How did Asiwaju Bola Tinubu get Pres. Buhari to support his presidential bid till the very end?
How did Tinubu ensure that Pres. Buhari did not betray him, the way IBB betrayed late M.K,O Abiola, who won the June 12 elections which was annulled?
These are the many questions that many people are asking, as Pres. Buhari hands over to Tinubu. Why? This is because several months back, there were great doubts as to the sincerity of Pres. Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to his age long friend, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Many felt all that time that Buhari would not hand over power to Tinubu even if he wins fair and square. They felt that Buhari, a Fulani man would not want to go down as the one who handed over the batton of leadership to Tinubu, a Yoruba.
They kept throwing up the example of the late M.K.O. Abiola who was betrayed by his good friend Major General Ibrahim Babangida, the then Military President who annulled the June 12 elections, thereby denying M.K.O victory.
The great feeling then was that Buhari will not support Tinubu to win. And that he was just leading him on.
Don’t forget that Tinubu was one of those who supported Buhari to become President 8 years ago and the understanding was that when it was time, Buhari will reciprocate.
But events of the last one year didn’t portray Buhari as someone who was in support of Tinubu.
City People Magazine can authoritatively reveal that from day one Tinubu had told Buhari that he would be contesting the Presidency come 2023 and all he wanted from Buhari was to provide a level playing field for him and other candidates to contest. He kept telling Buhari that he was so sure that he will beat hands down who ever decides to run with him from the opposition party.
Because he knows Pres. Buhari’s stance as a no nonsense, straighforward person, what Tinubu would love Buhari to do will be to steer clear of the process and allow all the candidates to run freely.
Buhari had agreed to Tinubu’s request. But what Tinubu didn’t realise was that some of those close to Buhari would intervene and ensure that the political process is compromised. That was how a Cabal emerged that wanted a Northerner (Preferably a Fulani) to replace Buhari. Before Buhari realised it, the Cabal had taken over the process and many of them began to take political decisions on behalf of Buhari. One of the things they succeeded in doing was to create a wedge between Tinubu & Buhari.
As the general elections drew nearer, the party hierarchy which had been hijacked by anti-Tinubu forces begen to throw up other candidates from the North to counter Tinubu’s move.
Of course, Tinubu being a Master of the game took the battle to Buhari in Aso-Rock, when he stormed the presidential Villa to officially inform Buhari about his decision to run.
After informing Buhari, he then addressed the Press to tell the whole world that he had met with Buhari and that he is in the Race. At that time, many didn’t quite understand the game Asiwaju was playing.
Once the game began Asiwaju took charge of the process and other contestants for the race kept copying Tinubu.
To battle the Cabal, Tinubu took them on thrice publicly and at each intervention, the game changed.
The political master strategist that he is, Tinubu employed so many tactics to make sure that Buhari did not block his chances. He took him on frontally, like he did in Abeokuta, when he needed to, and he still maintained a healthy relationship with Buhari, enough to enable him monitor the process. The few times Tinubu criticised Buhari openly many of his supporters were afraid that criticising Buhari might cost him the Presidency. It didn’t.
Where many began to suspect that Buhari was in support of Tinubu was when on the day of elections in Daura, Buhari deliberately showed the world who he voted for – Tinubu (APC). Via his Ballot paper.
From the day he voted, Buhari kept telling the whole world that he was not going to stay a day more in office. And he kept supporting all of Tinubu’s moves. At a point, it was clear that Buhari & Tinubu were on the same page. Events of the last few weeks showed Buhari as being committed to a Tinubu presidency. Twice, now he has told the whole world that he has been under pressure to change the narrative but that there was no going back.
Events of the last few days that saw Buhari bestowing national honours on Tinubu & Shettima shocked many. Buhari’s decision to conduct Tinubu round Aso Rock and the handing over of vital documents were the last straw.
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