LAST Monday, a book titled Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments Of An Innovative Leader was launched by the PYO (Professor Yemi Osinbajo) Collective, a nonpartisan, multicultural group of Nigerians. I wrote one of the 25 tributes therein and, in my essay, described myself as a member of the Osinbajo fan club and said that I was convinced that a huge mistake had been made when APC convention delegates did not give him their presidential ticket last year.
Many people have challenged me for indicating that I could have voted for the APC if the vice president had been the candidate because I have been a staunch supporter of Peter Obi, PO, for the past few months, so am widely regarded as a diehard Obidient. Another reason why I’ve been challenged for singing PYO’s praises is that I have complained about the APC’s multiple failures on numerous occasions, so some folks don’t understand why I would even consider voting for any candidate who has worked closely with Buhari and been at the heart of a poorly performing APC government.
My response to those who think that I am being contradictory at best and hypocritical or two-faced at worst is that life is not always a simple matter of uncompromising black/white extremes! There are also shades of grey and twilight zones and middle grounds. Chimamanda, a global literary icon and Nigeria’s favourite novelist, addressed us at the book launch and made a point with which I could totally identify.
Chimamanda is also known to be enthusiastically Obidient. But she spoke very, very, very highly of PYO and said that she would have been “conflicted” if he had become a presidential candidate because “he is the only other person I could have voted for”. I’ve heard similar sentiments expressed by many other Nigerians who yearn for a break with the past and believe that PYO and PO, though different stylistically, are both refreshingly atypical and capable of delivering a brighter future to an ailing nation that desperately needs to be rescued by a new kind of leader.
In other words, if PYO and PO’s names had both appeared on ballot papers on February 25, a significant percentage of voters would have struggled to decide which one to choose; and I think that it is fair to say that a large chunk of PYO admirers quickly transferred their allegiance to PO when PYO didn’t get the APC nomination.
And, by the way, I would also have been conflicted if Dr. Kayode Fayemi had won the APC nomination and run against PO because even though Fayemi also has what it takes to drag us out of the rut we are in and has been a loyal friend to me since we were youngsters in London, he is a Yoruba – like Obasanjo and PYO who have between them held the top two Federal Government slots for 16 years.
In an ideal world, ethnic considerations wouldn’t matter. But the world is far from ideal; and there’s no getting away from the fact that PO is from a geopolitical zone – the South East – that hasn’t had a chance to “rule” since Nigeria emerged from military rule in 1999.
Anyways, to purists who think we should strenuously avoid every candidate who belongs to a useless or toxic political party, I have this to say: I totally get your visceral distaste for the APC but organisations can be massively changed by their chief executives; and those who are mere deputies or ordinary members cannot be blamed for decisions that are made by the Numero Uno and his kitchen cabinet.
Long story short: I think we should learn to focus on individuals who possess integrity rather than on the vehicles they are driving when they commence their journeys because a vehicle that is ramshackle or dangerous initially can become roadworthy in the right hands.
The Labour Party only started to acquire Realpolitik credibility when PO walked away from the PDP to head it. The APC would have immediately started to smell sweeter if PYO had made it to its helm.
Tnubu versus Shettima
TALKING about life not
being that simple within the context of political thought processes and electoral choices, I was chatting to some chums the other day. All of my companions were Southerners – some were Yoruba like Tinubu but most were Igbo or Niger Deltan. All were anti-Tinubu for various reasons. Some just felt that he is too old and physically/mentally incapable of investing sufficient energy in a job that is immensely stressful.
Others said that he has a dubious history, is surrounded by scurrilous speculations or facts and have too many image problems. But guess what? Tinubu was abroad at the time and rumours were rife that he was very fragile and on his last legs and may not be president for long. And one of the guys in this social gathering gloomily said: “If it is a choice between Tinubu and his running mate, I will take Tinubu anytime. And if I have to donate one of my kidneys to keep Tinubu alive and prevent Shettima from taking over, I will donate my kidney!” And everyone agreed with him!
Of course these declarations were essentially tongue-in-cheek. And Tinubu doesn’t, to the best of our knowledge, have kidney deficiencies; and even if he needs a transplant, none of us is going to sacrifice a body part to anyone who is not a close relative. But there are serious concerns about Shettima’s trustworthiness in certain Southern circles. And I hope he proves us wrong.