Rumours have it that the festering wound between President
Muhammadu Buhari and one of his most ardent supporter and national leader of
the All Progressive Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu may soon be
healed.
There has been a cold war between the two camps which was brought
into sharp focus during the last Ondo State governorship election, which saw
the two in different camps. However,
there have been renewed efforts in recent days to bring the two on the
negotiation table.
President Buhari had picked his ministers from the South-West
without adequate consultation with Asiwaju, the region most significant figure.
There was speculation that the appointment of some of the ministers was
deliberate, with the hidden intention to demystify Asiwaju, but events in
recent weeks appears to suggest renewed effort at the reconciliation of the
two.
Some of the steps taken towards the reconciliation process is the
removal of Ali Ndume as the Senate Leader, with Ahmed Lawan replacing him. The
reconciliation may however be done to several reasons:
- The
ministers appointed from the South-West have not been able to provide adequate
structure to the domineering influence of Tinubu in the region.
- The
attempt to isolate Tinubu seems to have re-enacted an unusual spirit of Yoruba
nationalism, to the extent of even spurring a new spirit of solidarity with
Asiwaju from unusual quarters including, but not limited to the Yoruba PDP
elements.
- Asiwaju
appears to remain the most profound key in the South-West for any 2019
presidential aspirations.
IDES OF MARCH
With respect to Tinubu,
one has to be blind and dumb to ignore the obviousness of his mistreatment and relegation
by the CPC wing of APC since Buhari was sworn in as president. There is no need
rehashing his plight, for it is obvious, but there is also nothing wrong
if a reconciliation is in the offing based on mutual respect and recognition
that it wronged the man who made it possible for Buhari to become president.
That seems to not be
happening; all that can be read is that Tinubu is the one gunning for
reconciliation. That, if true, is a guarantee that CPC will treat him worse
than they have done so far.
Asiwaju Tinubu would be
making a mistake by initiating this so called reconciliation, because CPC
relishes trampling on a felled tree. If I were to advise him, I would ask him
to maintain his dignified ground.
Campaign for 2019 is begun, if he allowed himself to be fooled
twice, he would have learnt nothing from his experience of his recent past. The
shock from the next beating he would get, if care is not taken, may see him
‘down under’.
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