Tinubu, Karma and the S’West APC Parley
POLITICAL NOTES
A lot may be playing against a former governor of Lagos State and presidential hopeful, Bola Tinubu, as the ruling party inches closer to its presidential convention, slated for this month end. But from all that’s currently playing out, Karma, that patient sadist, might be patiently waiting to take its turn for a good laugh, after a pound of flesh is sufficiently extracted.
It’s interesting how supporters of the self-styled APC national leader, have been going around, warning the national leadership of the APC that they would not accept any form of imposition in the presidential run. Yet, the same Tinubu, has adopted this approach since the beginning of creation. At a meeting of the Lagos APC, weekend, Tinubu did not only confirm that a sitting governor was at his mercy through his eventual endorsement, but had kept him on the edge for too long a time.
He didn’t stop there, he also endorsed some aspirants yesterday and told others to go and fight for their elections. His typical style. Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, is one of those, who suffered from the latter. So, if Tinubu could think he had a right and power of political life and death in Lagos, why does he think the president of the country does not have such a right? His double standards to life is why his life-long ambition might not turn out well at the end of the day. Anyway, he has told his supporters he’d gladly return home in Lagos if his presidential bid fails.
However, something else is worthy of mention. Tinubu advising aspirants in Lagos to ignore the withdrawal booklet notice attached to the nomination forms, is suicidal. He was alleged to have told aspirants in the state to cross out that part, because he had done so. Too bad. They should know it is part of the process and no form would be complete without it. In fact, it is recipe for disqualification. A word is enough!
That said, the embarrassment meted out to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro at the Lagos APC meeting by Tinubu was needless and insensitive. The former minister was reportedly ushered to the floor to speak after Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was endorsed, by the anchor person, when Tinubu allegedly stood up from where he was and repeatedly shouted: “Drop that mic and leave there”. You know why? Obanikoro is eyeing the Lagos West Senate seat and Tinubu has already “assigned” it to a woman and former deputy governor of the state from Alimosho LGA, after a good deal had been struck and sealed.
Well, for the Southwest APC meeting, not much was discussed let alone achieved. But the takeaway from the meeting was that all the presidential aspirants, after refusing to consider the possibility of stepping down or arriving at a consensus arrangement, agreed not to throw darts at each other again in their campaigns. That was the much from the meeting. But something else was noteworthy from the engagement. Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, proved and showed to all, that he was with the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo. The duo drove there together and left together. And he refused to sit with either Baba Akande or Governor Gboyega Oyetola. Case closed!
