The political legerdemain of National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was a subject of presidential approbation and reference on Thursday in Lagos.
The occasion was the public presentation of “My Participations,” the autobiography of former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, in Lagos.
President Muhammadu Buhari described Tinubu as steadfast. Inherent in Asiwaju Tinubu’s steadfastness are his persistence and consistence.
Reflecting on the loss of five South-West governors elected on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the 2003 elections, Buhari said: “Only the steadfast Asiwaju Bola Tinubu escaped the electoral massacre masterminded by President Olusegun Obasanjo.”
Tinubu’s colleagues – Governors Akande (Osun), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Adebayo Adefarati (Ondo) and Lam Adesina (Oyo) – lost to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Segun Agagu (Ondo) and Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo).
Only Tinubu retained his seat. All other AD governors were defeated in the 2003 elections.
In the build-up to the 2003 elections, the AD governors and President Obasanjo of the PDP had entered into a political working agreement that they would mobilise for Obasanjo who lost in the entire South-West in the 1998/9 elections.
In return, the AD governors would be supported by the PDP.
But as soon as Obasanjo won his re-election, he mobilized against the AD governors and facilitated the PDP governors in five states except Lagos where Tinubu stood against the rampaging PDP.
Reflecting on the political history of Akande, particularly his bid to seek a second term as Governor of Osun, Buhari declared: “It is common knowledge that Akande was the victim – along with other AD Governors – of a diabolical double-cross which ended his gubernatorial career….
“Desperately disappointed though he was, and being a good Muslim, he accepted this setback as part of the trials of life. He looked to the future of service to the country.”
