National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is many things to many people. For some, he is a lion who has overstayed his welcome in the political jungle. For others, especially his numerous disciples past and present, he is a magnet. He is the north pole today and the south pole tomorrow. Somehow, someway, he is always attracting them back even when they try to break free. Little wonder they find it herculean to totally sever the ties that bind them to the enigmatic man.
Take the case of Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi. At the height of the tiff between former governor Ambode and the state chapter of the party, Afikuyomi switched loyalty to the then-incumbent, figuring to be one of the beneficiaries of Tinubu’s likely ouster from Lagos politics. As it turned out, being brave and being good in mathematics are two different things entirely. Tokunbo grossly miscalculated as Ambode was sent packing out of the governor’s lodge.
After the imbroglio, the two-term senator disappeared from public attention for a while. But those in the know claimed all along that he was working assiduously in the shadows to ingratiate himself back in Tinubu’s good graces. It seems Tokunbo has to thank his lucky stars for whatever powers of persuasion he has. Tinubu has taken him back with an implicit warning to go and sin no more.
That is the consensus of those who sighted Afikuyomi at the seventh convocation ceremony of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, where Tinubu was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Public Administration. As Tinubu was surrounded by some of his able lieutenants, the former commissioner for tourism in Lagos made sure to stand out as if to proclaim to the world that he is back dipping his hands in Tinubu’s cookie jar.
Among the gathering of Tinubu’s people like Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Minister for Interior Affairs, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, Executive Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor of Lagos State, Chief Bisi Akande, Adegboyega Oyetola, Executive Governor State of Osun, Tokunbo still tried to hug the spotlight. He wants to be seen where the ovation is loudest.
