- Tinubu, Followers May dump APC
The open confrontation against members of the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu political circle has taken another ugly dimension with the latest onslaught on the former Attorney General of Lagos State, now Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo by the members of the Aso Rock cabal.
The workings in the Presidency is that, the Vice President should be the head of economic team, Osinbajo was in charge of Economic Management Team (EMT) but the latest development shows that he has been relieved of this duty with the composition of another Economic Advisory Council (EAC), by President Buhari, which has former CBN governor, Prof. Soludo and others as members, headed by a former University of Lagos don, Professor Doyin Salami.
To further the Osinbajo’s ordeal, the Special Presidential investigation panel for the recovery of public properties set up by him in August 2017 was dismantled, a Presidential directive ordered that all the report done so far should be handed to Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami.
There was an accusation that Osinbajo deliberately most of the time ignore the approval of President Buhari before embarking on some policies in agencies assigned to him, this allegation was refuted in a press statement issued by his media aide, Laolu Akande, who absolved vice president of any wrong doing, according to him, he claimed that Osinbajo cannot embark on any policy without getting the Presidential nod.
Osinbajo, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was faced with the public outrage when members of his church was abducted in Ijebuode area of Ogun State few months ago, the outrage was because of his continued silence in the face of oppression and attack on the Christians by kidnappers and herdsmen.
We also learnt that the former boss at Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) now the head of FIRS, Mr Babatunde Fowler who was reportedly nominated by Bola Tinubu is about to be kicked out, already there is a memo from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha directing Fowler to hand over to the permanent secretary, which make it obvious that his term may not be renewed, making him to be another casualty in the ongoing tussle between Lagos and Abuja cabal.
The job of many of Tinubu’s political followers in the Federal level are threatened due to the political war some persons belived to be close to President Buhari are waging against him in relation to the 2023 Federal elections.
The excuse given by those pushing this rivalry tussle is that, they want a President in 2023 that can continue the legacy of President Buhari. It is obvious that they will soon turn the whole thing to North against the South struggle, already prior to the 2019 elections, prominent Yoruba and Southern leaders including Chief Edwin Clark and Chief Ayo Adebanjo warned Senator Bola Tinubu, that he is operating on a dangerous cliff that may end up consuming him, this warning is fast becoming a reality, some prominent Yoruba group have also accused Tinubu of cheaply presenting the Yorubas to his Hausa Fulani friends in power over his quest to succeed Buhari in 2023, this ambition if care is not taking will hit the rock very soon.
Top on the list to start this hit against Senator Bola Tinubu was Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru Elrufai who has been openly campaigning against Tinubu’s 2023 ambition, he was in Lagos to teach people how to deal with the Lagos godfather, as if that was not enough, he has been mobilizing his fellow Northerners on the need to jettison power rotation for competence in the next Presidential election.
Since the return to democracy in 1999, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) believed that there is abundant talent in all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, that for the sake of peace, justice and equity, power must be rotated to enable all the zones to have a feel, sense of belonging and religious/ethnic balancing, in their preaching for ONE Nigeria, however Elrufai and few of his ilk are saying that this is not correct, that only in the North competence can be found, that our peaceful coexistence and equity does not matter.
Exclusive information available to this media suggests that since the war against Bola Tinubu’s Presidential ambition is becoming bigger and bigger everyday, it is better for them to begin to withdraw from the ruling APC. They are considering time and chances of winning if they float their Presidential ambition under a relatively new or existing political party.
Presently, the ACN wing of the APC has control over Lagos, Ogun, Osun, but setting up a team to pacify the Ekiti and Ondo wing to join in the struggle, if for nothing but to kick off the funding of the new platform they may want to use to advance their political ambition in 2023.
From available information, they are considering Alliance for Democracy (AD) and others or to register a new political party, however the option of new party may not work over the fear that Buhari’s men who are hell bent on stopping them, may influence INEC not to register the party.
Osinbajo aide has been relocated out of the Presidential villa Aso Rock to another location in Maitama, the onslaught is becoming too open and confrontational to bear.
In the midst of all these attack, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has not made any statement concerning the obvious plot against him, although there is grumbling by his supporters who for the fear of what the public will say, could not make their displeasure open, several option leaders had warned that the alliance between Tinubu and Buhari will not end well, in fact the story of Afonja of the Ilorin and the Fulanis was used in many occasions to describe what may befall Tinubu. Fulani oligarchy have the same method, which has not changed, this method work for them all the time, but can one say that Tinubu and those who brought the alliance do not know this simple analogy?
As the event unfolds, Nigerians are keenly waiting and watching what their end will look like.
The Yoruba’s will not accept the USE & DUMP method.
Comrade Inuwa Ramalan PhD FIIM
Copy and Edited by Bashorun Adefemi