Bola Ahmed Tinubu The election that produced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 25th, 2023 was not just a keenly contested one, it was an election that put the political integrity of almost every active politician in the country to the test.
Although the election was keenly contested by four major political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), the pressure on the APC was severe for many disturbing political factors which include the party's choice of Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, the frustrating administration of APC-owned President Muhammadu Buhari, Betrayal of Bola Tinubu by his benefactors, party members, and some powerful political appointees serving under the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, and among other challenges that make it very tough for the APC to approach the election with a solid confidence of victory.
Besides, there were very strong political gang-ups from the opposition camps, ahead of the presidential election that produced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Despite these challenges, some men and considerably, powerful political stakeholders in the country made sacrifices, gave all it took, and went against all odds to ensure the presidential ambition of President Tinubu was accomplished.
Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a great politician with excellent characters, distinct political moves, and a considerably, supernatural political decision-maker, however, there are some flaws in some of his political appointments so far, and this may not be without some negative kickbacks in the next few years.
Interestingly, the majority of the political appointees filling the Executive Cabinet of President Bola Tinubu are his loyalists and those we could, identifiably, consider as technocrats in their respective professional domains, however, it is relevant to recall that this is a democratic setting, and politicians will always be ultimately needed than the technocrats, mostly, at every election year.
President Tinubu has, regrettably, left behind some notable politicians who gave all they have to ensure his presidential ambition, in the course of rolling out his appointments into the Executive Offices under his administration.
For instance, it would be inconsiderate and unfortunate to underscore the effort of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in Bola Tinubu's bid to pick the APC presidential ticket, during the die-minute gang-up within the hierarchy of the APC on the eve of the party's presidential primary, during the electioneering campaigns and when some of the Northern elders came up with northern agenda to hinder the chance of Bola Tinubu; if there is anyone that worth the acknowledgment of Bola Tinubu from the North, El-Rufai is unarguably one of the top two persons that could be reliably mentioned.
Unfortunately, El-Rufai was nominated for Minister but President Tinubu seems to have surrendered himself to a political gang-up against El-Rufai, which led to the disqualification of El-Rufai by the National Assembly. President Tinubu as an astute politician knows how to handle El-Rufai's ordeal, and his reaction to the scenario is a bad signal to El-Rufai and every great politician who worked against all odds to galvanize the electoral victory of Bola Tinubu, from the northern hemisphere, most especially the most delicate core-north.
Looking through the political appointees of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, so far, the core Northern states including Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Bauchi have been left too open into the hands of lightweight political appointees who enjoy less to no strong political support base back home.
This could be arguable but during the next general elections nothing different is done at this right time by the president, he may be exposed to do more jobs than necessary in the bids for his second term election.
Looking at the appointments by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into political positions in the South, kudos to Mr. President concerning the appointment of Nyesom Wike as a minister, that commensurate the support given to Tinubu's presidential ambition during the election by the aggrieved faction of the PDP led by Nyesom Wike under the aegis of "G5 Governors" within PDP.
To cut it short, brief, and precise; APC's chances in the North Central, North East, South South, And South East are far from being the stronghold of APC. Hence, the chance of the party to win or lose in an election tightly belongs to what comes from the Northwest, and South-West while the party only needs to match up with core opponents in other geopolitical zones.
Therefore, having considered how the administration of President Tinubu faired less in the core North, the performance of the President in the South West based on who has been appointed into political positions is crucial to the chances of the party in any future election.
While Lagos is also sensitive, the president has done no better in the choice of who filled the appointment slots of Lagos as individualism who has attracted more hate towards himself was prioritized ahead of the collective interests of politicians in the state. This is even though the president lost at the state during the presidential election in 2023.
Go to Ogun State where factions within APC are jammed with the divisive politics of religion and betrayal played by former Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo in the state, President Tinubu had chosen a Lagos-based politician with no political support base in Ogun State as his preference to fill Ogun State appointment slot. This is a state where Senator Ibikunle Amosun awaits the arrival of 2027 while Governor Dapo Abiodun goes the ways of Osinbajo again as he did in 2023.
The trap in Oyo State will be very difficult to determine until Governor Makinde shows his destination ahead of the 2027 general elections. This is because, although, President Tinubu has given the Oyo Ministerial slot to a political clique who dumped APC during the 2023 general elections. However, he might have worked for the APC during the presidential election, President Tinubu may need to balance the wheel by engaging the main body of the party who stood firmly during the last election.
The case in Ekiti is quite disturbing as Ogun, Kayode Fayemi remains the face of Ekiti politics in recent years. He is yet to be considered and a Lagos Representative is considered for the political slot meant for the state.
While political uncertainties face Ondo and Osun politics, President Tinubu has either given the majority of political appointments in these states to non-professional politicians who, except former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, and one or two other appointees, can not today, tomorrow, or any way in 2027 pull a crowd of 20 indigenous political mobilizers less we talk about voters, without emptying their bank accounts amidst stressful days and nights.
All these are coming into play and, mind me, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or any of the current political appointees can come up with the claim that the names of those that matter have been penned down with their portfolios by the president awaiting final approval, it is crucial to note that such a late hour appointments can only satisfy the non-professional politicians who have currently been fixed by the President. Professional politicians don't joke with the timing of their appointments to the extent that two things may come into play if this later occurs.
One, some of the professional politicians may outrightly reject the appointments and send strong negative signals to the President. This implies that they are not available for the "Used and Dump" political idea where their cheap political services could always be subscribed to with dead-hour political appointments. This is for those professional politicians with integrity.
Secondly, the supersonic professional politicians will acknowledge the dead-hour political appointments, play with the president all along, collect every material meant for the next election, and pocket them without giving the president any sign of cruelty. These are professional politicians who are smarter than the President and decide to replicate the "Used and Dump" idea with a better hit back. This tears a political party, and if care is not taken, it kills a political party.
The real politicians in the core-North (Northwest) and Southwest are quietly watching President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and they may have a better political strategy to box the President into a corner or, even if they will still support the second term election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, they will have to make his jet around more than it could necessarily need.
Category: World-News
Tag: Defects in President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Appointments So Far and the Danger Ahead
Written by Author (author)
Published 1/28/2024 5:34:41 PM