How Bola Tinubu Tamed Osinbajo, Amaechi, and Others at Presidential Primary

How many times do we need to warn ambitious Nigerians that politics in this country is not for the faint of heart? One has to go in with the mind to lose everything, even with influential godfathers at one’s behest. Since nobody listens to such good advice, Bola Tinubu has gone and done a number on his opponents at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.

Since Atiku Abubakar won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket, there has been a lot of tension among the other parties to present candidates that can match the former vice president’s momentum.

As the ruling party, the tension is all the more apparent to APC leaders who have always assumed that the 2023 presidential election will be a walkover for them.

However, to the surprise of Nigerians everywhere, APC could not agree regarding who should represent them against Atiku and the others. Tinubu, a chieftain of the party and one who has laboured to bring it to what it is today, declared his ambition. But so did 22 others, even after the nomination and declaration of interest forms were pinned at N100 million.

Not long after, the primary finally held and Tinubu emerged as the APC presidential flag bearer, to the chagrin of his co-aspirants. From incumbent Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, and the others, only tears and anguish are noticeable.

In a sense, the results are not entirely surprising. Those in the know have always warned these contestants that Tinubu has given too much of his time, efforts, and resources to this ambition. Alas, a man is blinded by an exaggerated sense of his grandeur. And that is what happened.

Anyway, that is done and dusted. And even though Tinubu has left their faces in the sand, it is time to move forward. On to the main election where the ultimate candidate will get the presidential mantle from Muhammadu Buhari.