WAITING FOR YEMI OSINBAJO

Yemi Osinbajo will make a difference as a President, writes Emmanuel Olorunda-Otaru

Another chance for Nigeria to get it right in choosing the right political leaders beckons, as the 2023 general elections approach. This country that is so much endowed by God in all its ramifications, had been stunted developmentally due to bad and inept leadership since independence in 1960.

The multiple evils of corruption, nepotism, tribalism, moneybags’ politics, godfatherism, to mention a few, have been the bane of the country’s development. And the people are suffering in the midst of plenty.

It is not as if the country lacks capable leaders who can turn the fortunes around. Most times, it is after such a good leader’s demise, we the living, would now be crying crocodile tears, and lamenting that, ‘’he was a good leader Nigeria never had’’.

A man of God was said to have remarked sometime ago that, ‘praying to God to bless the country, is a misdirected prayer’; that God had already blessed the country. He said that rather, what people should be praying for is for God to give us good and God’- fearing leaders, who will use the manifold resources to develop the country, and for the benefit of all.

The Holy Scripture says, ‘’The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom’’. If a man truly fears God, he will rule with the fear of God. And when the righteous rules, the people will rejoice. That is the truth.

As the 2023 political horizon unfolds, the chance to elect credible leaders at all governmental levels, in particular the presidency, stares us in the face.

It is a known fact that the country is blessed with an array of credible leaders, who can make a difference, from the North to the South. But for purposes of justice, equity, national cohesion and unity, the presidential pendulum is swinging to the South, after the North’s eight years in power by President Muhammadu Buhari. The gentlemanly agreement on rotational presidency should be respected.

This perhaps informed the reason why the dominant political parties are zoning their chairmanship to the North, since the position of the chairman and the president cannot come from the same zone.

Now, zeroing in on the South, of all those angling to contest for the president, who will the crown fits most, the one who can wipe the people’s tears away?

Recently, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, broke his silence, to announce his ambition to vie for the coveted presidential seat. Toeing the same line, the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, equally went to the Aso Rock to consult the oracles. In the case of my former colleague in the defunct Concord newspaper, now the Publisher of the Ovation magazine/Boss newspaper, Chief Dele Momodu, he chose a different platform, that of the political party to make his own declaration. This is apt and strategic.

Come to think of it, if all the motley political parties’ presidential candidates would be going to the Villa one by one to seek Buhari’s consent before declaring their ambition, the president would be over-burdened, and other pressing state matters would suffer. But another credible and capable leader, who I believe can make the country proud, is the incumbent Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Although he is yet to declare his ambition to run for the president in 2023, Nigerians from all walks of life are already urging him to run. The number of his supporters who believe he can move the country forward is rising daily across the country. He is rated highly, among all the declared and undeclared contestants. He has become a man of the people.

I believe he would not betray the confidence of his teaming supporters, which cuts across different ethnic groups and religions. I believe he is not intimidated by political vultures, and in due time, he would make his ambition known.

For instance, a former Governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Osinbajo’s supporter from the North said, ‘’Yemi Osinbajo is the best candidate of the APC in 2023 presidential elections’’. Also, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), also throws his weight behind the vice president: ‘’Mr. Vice President, wherever you go, we will follow’’. When Osinbajo’s supporters visited the former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, in Minna recently, to seek his support, he received them with open arms. These are just to mention a few of the who’s who canvassing for the candidature of the erudite law professor, Yemi Osinbajo for the 2023 presidency.

Nigeria, at this time, needs a young, vibrant, healthy leader come 2023. Not recycling old, worn-out politicians that would become another liability to the country. Eight years is another long journey for the country. We should not gamble with it again!

Last year, during the #EndSARS protest, there was a political reawakening among the youths in the country writ large. They promised to form a political party, to sponsor a youthful candidate to contest the 2023 presidential election. The youths of this country have the numbers to change the political equation.

From the foregoing, it does not appear the youths are getting their act together along this line. When can they form another political party, when the general elections are next year? Is there plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register additional parties? Time is of the essence. The most pragmatic option now, if I may suggest, is for the youths to adopt the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo as their presidential candidate, who still has age on his side, apart from his towering credentials.

With Osinbajo’s experience in government at the state and national level, having been two-time vice president, it is believed that he will hit the ground running, if given the mandate. He will not start learning on the ropes. Again, his loyalty has endeared him to his principal, who will be more favourably disposed to hand over to him. He has become, ‘’a son of the soil’’. In any case, it is not President Buhari that will decide his fate, but God, and the electorate, in a free and fair elections.

According to The New Tribe, one of the numerous political groups rooting for the vice president, ‘’It is time. Nigerians call on Osinbajo to run for President’’.

Olorunda-Otaru, the Night Editor of THISDAY Newspapers, wrote from emmanuel.otaru@thisdaylive.com