•He’s the only other person I would have supported, says Chimamanda
•Urges Nigerians to reject politics of patronage
•Buhari, Gowon, Abiodun, Tambuwal, others pay tribute
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, yesterday gave what appeared an apparent assessment of the 2023 presidential election, disclosing that it was Nigeria’s loss that the country’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, failed to emerge as the nation’s leader during the recent poll.
Speaking during the virtual launch of a book: “Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments of an Innovative Leader”, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, insisted that the refusal of the political system to throw him up as president has made Nigeria worse off.
The February 25 election saw the emergence of former Lagos state Governor, Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president-elect in a poll many believe was not fully transparent. The election is being challenged by the opposition. Osinbajo had earlier contested against Tinubu during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, but lost the poll.
The book was put together by 25 journalists known as the “PYO Collective” among which were Richard Akinola, Azụ Ishiekwene, Arukaino Umukoro, among others. The foreword was done by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Sanusi, who is also the current Khalifah, Tijaniyat Movement of Nigeria, said that the vice president remains one of the few persons in the current administration willing to debate any matter and yield to superior argument.
He added that Nigerians saw flashes of the brilliance of the senior lawyer and former university lecturer during the periods of absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and expressed the hope that at some point in the future, the pastor would have a chance to lead the country.
Noting that Osinbajo was his personal friend even before he became vice president, he disclosed that one of the great things about him is that he is someone who never changed even while in office.
“The third element of our interaction was a symbol just as acting president dealing with problems of a president who was not well and a nation that was in crisis, and giving us an insight into how he would rule this country if he has the opportunity.
“And I dare say, we all agree that Nigeria is worse off for not having someone like him as president, but I do hope that he will be available to serve and to advise and to put in his best for the country and continue to do.
“So I’m sure he will, in whatever capacity he finds himself in the future, and maybe we’ll still be lucky to have him lead us at some point or take some leadership role as a statesman,” Sanusi stated.
Sanusi stated that unlike some politicians, Osinbajo was able to keep his friends throughout the years and assured the vice president that his friends will also be around to receive him when he leaves office.
He highlighted Osinbajo’s intellectualism, noting that although he (Sanusi) remains a strong critic of the current government, he (Osinbajo) was always willing to debate issues.
“As you know, I’ve been very critical of some of the policies of the government, and he will debate and he has the ability, as we all know, to accept a superior argument. Sometimes he would explain why it cannot be done. Sometimes he would explain that it’s something that he also agrees with, but that it will take time to fix,” Sanusi recalled.
Describing the vice president as a peacemaker, Sanusi stated that on at least two occasions, he was impressed by Osinbajo’s concern about progress being made between Fulani herdsmen and farmers during the crisis.
“I saw him in action calling meetings, asking what are the problems, trying to understand the root cause, trying to come up with recommendations on how to resolve them and basically informed himself and throwing himself into it,” he added.
In her remarks, world renowned author, Chimamanda Adichie, noted that Osinbajo was the only other person worth supporting during the election circle, explaining that by “some magically mysterious process”, Osinbajo lost the APC primaries. Adichie is a strong supporter of Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
“I remember watching prof’s magnificent speech at the APC primaries, and I was particularly struck by these words from him, ‘You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in.’
“But by some magically mysterious or perhaps mysteriously magical process, he did not win. So I remember sending prof a message saying that I had hoped he would win, but also telling him how conflicted I would have been because he is the only other person I could have supported in this election.
“And this support will have been based on his humane and human qualities, but also the fact that he has demonstrated leadership and particularly so I think when as acting president, he took a principled action telling us Nigerians that he will not desecrate the sanctity of the National Assembly,” she said in a long keynote.
Also speaking, a former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), lauded the role Osinbajo played in the rehabilitation of displaced persons, which he did not only in his capacity as the number two citizen but in his personal capacity as well by building schools and houses and empowering as many people as possible .
He also highlighted the vice president’s role in the national social investments programmes, economic recovery and growth plan and national economic council.
President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), described the professor of law as a great leader.
Buhari underscored the warm relationship between him and the vice president, recalling the chasm that beset the number one person in Nigeria and his number two in the past.
“In 2019, he was accused of sharing money in marketplaces through different interventions that he was championing. I mean, the market moni, the trader moni, and all those other interventions. But they were informed by his desire and concern for the social welfare and empowerment of the ordinary citizens of this country,” he stated.
Osinbajo commended the attendees and expressed his deep appreciation for doing him the honour.
Others who attended the event included the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Aigbojie Aig-Imoukhuede, among others.
