Nigeria, as a country, is blessed with people with distinct characters and excellent performance in their various fields of professionalism. From health to education; engineering to business, and most importantly politics, Nigerians are globally renowned.
However, the rating of the majority of the leaders in the Nigerian political space seems to be highly affected by the nature of the followers that they enjoy. Regarding this, we may have to take a keen look at what is currently going on within Nigerian political space, and the gladiators as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal winds down the court proceedings with reservation of judgment….CONTINUE READING
No doubt except for the deceptive ones, the 2023 presidential election was keenly contested and the winner emerge with a narrow margin which is the usual outcome of every keenly contested poll.
The major presidential candidates who added coloration to the contest and made it a historic one include the President of the Country who emerged winner at the poll, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who contested under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC); his counterparts from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Of the three great men who emerged runners-up in the order with which they were listed above, only Kwankwaso decided not to challenge the election results. This could be for a reason that is best known to us, and which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, one of the other two who approached court must have waked up to. Keenly looking at the post-presidential election tribunal, one may be right to say, only Peter Obi is left expecting something from what has been understood by other runners-up as “nothing.
It was very clear that had the trio of Atiku, Kwankwaso, and Peter Obi united before the presidential election and prevented the splitting of their votes, coupled with the socio-economic challenges that the administration of Muhammadu Buhari imposed on the citizens, there was no how Bola Tinubu of APC would have won the election. However, it is simple! We may assume that it has been destined that Tinubu would become a President, and for the destiny to come to the past, the three brothers had to disagree.
Kwankwaso knew fully well that the three of them allowed Tinubu to win, and the narrow margin victory enjoyed by Tinubu was more evidence that the election was free, fair, and credible. Otherwise, Tinubu would have won the poll by a wide margin, if he had cut corners on his way to victory. Hence, he refused to waste his time, money, and other resources; that of the President, the judges, and his brilliant supporters in the Court of Law.
Later but not the worst, Atiku Abubakar pursued the case to a conclusion but rather in the favor of the respondents, Tinubu, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Atiku realized there was no case, hence he changed his standing point; moving with light speed from the dean of Mr. Peter Obi to the faculty of Engr Kwankwaso.
This could be evidenced by the recent meeting which purportedly took place between Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Considerably, Atiku Abubakar is anticipating earning the support of Kwankwaso ahead of the 2023 presidential election, even by then Kwankwaso may seem more fit to run the race than him, Atiku has displayed the sense of political overtaking, and Mr. Peter Obi might have been left alone in the unproductive race of attempt to stop Tinubu.
For Mr. Peter Obi, there are messages for him looking at the recent move by Atiku Abubakar, and if he likes he should put them into consideration. Otherwise, he will live to learn more of such excellent political tactics.
Atiku Abubakar has already floored him in the politics of allying with Rabiu Kwankwaso. Putting into consideration, the political sagacity of Kwankwaso, himself, if Atiku is to compete with anyone regarding Kwankwaso’s loyalty, it is never Peter Obi but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who many regarded as a Master Political Strategist.
Now that Atiku has revealed to himself, the only possible outcome of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, and has moved on even before the tribunal delivers its judgment, Mr. Peter Obi is left with only two options.
One, Mr. Peter Obi may have to summon courage, unite with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and build his political future on the platform of a real political strategist.
Two, he may decide to stand alone and advance into political oblivion, even before the 2027 general election.
Above all, it is very important to note that the importance of the political understanding of the political followers to the success of the political leader is never in the minority.
Thus far, I have never seen a PDP member who condemned Atiku for meeting with Kwankwaso. Considering this, Mr. Peter Obi may have to be bold in making his choice or else he will be encouraged to a state of political extinction while in him, he may still believe he is in active politics…CONTINUE READING