By Tahir Ibrahim
Tahir Talban Bauchi.
Deep down, as an APC faithful, I have harbored a genuine fear of having
to contend with an 'ATIKU', as the flagbearer of the PDP in the 2023 polls. The
man is a sagacious politician, a ballot veteran and a professional linguist of
the Nigerian language and mentality. Woe betide you, if you dare underestimate
his political prowess and war-chest. The legendary 12 million vote’s man, PMB,
narrowly escaped Atiku's onslaught at the ballot, in the 2019 general
elections, and many believed that, had the elections not been postponed, he
would have won. His continued attempts at the Presidency for over 30 years,
have made him a veteran and master-strategist at the polls. One can never tell;
but he just might finally clinch it this time -- if the APC does not take good
care.
The younger, vibrant, robust and more
technocratic aspirants have all been floored or edged out of the PDP primaries.
One of them withdrew and surrendered his huge support-votes that finally tilted
the race in Atiku's favor. PDP has actually presented its most formidable
candidate in the last 24 years, since OBJ of 1999. The APC, morphing through
different party names over the same period, had PMB as their best. Atiku
rightly takes over from OBJ, as the next finest, from the PDP hightable. The
APC has a similar array of the younger and vibrant stock of aspirants, just as
those of the PDP. The huge poser here is, can they match or tackle Atiku? Do
they have the spread, the wings and the flight time? Can they safely land to a
thunderous ovation by their passengers as they pilot their parties to victory?
Are they his mates politically?
There is only one aspirant in
the APC shed that can match Atiku, and even surpass him, in as far as talking
politics, and election victory are concerned. Aside the base, the spread, the
political might both in strategy and resources; Tinubu is light years ahead of
Atiku, in terms of achievements, and dividends of a life long political
struggle. Tinubu was once the rallying point of all pro-democracy activism
against the military, back in the 90s. Tinubu succeeded in pulling the rug from
under the PDP in the South West, when it was at its strongest hour. Tinubu is
the father of the IGR drives and templates that are being replicated across the
country, from a Lagos model/ prototype. Tinubu's school of politics has the
best professors in the country today, and is still graduating world class
surgeons, engineers and barristers. Tinubu's sacrifices politically, outclass
that of any other politician worth his salt nationally. Almost single handedly
building parties and party structures from scratch, is no mean feat and hardly
can his rivals boast of the same achievement.
APC must honor its unwritten agreement of
power shift, in the spirit of federal character and rotation. Tinubu as a
southerner, is the only politician that has exhibited the Northern brand of
inclusiveness in politics. A former Northern governor and serving Senator,
Kashim Shettima of Borno, is leading his campaigns. An honorable member from
Kebbi state, Aminu Suleiman bought his forms for him and is mobilising groups
for him across the North. Three quarters of the National Assembly are rooting
for him. Quite a number of the Northern governors have his support and a huge
chunk of the delegates voting in the primaries, especially those from Kano, are
already in his corner.
We all observed the PDP Presidential
primaries. It was democratic and strategic. It had pure lessons of politics and
its machinations. It is obvious that stalwarts put their heads together, to
produce a biological weapon of polls destruction, specifically modified for the
2023 polls of Naija. Will the APC do the same and even better? The who blinks
first game has come to an end and PDP has blinked out its star -- a shooting
star at that. There is no doubt whatsoever, about its star's brilliance and
luminance. The APC needs a counter to that move. Someone with the prudence, the
might, and the mind. Someone with antecedents as plain as day. A developer of
capital, both human and financial. There is no reason why every state in the
country cannot be a mini Lagos or even Lekki, and be self-subsistent. It will
take time, a lot of innovation and resources. Above all, it needs a leader that
can deliver. Infact, a leader that has delivered!
Tahir is Talban Bauchi.
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