Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu is unarguably a household name, especially within the dominated political arena, in Nigeria today. He has earned his credible reputation right from the time of NADECO resistance struggle against the tyranic regime of late General Sani Abacha through his governorship tenure in Lagos State in 1999 to 2007, and culminating his great contributions to the historic emergence of APC merger government under President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
The truth must be told that if General Ibrahim Babangida had not annulled the presidential election of Moshood Abiola/Babagana Kingibe ticket in 1993, the entrenched religious politics in Nigeria today, which was used to deny Ahmed Bola Tinubu the Vice President position in 2015, would have been eliminated long ago. In fact, Nigeria would have advanced beyond the level of being manipulated by a clique of few irresponsible State Governors trying to high jack the process of selecting candidates for Presidential/ Governorship elections.
However, it is a sigh of relief to hear from a confident Bola Tinubu last weekend, that he has completed consultations with APC stakeholders preparatory for his formal declaration as an aspirant to the 2023 Presidential election. According to him, the outcome of his wide consultations across the country regarding the 2023 presidential ambition has been very successful.
He emphasised his confidence and capacity to overcome any form of challenges that may manifest in his bid to succeed President Buhari either before and after the Presidential election.
In his words, “life is a challenge and one must be ready to confront challenges and overcome them. I am sure I will face challenges. I have confidence to overcome them. I have confidence and the capacity to wade through challenges and overcome them. We are forging ahead and with the strong support of the masses of Nigerians we are going to achieve resounding victory”.
I am sufficiently aware that poliicians are used to harassment, intimidation and hostile attacks from their opponents and Bola Tinubu has shown that he is not new to such antics. He has experienced and overcome such antics in his political life, believing strongly that the supporters and sympathisers of his ambition across the country and beyond, will help him overcome all those challenges.
According to some of his close associates in recent press interviews, “there is nothing to fear about the success of Tinubu’s presidential ambition. We are going to give him the maximum support and loyalty he needs to succeed irrespective of any threat of harassment, betrayal and blackmail. It is part of the game in politics and we are ready for them to employ such antics. One thing is certain, Tinubu has all what it takes to succeed in his presidential ambition so as to make this country greater for the benefit of most Nigerians who believes in the progress and unity of Nigeria”.
Only yesterday, the Nigerian media reported widely that Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State has denied his speculated presidential ambition when he visited Tinubu in Lagos over the weekend, emphasised instead, his hundred percent loyalty and support for the 2023 Presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu.
We are all expected to see more of the support and loyalty in the weeks ahead.
According to one of APC Leader’s close associate from the North-West, ” I can assure you that even the pressurized Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will not contest against Bola Tinubu for the 2023 Presidential election.”
