Afterall thepolitical calculations are made and thedust of competition has settled, itmustbethisnationand its peoplewho stand first and foremost.The questionbecomeswhether we stand strong, able to shape ourselvesintoour bestfutureor will we standfrailand trembling,burdenedby theabject failure to surmountthemultiple problemsconfronting us.
Itagainstthisbackdrop thatI assess any actionI take. Here I come to myname beingplaced inconsideration as theVice Presidential candidatefor our party, theAPC. I have labored hard to move this partyfrombeingmerelyan ideain themindsof a few intobeinga political organization thatmightwinthiselection and govern thenationinway thatgivesthepeople thehope and opportunitytheyseek.Nothingismore importantto methan to realize this dream notfor myselfbutfor thepeople ofthisland I so love.
Ihelped to buildthisparty, givingno thoughtto seeking anelected office because ofit.My contribution to theparty was never based on theexpectationofa later political handout. Nigeria is introuble and we arewell past themomentfor suchnarrow, selfish games.
Therecame a timeduringthecourseoftheeventswhen our Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhariofferedthe VicePresidential slotto me. Beinga normal human being, Iwas deeply moved and honored thathe would consider mefor the position. Beinga patriot, Ihad to weighmy potentialcandidacyinall ofits dimensions.
Ihave concludedthattheinterestoftheparty, our campaign and ofthenationare betterservedifI retainmy position as the Nationalleader oftheAPC, allowingme tobea bridgebuilder across all divides. Although, I declinedtheposition, I want to thankGeneral Buharifor extendingthehonorto me. Despiteall the noise and opposition around my possibleselection, hestood firmand steadfast. He showedthetraitsofa leader inholding to a decision he believedwas rightdespitetheerrantplots againstit.
When myname was raised, thepolitical hatchet men triedto chop it downwithrumor andlies. Overtheyears, Ihave developed a thickskin.The personal attacks didnotbother me.I am used to them.WhileI have a thickskin,I don’t have a thickmind. There has been oneform ofattackthathas troubledme. Thatisthe attackbased on religion.The PDP and othershave stokedfear of a Muslim-Muslimticket.
Ihave removed myself fromconsideration so what I now say cannotbe seen as self-serving. Iplead withthepeople ofthis nationto neverallow thepower lustofcynical politicians to set brotheragainstbrother,neighboragainstneighbor.If youlook atthosepoliticians whoraisethis issue themost,theyare the least devoutand faithfulto any religion other theirself-interests.
Nigeria hastoomany secular problems – insecurity, economic collapse, poverty , corruptionand misgovernance –to allow inept people to use religion to keep us fromsolvingthesechallengesfor the benefit ofall.
Thosewhoexploitreligion should be wary. For therereally isa God and hedoesnotlikeitwhen you play withhispeople or use His name to dotheoppositeofwhat He intends
Iask the peopleto removereligion fromtheelectoral equation now thattheticketsofbothparties aremixed. I ask you to select theticketbestable to end thedownward slidethatNigeria has endured since this government tookover. I ask you to rememberthattoo manyChristians and Muslimsare poor. Most of all, I ask you to rememberthatthetruereligion of thePDP is poverty, APC come to bringprosperity to the people. Please vote for that.
The Nigeria I see isa nationthatshall overcome. The Nigeria I see is anationready to sweep asidethebroken ways ofour recent past and thegovernmentand politicians whoimposedistressupon us. The Nigeria I see and seekis onewhere eachperson, every man, woman and childmay livefree ofterrorism,freeofthe despairofpoverty and freeofthefear thatthegovernment meant to serveand protectthem hasturned its backto them in cold and utterindifference.
Isee and seek a Nigeriawhere progressivedemocratic governance creates thepolitical andeconomicspace neededfor each ofus to contribute to rescuingand retoolingthisnation. And, in theprocess ofthisbenignendeavor, may each and every one ofus share inthesoundpromiseand good prosperity that shall describe the architectureofour nationalrevival.
However, not everyonethatshouts thename ofNigeria believes in this vision. There are many whowould have you laidlow and our future tossedasunderthattheymay persistinreapingtheunjust reward oftheirselfishways. Thereare wolves insheep clothing and even jackals inwolf’sclothing.I have seenthembutnot as residents insome strange zoo. Theypopulate thehalls ofthis diminished governmentand theparty fromwhichthis government was born.
Wehave come to thefieldoffatefulchoice.Wehave beenbrought to test thescales ofweightydecision.Shall we lift this nation upward so thatfromitshighervantage pointwe may clearly see the roadto our betterdestiny?Or shall we continue to march the march offools intothedark ofdarkness. The currentpath has but oneend. Itshall take us intotheden ofnationalcollapse. We have gone far enoughdown thiswicked avenueto be aware of whatitscontinuanceportends.
Wemustawaken ofour own accord, my dear people, before the bell ofdoom ringsupon us. If wewaituntilthatmoment,we would have waitedtoolong. Our future, ourfate, our destiny would have beencast intothesnare ofuttermisfortune.Thisis not thesong ofgreatness. Itis thepoeticsofruin.
For me, political ambition willnever triumphover patriotic conviction. Thisdelicatemomentaffordsno space for emotionto intrude to blindus fromwhat is best.The APC isthebestand only vehicleto enacttheprogressiveand broad change thisnationcriesfor. I eagerly lend myselfto thisfinecause without mehavingto be on the ticket.
Thisisa timefor cohesion andan overriding senseofmission. We must defeatthefoe beforeus and resistall temptationsintended to enticeus to fight among ourselves.
Isincerelycommitmyself tothe rescueagenda ofGeneral Buhari and ProfessorOsinbajo.
Ideclareto you, I willwork and dedicatemyselfso thatour ticket succeeds and winsthe2015 election-- notfor hisgood, not for my good, noteven for theparty’s good butfor thegoodof the nationwe inhabit.
Some maycall what Ihave donea sacrifice. I call itotherwise. It is mypatriotic contribution and duty. I do so witha happy and upliftedheartand clear consciencebecause I have committed myself to seeking thebestfor thisnationbeforeseekingwhat is goodfor myself. ThisisthecreedofstatesmanshipI choseto follow. May thisbe thecreedofour party as General Buhari leads us to historic victory in the2015 elections.
May thelightofa brightfuturealways shineon you and on our beloved nation,theFederal RepublicofNigeria.
-Asiwaju Bola AhmedTinubu
December17th,2014
source::: saharareporters.com/2014/12/17/why-i-withdrew-vice-presidential-race-bola-tinubu