‎​February 3, 2015 by Azuka Onwuka

Governor Babatunde Fashola is perhaps the most long-suffering governor in Nigeria. When his predecessor and political godfather, Senator Bola Tinubu, was the governor of Lagos State, Tinubu had the free hand to choose his successor, running mate/deputy, commissioners, and aides. He frowned seriously on being patronised by the then President of the country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. He returned fire for fire on all issues concerning Obasanjo, and most Nigerians had sympathies for him, especially given the overbearing nature of Obasanjo as well as the fact that from 2003 and 2007, Tinubu was the only governor of the Alliance for Democracy (which later morphed into Action Congress, then to Action Congress of Nigeria, and then to the current All Progressives Congress).

Tinubu had a running battle with his first and second deputy governors, Mrs. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and Otunba Femi Pedro, and succeeded in easing both of them out.

But as a governor, Fashola was not allowed to choose his successor and other aides like other governors in Nigeria. When he was rounding off his first term in 2011, which was generally commended as exemplary, there were rumours that Tinubu was not happy with him and was planning to drop him in spite of his popularity and performance in office. It took weeks of agitation and unease before information circulated that Tinubu and Fashola had resolved their differences with the result that Fashola would be allowed to run for a second term in office. Interestingly, in all that state of uncertainty and the cheapening of his office, Fashola never made any comment against his political godfather, Tinubu.

‎​Towards the end of their second terms, most other governors used their power and influence in the politics of their states to get themselves nominated as senatorial candidates, but Fashola was not allowed to do so.

Even the last hope that he would become the APC presidential running mate was dashed because of the campaign against a Muslim-Muslim ticket. If the APC fails to win this month’s presidential election, Fashola may not hold any political post for a while and may gradually fizzle out of people’s consciousness just like the brilliant Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora was eased out in 2011 and made politically irrelevant.

Meanwhile, those who are not as good as these two are allowed to hold political posts and shape the future of our nation.

The same fate has befallen some other personalities with some promise in recent years. After his eventful and colourful tenure as the governor of Cross River State in 2007, in which he made Cross River the tourist capital of Nigeria, Mr. Donald Duke in 2010 resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party. Some pressure was applied by his associates and he returned. But he has been keeping a low life in politics since 2007. Also a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, who led the fight for resource control, is rarely heard of today. Mr. Peter Obi, who had an exemplary tenure as the governor of Anambra State, was last year denied a ministerial post because of the politics of the PDP versus the All Progressive Grand Alliance, in spite of strong indications that he would fill the Anambra quota in the Federal Executive Council after the exit of Princess Stella Oduah. Currently, Obi is serving in the President’s campaign team as the Deputy Director-General (South).

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/what-happens-to-fashola-after-may-29/

2undexy:
Pls O.p, leave this issue aside. The most important now is Buhari winning the election. So, biko, leave mata 4 anoda day.

2undexy:
Pls O.p, leave this issue aside. The most important now is Buhari winning the election. So, biko, leave mata 4 anoda day.

berem:
no mind Idumuose. He should be asking himself what becomes of him after may 29

berem:
no mind Idumuose. He should be asking himself what becomes of him after may 29

brownlord:


Ha, what if your party and oga lost in the polls, your dream of becoming secretary in APC secretariat is dashed, what becomes of you?

I can bet my last kobo you've not step foot in your business premises since the last 6 months

brownlord:


Ha, what if your party and oga lost in the polls, your dream of becoming secretary in APC secretariat is dashed, what becomes of you?

I can bet my last kobo you've not step foot in your business premises since the last 6 months

idumuose:

I hope berem will not "kpeme"when she receives the shocking news that kai Buhari has been defeated again.
She has been attending APC rallies in Alimosho local govt where she's given pure water and doughnut and transport fare.That's how she survives.Man must survive na.

berem:
lol! I have never attended any rally since the campaign started. Where's the time to do that?
Na for nairaland my own rally dey o!
Jonathan must not smell Aso Rock again. That's a task to be accomplished.

idumuose:

I pray the rumour that the election might be postponed isn't true because i know Jonathan will be back in aso rock for another four years.Take it or leave it.

It does not change the FACT.

Sw,se,ss and parts of north central is for jonathan.We shall slug it out with Buhari in the northwest and parts of northeast.Taraba and parts of adamawa and Gombe is Jonathan's