BY
OPALUWA OGACHEKO
If our President, El-hadj Bola Ahmed Tinubu had a functional and stable personage during the flag-off of his presidential campaign for a second term in office in Kaduna recently, he would not have needed a ‘babalawo’ to tell him that all is not well with his party, the APC and his administration in Nigeria. According to speculations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his APC deliberately chose Kaduna State for re-launch of his second term ambition for some reasons.
Critical among the reasons is the need to enhance and consolidate his chances in the 2027 presidential election through north west geo-political zone. It was also speculated that, re-launching his political ambition in Kaduna State was to appeal to ethno-religious sentiments of northern voters whom he relies on to remain the sole occupant of Aso Rock in 2027 and beyond. On a lighter and perhaps rather pedestal note is the notion that the choice of ancient Kaduna City was meant to intimidate and demystify the block of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and his political block with a crowd of hired and induced followers; in their words ‘that is unprecedented in the anal of political rallies in Nigeria.
If the speculated reasons for President Tinubu’s choice of Kaduna as flag-base for the relaunch of his vaunting political ambition are true, then he scored low on all points. For example, while north west geo-political zone gave APC the highest votes that sealed his presidential election in 2023, there is currently a groundswell of resentment of both the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his party in the same geo-political zone. At least, some of the people that he invited or came to Ahmadu Bello Stadium to witness the flag-off ceremony demonstrated how they felt for all to see. I doubt, if Mr President was in stable physical and mental states to note scenes of angry youths destroying his campaign materials in frustration right there at the venue of the event. Even his large campaign billboards that were heavily guarded by some patronizing and overzealous security details were not spared as the last vehicle in his presidential motorcade departed Kaduna town. The visibly angry youths were protesting against the suffering, hunger and hopelessness that President Tinubu’s APC government has unleashed on the nation over the past 3 or more years. Conversely, Mr President’s fattened but relatively stable minded Ministers and aides saw and knew all about the anticlimax of their Principal’s campaign flag-off ceremony but cannot, and will not tell their Principal the truth. So the lies and deceit continue.
With ethno-religious sentiments, our President and his party also performed woefully. The same persons that he sought to appeal to with these false sentiments rebuffed him, or chose to lay their hungry stomachs quietly in the forlorn recesses of their dank rooms rather than attend a worthless political rally. The anticipated crowd never materialized while Mr President’s laborious voice hollowed out in a near-empty stadium. Ethno-religious sentiments failed to hold this time around.
On Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that has remained in captivity for upward of six months now, I don’t want to believe that the choice of Kaduna for APC’s presidential campaign flag-off had anything to do with him. Otherwise, Mrs Remi Tinubu and our delectable First Lady with a few others that have access to Mr President should by now be thinking of a way to convince him on releasing Mallam El-Rufai expeditiously by now. Rather than demystifying him, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s political profile is rising insidiously in the entire north daily as a political prisoner and prisoner of conscience in Nigeria. His political base is swelling silently and invincibly by the hours; thanks to APC’s fluke mega campaign rally in the former Governor’s home State. Those that conceived the idea that a mega political rally will diminish Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s political relevance in Kaduna State or Nigeria for that matter, ought to have a re-think. If anything, they have only succeeded in increasing sympathy for the man that has been unlawfully incarcerated for over six months in the cell of one of Nigeria’s putrid anti-corruption agencies.
My advice to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is to discard the idea that incarcerating the petite political rabble-rouser will enhance his electoral chances in the north come 2027. In my humble opinion, it is a disastrous political miscalculation etched in personal vendetta and unpardonable betrayal by friends and political associates. The man may not be guiltless of the many allegations against him while he held brief as Governor of the State that hosted the disastrous mega flag-off campaign rally of APC. But, using our corrupt judicial system to deny him his personal freedom while the matter subsists legal ally is anti-thesis to one of the critical hallmarks of democracy that President Tinubu and his NADECO cohorts claimed to have fought for in the past.
On a parting note, let those that conceived the Kaduna mega politically rally, especially northern Governors that emptied their respective State coffers to pull off that shameful stunt while their people are dying and groaning under the burden of pervasive insecurity, hunger, poverty, illiteracy and suffering go for a crash lesson on how to plan and stage mega rallies.
Let those that they invite and hire to fill stadium stands during political rallies first come to the venue with filled stomachs. Let them be able to travel from their respective towns and villages without fear of being kidnapped, robbed or killed along the way. The people that Nigerian politicians invite to listen to their lies and hollow promises should be educated and be able to rationalize what is said or done in mega campaign rallies. Until such is possible, the Kaduna debacle will remain a bitter lesson for APC leaders and their followers. It remains a shame to a ruling party to all of us!
OGACHEKO OPALUWA IS A SOCIAL CRITIC AND POLICY ANALYST
