By Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni
The article titled, ‘The Cost of Political Miscalculation’ by one Sanusi Muhammad reads as another desperate job, hatched by some political disgruntled lots, whose idea of opposition is penchant to tell wild lies, twist histories and create unfounded conspiracy themes. Safe to say that neglecting such a piece and its author is our practice, but I’d like to clear some points he wrongly alluded.
The writer analysed the Nigerian politics from his sponsor, PDP’s perspectives. The party and it’s stalwarts are yet to get over the electoral losses of 2015 and 2019. Whilst PDP ought to be learning from how APC played the opposition pre-2015 by sticking to the issues, they are being victims of their bloated egos, refusing to learn and thereby exhibiting buffonery on national issues.
The writer drew attention to illogical and irrational analogies to jihad 1804( when there was no Nigeria), civil war which was belligerence of armed conflict and Machiavellian principles which happened in the nineteen century . Machiavellian principles are at best are republican in nature and fit only for do or die political class – the PDP version of politics. These are some undemocratic instances and part of why PDP may never be a true political party is that there ideas are always anti-democracy.
The author mentioned civil war to buy relevancy for his undemocratic idea of democracy. Civil war fought by the south East is largely with a view to territorial expansion in nature and premised on irrational reasoning. One, the war started by killing officers from the North and south west when they had more officers than the South East. How do you explain the annexation and subjugation of the South South and the zone being ruled as conquered territory? What was responsible for attacking southwest through Ore to Ibadan with a view to conquering Lagos? Alabi Isama tragedy of victory explained this.
What happened in 2015 was democracy at its finest. Democracy thrives is politics and politics is a game of number. A granite coalition politically needed to be formed to take power from the PDP and sweep away her 16 years life in rot.
On the candidacy of President Buhari, the current president of the federal republic of Nigeria is a product of political popularity and standard democratic processes. History is evidently clear that President Buhari contested primary election with other interested candidates of whom were all younger and more agile, but Nigerians chose the candidate they can trust. The author sounded as though, it is wrong for anybody from south west to prefer Buhari, a decision which is believed to be the shorter route to Presidency for the zone. It was no brainer that Buhari was not just a better option for Nigeria in 2015, he was the ideal option for the aspirations of South West as a region.
After Jonathan, power would’ve definitely returned to the North for the next eight years after which the South East will have a bite because of their support to PDP. Beyond that Jonathan had no chance because he breached gentleman agreement he reached with the power brokers in his party. Also, he was not competent and Nigerians were tired of PDP.
All postulations and schemes by PDP elements to foist Atiku on the nation will fail. A southerner of either South West or South East origin shall be in power after Buhari. We can’t work on assumptions of they won’t relinquish power – balderdash. For any action there is Cobra effect, thus Asiwaju Tinubu will be the greatest coward if he fails to take a shot at the Presidency after Buhari. We can’t be cowed by scare mongers or nay-sayers. We remain resolute.
Finally, in the warped opinion of this author, Asiwaju Tinubu made a mistake of ‘political miscalculation’. That assertion is at best speculative at the moment, unless this author is saying to have a magic wand of a seer. It is however certain that even his worse enemies know that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a thorough democrat who thrives on his mastery of politics, leadership and governance.
Asiwaju was never a part of any anti-democratic group that met in 1998-99 and purportedly designed the live of Nigerians, even those yet unborn. Jagaban know politics, he understands the demography of the over 200 millions Nigerians, he knows what is needed to move Nigeria forward in the league of developing nations and we can only wish, hope and pray that he throws in his hat. For the country is indeed, in dare need of his services.
As Asiwaju often say, power is not served a la carte. Those that want power should be ready to do the required politics. For in 2023, elections will not be won on media manipulations, propaganda, conspiracy, blackmail, distortion of history, etcetera.
Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni is the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly
