₦airaland Forum

Asiwaju Is Working Again Like He Is The Underdog.

When Akeredolu was asked about the 2023 presidential race, he said that they await the return of the Capo de Tutti.

Fashola also said that we should wait for him to speak.

Then on January 10, 2022, Tinubu went to the presidential villa and informed the president of his intention to run. ‘I have the capacity, the competence to rule’. You can’t forget that.

That made him the first in his party to formally make his interest known.

And immediately after that, he started a broad based national consultations, the kind that we have never seen before in a party’s presidential primary.

Tinubu did not sleep!

He was the most popular man in the party after the president who isn’t running yet he worked like he’s the least known.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu left no stone unturned in his elaborate nationwide consultations right from that January 10.

While others were dragging to declare, Tinubu was already on the field working and working very hard. Before they could finally declare, Asiwaju already had over 50% of the delegates either adhoc or statutory on his side.

He was not waiting to be imposed.

That was never in his plan.

Some ministers did not want to resign even after declaring which was against the new Electoral Law until the president held a meeting with them and asked those who were interested in running to resign. And even after that meeting, it was only Nwajuiba that resigned almost immediately. Others wanted to eat their cake and still have it. Chris Ngige in particular became a joke.

Amaechi also wanted to run but he was not open enough. He said that he wanted to hold a thanksgiving service at Adokie Ameisemaka stadium only to turn the thanksgiving to his presidential declaration. And for the second time, I was disappointed in him. I was disappointed because I did not understand why he was not truthful enough to call it his presidential contest declaration in the first instance. I received many calls on Oshiomole attending the declaration but my reply to the callers was that Amaechi invited him for a thanksgiving and Oshiomole honoured the invitation so if he changed it to a declaration, he was only deceiving himself.

The declaration by Ahmad Lawan was an afterthought. He had earlier told Tinubu that there was no need for him to come and inform them at the National Assembly that he was running because he already had their full support.

The vice president wanted to run but he was not bold enough to throw in the hat. He called his supporters sponsored speculators for promoting his ambition. He said that it’s all rumours but he later declared one night after we’d all gone to bed.

As all these and many more were going on, Tinubu had gotten more converts to his side.

And we saw how his hardwork paid off.

The same scenario is playing out going to the general election.

He won his party’s ticket in June and immediately he got it, he started consultations for the general election too. He has only taken 10 days off in London since then.

His party drew a campaign timetable which they have been following and any time that there’s a review, it is announced.

Tinubu has met with the business community that had in attendance Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Jim Ovia, Tony Elumelu, Herbert Wigwe etc.

He went to Minna to meet with representatives on Nigerian farmers.

He also met with the solid mineral community and miners and investors in Lafia.

He was at Owerri and had a town hall meeting with leaders of private sector and organized trade associations.

He has also met with the Christian Association of Nigeria in Abuja.

Between Dec 4 and 12, he will be abroad for international engagements.

On Dec 2, he is billed to meet with the organised private sector in Lagos and on Dec 21, he would have a meeting with the creative art practitioners.

I did not list the Kaduna town hall meeting with Arewa leaders because he did not arrange it, he was an invitee like other candidates. So there was no oversight.

Who has Atiku, his major challenger met?

A man who sows cassava will not reap agbado.

There is a reward for diligence.

There is a reward for good and proper planning and execution.

There is a reward for meaningful consultations.

There is a reward when the most favoured still works like he is the underdog.

And you forgot to address Bola Tinubu drug case in united states and money laundering