IS BUHARI, TINUBU MOVING TO RECONCILE?

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’.