By Edmund Otudeko
Anyone attempting to write Tom surname on a smartphone or tablet will
find that the in-built auto-correct feature will attempt to write the
surname as Bikini-that flimsy, not-meant-for-high-occasion clothing
wornn by fun seekers on beaches.
While this gives good cause to LaughOutLoud, it isnt really Tom fault
but it is very telling in an ironic way. Tom has come to symbolize that
typical not-to-be-taken-serious Nigerian politician whose value at any
gathering is, at best, comic, and at worst, disruptive. This is why, when
Tom recently felt compelled to write an article justifying why he decided
to renounce his membership of the only credible opposition party in
Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC), many people were amused.
This is because he didnt have to offer any justification. No one was
expecting any justification from him. After all, what is it to Nigerians
that this Tom was decampingonce againas usual andas expected?
After reflecting on Tom flip flopping on the political stage over the
years, his ignominious role in the dark days of Nigeria political history
and his childish rant in the letter announcing his departure from the APC,
one could not but understand how, in the minds of discerning citizens and
keen political watchers, the reputation of Tom as one not to be entrusted
with the important and consequential was fully earned.
Given his antecedents as the sell out Chairman of the National
Republican Convention, Tom is rightly regarded in political circles as the fun seeking
beach goer in a bikini. While I wont advise any one to conjure up the
picture of Tom in a bikini in one mind, the metaphor explains why Tom
will never be trusted with any office of consequence. No one invites the
bikini wearer to the high table.
Tom continues to complain to any one who would listen that he was barred by
certain forces from emerging as the National Chairman of the All
Progressives Congress. The truth is that Tom keeps missing the point and
breaking one of the fundamental rules of life inscribed in the Temple of
Apollo in Delphi: Man, know thyself. Tom should look in the mirror and
limit his ambitions and his opinion of himself. Tom was not barred by
certain forces. Tom was barred by the will of the members of the
party.
And the members were right. No Nigerian would have taken the party
seriously with Tom as its Chairman.
Only very exceptional men can manage the inherent weakness of man in
failing to know himself. Tom does not appear to be one of such exceptional
men. Tom needs to begin to see himself as he is seen and as he is:
Tom cannot, even under the most twisted definition of the term, be
counted as a true Nigerian Progressive. He is one of those of whom Rear
Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu spoke of in the Punch Newspapers of June 12, 2013:
œMany who connived with the clique in those debasing and disenfranchising
years are today even masquerading as champions of democracy Such
people
include those who now today sit atop parties Boards of Trustees
Some
reign at the pinnacle of the legislative arm of government in Abuja. There
are numerous others in the arms of government and even among the
progressives, who ought really to search their conscience, if the survival,
well-being and progress of Nigeria is truly in their agenda.
Tom cannot live down his role in the scuttling of the aspirations of
Nigerians in 1993. For, if one is revolted by the duplicitous politicians
who, while heading political parties connived with the military to annul
and waste the democratic gains of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Elections,
one of one prime objects of anger should be Tom.
If one is convinced-as are all independent observers and students of
history-that most of our nation woes are the result of years of military
misadventure in governance aided by self-serving and sycophantic civilian
politicians, Tom should deservedly be one punching bag.
Tom is one of the Nigerians who have helped the PDP design, oil and
perfect its anti-democratic electoral fraud machine. One needs look no
further than to Chief Tom Ikimi, the owner of the
Obasan-joooh.Obasan-jooh voice that, in 2003, manufactured the
contraption that foisted even more years of PDP misrule on Nigeria. (In
furtherance of that electoral fraud machine, the PDP stole the recent
election in Ekiti and, even before formally declaring for the PDP, Tom is
already helping that party spread the official lie by blaming APC loss in
that state on the perception of APC leaders by the people of Ekiti.)
Tom is one of the lead facilitators of that dark episode in
Nigeria
history when, 19 years ago, the respected playwright and activist, Mr. Ken
Saro Wiwa and others were gruesomely murdered by the ruthless regime of
General Sani Abacha which Tom enthusiastically, obediently and dutifully
served as an adviser and foreign minister and who proudly and
unapologetically defended gruesome murders and miscarriage of justice
before the whole world.
Tom is undoubtedly that imposing man who possesses fairly impressive
oratory prowess. But it is largely for amusement as of those fun seekers
in bikinis. However, people who know what is at stake should not be amused
by it. We must begin to reject the culture and leaders that promote the
use of empty words and phrases to disguise the issues or to disguise their
own lack of understanding of the issues and lack of good will and
intentions.
Tom, in his defection rant, claimed to have played a prominent role in the
founding of the Action Congress of Nigeria and the All Progressives
Congress and felt that entitled him to the Chairmanship of the APC. In
light of the above, he should know that if he had been promoted in his
bikini to such a high office in the APC, which is Nigeria surest
bet out
of the doldrums, all progressives would have been part of those George
Santayana referred to as œThose who do not remember history and are,
ipso
facto, œcondemned to repeat its mistakes. If the military and the PDP
would gladly treat Chief Tom Ikimi as a leader, the APC rightly cured
itself of such malady. The APC must not been seen as suffering from
collective amnesia.
The only problem with Tom rant and diatribe is his attempt to cast
aspersions on otherwise principled politicians dedicated to the struggle to
liberate Nigeria from the shackles of corrupt and inept leadership foisted
on the nation by Tom natural family, the Peoples Democratic Party
(œPDP). In the same old, intellectually lazy fashion we have become
accustomed to from PDP sympathizers and enemies of progressive politics,
Tim joined the ranks of desperate detractors of the Asiwaju of Lagos, Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, in attempting to cast aspersions on his person and integrity.
It is a historical fact that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one of the
visionary behind, and one of the principal architects involved in, the
formation of the All Progressives Congress. It was the Asiwaju personal
leadership that led the now-defunct Action Congress of Nigeria to
unanimously support the vision to cast lot with the APC and it was his (and
few others) tireless and selfless investment of time and resources that
built the APC into the formidable alternative party that it now is.
Long before the formation of the APC, the Asiwaju has since cemented his
reputation as the leader of a new brand of politics and activism in
Nigeria. The politics that vigorously promote the welfare of the
electorate and activism that courageously and doggedly pursues the
enthronement of the rule of law and the pursuit of business as unusual for
the sake of the greater good.
In his first Inaugural Address as the Governor of Lagos State, he famously
said, œAs flag-bearers, we are not unmindful of the heavy burden and
responsibility that we carry. We are not unmindful of the huge expectations
of our people, young and old, man and woman, able and disabled. Nor are we
unmindful of the misery and poverty that the generality of our people have
had to endure almost forty years after Independence. Our goal, as the
Prophet of old commands, is to lighten the burden of our people,
alleviating poverty by providing jobs for our youths, houses, secure homes,
water, good roads and creating efficient mass transportation system,
industrial development and providing life more abundant for our people.
And long before his election into executive office, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu played key roles in Nigerian politics. He was elected to the Senate
from Lagos West constituency with the highest votes in the country in the
short-lived Third Republic. In the Senate he was the Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Banking, Finance, Currency and Appropriations. In that
capacity, he initiated a far-reaching probe of the finances of the National
Assembly that set him at loggerheads with the legislative bureaucracy and
the military regime at the helm of affairs at the time.
Asiwaju was also at the forefront of Chief MKO Abiola campaign for
presidency in 1993. When the June 12, 1993 election, described as the
freest and fairest in the country history was annulled, he emerged as one
of the fiercest opponents of the annulment. As the arrowhead of the
struggle to actualize Abiola mandate, the military junta reached out to
him severally to jump ship and come over to their side. He was offered
juicy appointments and contracts to no avail. He refused to betray his
principled commitment to the sanctity of a free and fair election.
Exasperated by Tinubu intransigence, the military viciously went after
him. He was detained. His house was fire-bombed. He eventually had to flee
the country for his dear life. His wife, now Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her
children had to be smuggled out into exile. Tinubu, while in exile remained
steadfast in his commitment to the pro-democracy struggle, making great
personal and financial
sacrifices towards this effort. A pseudo democrat would rather enjoy the
transient benefits of economic and political power rather than risk his
life fighting for truth and justice but not Tinubu who remained steadfast.
It is in the light of the Asiwaju indisputable record of service and
sterling leadership that the attempts by some elements in and outside the
APC to reduce the Asiwaju influence in the party raise red flags for many
Nigerians who have anchored their hope of Nigerian redemption on the APC.
Do people like Tom think that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu claim to
leadership is simply that he was once elected to the Senate of the Federal
Republic or that he performed as one of the most conscientious Governors of
Lagos State in recent years? No! It is because of his profile in courage!
It is because of his sacrifice for the greater good in good times and bad
times. Who was the rallying point and strategic voice for all the
opposition figures in the dark days following the annulment of the June 12,
1993 Presidential elections? Who was in the forefront of the global
assault on the regime of General Sani Abacha? Who was the governor that
redefined governance after years of mismanagement by the military? Who was
the governor with the courage and vision to fight all the way to the
Supreme Court to establish the fiscal rights of States in the Federation?
Who is the politician with acumen and endurance to organize the political
opposition that our
democracy surely needs to survive? It is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Thus, to reduce the influence of such a leader or to discount the value of
his guidance is the recipe for doom. The people perish when they lack
vision, so the holy writ says. In the same way, the APC will lose its way
if it forsakes the counsel, leadership and vision of its founders and, in
particular, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Asiwaju has always sided with
the aspirations of the people of Nigeria and his vision is, first, of
leadership that is not about the spoils of office or ethnic loyalties but
about ideas. The prime idea being that democratic governance must be
transparently fair and must deliver tangible benefits to the people.
Also, the Asiwaju vision is of the promotion of leaders whose democratic
credentials are unimpeachable, he himself having sacrificed greatly both
during the struggle for the enthronement of democracy and now during this
struggle for the enthronement of good governance. In the dark days of the
June 12 struggle, was it not the Asiwaju who sacrificed greatly to mobilise
and support the forces of democratic governance? Was it not the Asiwaju
who successfully led the defence of the Constitution and the rights of
states against an imperial presidency? Was he not the one who led
democratic forces to ward off an onslaught of the might of the humongous
and corruptly oiled political machinery of the PDP in the desperate effort
to capture the states of the South West? Was it not during his
leadership that the winning electoral strategies that restored
progressivism to most parts of the South West were successfully formulated
and implemented?
Furthermore, the Asiwaju vision for the APC is of the elevation to
leadership of persons who are not men of mere words but men who have toiled
in office for the sake of the people and who have performed so
exceptionally well that they can raise their heads up high and walk
confidently among the people of this country. The Asiwaju himself was a
popular Governor of the cosmopolitan state of Lagos for 8 years. It was the
Asiwaju administration in Lagos that in 2001 became, perhaps, the first
state administration to record 90% budget performance. In fact, for his
excellent performance as the Executive Governor of Lagos State of Nigeria
(1999 2007), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu received several awards. These
include Best Governor in Nigeria for Y2000 by the Nigerian-Belgian Chamber
of Commerce; Y2002 Best Practices Prize in Improving the Living
Environment, awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works and the UN Habitat
Group; and the Y2000 Best
Computerized Government in Nigeria Award by the Computer Association of
Nigeria.
In the Asiwaju vision, the APC should be a party of resolute leaders who
are in the forefront of the fight for justice, for good governance, for the
integrity of the ballot box, for real development and for change in a
corrupt and dysfunctional polity. It should be a party of leaders who are
echoing the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln who himself paid the supreme
sacrifice in his leadership of his people by dedicating themselves to the
unfinished work which heroes in the past have thus far so nobly advanced.
The APC of the Asiwaju vision should be a party of leaders dedicated to
the great task remaining before us: that this nation, under God, shall have
a new birth of freedom”and that the government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish.
The APC will also do well to take advantage of the Asiwaju wide, varied
and rich experience of Nigeria. He has been priviledged to know Nigeria
well from the perspective of an ordinary citizen living in a country
struggling with developmental issues and every day infrastructural
problems; from the perspective of a Nigerian living in the diaspora; from
the perspective of a citizen making his first foray into the murky waters
of politics; from the perspective of an activist-politician co-leading the
often very dangerous struggle against military dictatorship; from the
perspective of a public servant twice elected to serve as the governor of
the largest, richest and most cosmopolitan state in Nigeria; and from the
perspective of a political leader now seeking to put democracy on firmer
footing by organizing a viable, coherent, and alternative political
leadership for Nigeria
For the umpteenth time, people like Tom must surely be reminded that it is
intellectually lazy to capitalize on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
relationship with the Managing Director of Oando Plc to create ridiculous
conspiracy theories. Surely, the deal between Oando Plc and Conoco
Phillips is one scrutinized by regulators in Nigeria, the United States and
South Africa. To suggest that it was a front for some shady deal is lazy
and also mischievous, uninformed and rash.
Tom referred to the number of defectors from the APC to justify his own
defection. But he should be reminded that the struggle of the opposition
is not one that can be endured by all. It is a natural phenomenon for the
chaff to be separated from the grain. The wheel of the formidable machine
of progressivism will continue to roll undeterred. When the battle is
finally ended and the roll is called, we know those whose names will be
missing.
Even the most ardent sympathizer and fan of the PDP or President Goodluck
Jonathan now agrees that Nigeria is in desperate need of a breath of fresh
air, longing for an influx of air that is not stale or smelly, a portion of
air that is not “contaminated” with unpleasant people or situations and
demanding a new, fresh, and imaginative approach to the Nigerian Project.
Gladly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has, thanks to the vision of
courage of selfless and indefatigable progressives, offered long-suffering
Nigerians an alternative to the clueless and debilitating failed leadership
offered the nation by the PDP over the last 15 years.
And as the year of battle draws close, there may be more defections but
there also will be more people enlisting for the struggle. But even as the
APC is seeking the help of all and sundry to defeat the cancerous monster
that is the PDP, only men of sterling characters and reputation may apply.
Beach goers and large men in Bikinis may keep amusing themselves.
Edmund Otudeko is a political analyst and an APC chieftain