Eagle Heights International Schools.

The property sits just north of the Philippines Embassy at 2, Kainji Crescent and just across the street from Body of Benchers, the institution that regulates advance legal education in Nigeria.

The property was said to have been deliberately chosen as it is large enough not to show any sign of party activities within and it is tucked between the conspicuous intersection of Kainji Crescent and Lake Chad Crescent. It afforded enough space needed to run the APC primary campaigns of Asiwaju when the time comes.

The property was said to have been leased at a bargain price of fifteen million naira (N15m) only per annum.

Another positive indicator pointing to the definite fact that Tinubu actually aspires for the presidency is the untiring efforts of his footsoldiers in the several support groups to single out men of goodwill that could bolster Asiwaju's ambition and wooing such men to their camps irrespective of their past political affiliations.

Daniel                                       Tinubu

One of such 'big fish' with political sagacity that was recently 'captured' and immediately coopted as a member of the Board of Trustees of Bola Ahmed Solidarity Vanguard (BATSV) is a former two term Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

At the presentation of the Letter of Appointment to Otunba Daniel recently, the Chairman of the group, Amb (Dr) Dare Owotomobi described the new catch as "one of the respected Yoruba leaders who has worked for the unity and development of the country".

He pointed out that Otunba Daniel has the potential to mobilize Nigerians across boards, irrespective of party lines for the actualisation of the ambition of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next president of Nigeria.

Otunba Daniel in his response agreed to join the bandwagon, pledging his commitment to the actualisation of the ambition of Tinubu and urged all Nigerians of goodwill to support Asiwaju to become the next president of the country.

He described Asiwaju as one of the most successful politicians in the country and has every potential to make Nigeria great.

However, despite Asiwaju's increasing number of support groups and devotees, his pathway to the nation's topmost position still seems lined with hurdles.

Many obstacles that are seemingly gargantuan and capable of dissuading faint hearted men from this lofty aspiration are daily cropping up or thrown his way to make him throw in the towel.

Firstly, as vigorous as his devotees are, so also are his detractors and as his camp burgeons daily with zealots, so also are the camps of his detractors growing proportionately.

Many mythical and outrightly concocted tales are daily spewed out, all to portray Tinubu as unworthy of aspiring for the office of the president or being voted for.

Because of the peculiarities of our politics, Tinubu has become the man many now love to hate and for no reason other than because of his ambition.

The detractors are not limited to the opposition parties, tribal calculators and fifth columnists even from his party, APC now abound. 

Many don't even have facts to back up their wild allegations against the man but are doing so to ruin his chances for ulterior motives or just to be noticed.

But the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose put it all in its right perspective when he recently declined to speak ill of Asiwaju, insisting that Tinubu has paid his dues in Nigeria politics and deserved the desired position.

Tinubu with Buhari

But of all obstacles now confronting Tinubu, the highest hurdle yet will be how to explain away to the voters the below par performance of his party under President Buhari as he was one of Buhari's advocates in 2015 who convinced many to vote APC, assuring that the country is in for a great change.