Tinubu/Buhari: Between Afonja and Alimi

The present trials of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is not surprising to those who have vision. I saw it coming and that was why on Tuesday, May 27, 2014, I wrote a back page op-ed on ThisDay newspaper titled ‘From Battleground to Common Ground.’ I said inter alia as follows:

‘A comrade is not for what you are for; neither does he share the same interests as you. A comrade is simply one against what you are. In other words, a common enemy binds you.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) is founded on this premise.

Those who are enemies of the ex-President (Goodluck Jonathan) and the PDP gathered to form a party whose foundation is their common enemy.

They share no ideological connection. In fact, they may even hate each other, only that they hate Goodluck and the PDP more and are wiling to temporarily suppress their hatred for each other to gang up against their common enemy.

In my experience, it is better to have a party built on common interests than to have one built on a common enemy. This is because as even a political novice will tell you, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies only permanent interests.

Parties last only as long as the enemy is in power. Once their enemy is no longer in power the party disintegrates.’

It does not matter if you hate me but ask yourself if what I said has not turned out true.

In the space of just a month, Bola Tinubu has been deliberately dymystified and treated with such contempt that even his worst enemies find themselves feeling sorry for him. He should have seen it coming!

The unraveling of Bola Tinubu actually began on 3 June 2016, when Muhammadu Buhari publicly told him at a reception for members of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa that the All Progressive Congress had no such position as a National Leader.

I know this because a Senator who attended the function called and told me how the hall descended into almost pin drop silence after that assertion.

President Muhammadu Buhari would never have made such a remark before the 2015 elections. Nevertheless, who needs a piece of toilet paper after it has done its job!

That remark was the signal that sleeper agents within the APC were waiting to begin the unraveling of the masquerade.

Teaching him a lesson in Ondo State is only the beginning. Tinubu’s comeuppance is not yet complete in the eyes of his traducers.

Look at the way he was portrayed in Prof. John Paden’s biography of Buhari. Paden saw Tinubu as a desperate power monger who kept throwing himself at Buhari only to be rejected at each instance.

I do not know why Bola Tinubu is angry with Paden.

Paden was not there during the horse-trading. The book was written with the cooperation of Buhari.

Therefore, Tinubu should call a spade a spade. Buhari merely told the world what he really thinks of Tinubu.

Look at all those around President Buhari who got to where they are on the back of Tinubu. Has anyone come to speak in his defense? Where is Vice President Osinbajo? He can blame Jonathan but cannot defend his benefactor. Where is Fashola? He can come up with excuses for giving Nigerians darkness but cannot speak up for Tinubu? Lai Mohammed has been missing in action. Perhaps he is too busy dressing up masquerades or looking for a parastatal him to loan him money!

Ironically, only Ayo Fayose and Femi Fani Kayode came to the help of Tinubu. The two men demonised by the propaganda machinery that Tinubu helped set up.

In addition, as for Tinubu, I cannot imagine why someone will write a book and insult you and still invite you to the launch and you agree to go because he is a president.

Even worse, they asked you to write a review for the book and you did! The same Tinubu that was so mouthy under Jonathan.Look at how he has become a Chihuahua today.

Did you not see what ex-President Goodluck Jonathan did with the so-called Leadership Award? You do not honour a gathering designed to reduce you.

Even Osinbajo cannot publicly come to your defense and tell how you helped him secure his exalted office.

My advise to Bola Tinubu, is, a woman who continues to make herself available to satisfy a man’s his lustfulness should not be surprised when her own children deny that she is their mother!

Before labeling people like Ayo Fayose and Femi Fani-Kayode as enemies, remember that it is better to be insulted with the truth than flattered with a lie.