Why Buhari-Tinubu Ticket Is Doomed To Fail

By Clement Ogbemudia
Let me state categorically that I am not an advocate for ethno-religious sentiment in selecting or electing leaders nor am I advocating for mediocrity at the helms of affair. But the bitter truth clearly shows these are the factors that always rear their ugly heads when the electioneering process comes around.
The North-South dichotomy, the Christians and Muslims divide and of course even ethnicity was the case of the 2011 General election that heralded President Goodluck Jonathan into office. These facts are with us, they are so glaring and stark in our faces. We cannot wish them away. So in the light of the factors enunciated above, what would and should a right thinking political party do? Sit and pretend these facts do not exist? Or be delusional and pretend this is the United State and not Nigeria.

What should the APC do? In answering this thought provoking question, the speculation currently making its way around that the APC have concluded on Buhari and Tinubu as its Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates come 2015 Presidential elections leaves much to be desired. Can this twosome work together? Would they be a marketable duo? Would they be accepted by Christians from all divide? Your guess is as good as mine.

Those that believe otherwise, would quickly point to the 1993 Presidential election when the Social Democratic Party (SDP) pitched MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe both of Muslim faith as President and running-mate respectively. That was a period
Nigerians were desperate to get rid of the autocratic regime of Ibrahim Babangida and of importance was the popularity of Abiola whom plenty saw as the messiah in the mode of Mohandas Ghandi, Winston Churchill, Julius Nyerere of India, Britain and Tanzania respectively. The clime we leave in today is a different ball game entirely, except I am told that Nigerians do not mind who hold sway as far as the PDP and Jonathan does not return elected come 2015.

Buhari, former head of state, we all know is incorruptible, a man of integrity, a disciplinarian and he is very popular among the majority of the Northern public. It is also a fact that if he contests the next election, it would be his fourth shot at the presidency haven lost the 2003, 2007 and the 2011 elections. Never a time, at least in recent memory has a man been so loved and yet so hated in the country. Many see him as a Muslim Fundamentalist, some perceives him as having an axe to grind with some powerful and influential individuals hence the massive propaganda to prevent him from getting the ultimate diadem.

Do you share this view? Whenever I look at this man, I see a man who has a lot up his sleeve to offer this country, a man who I think would surely take us to Eldorado, a man who have no intention in lining his pocket or bank accounts. True? Do you think otherwise? Don’t you think if he wanted money so much, he would have as well be dancing and dining with the PDP and not waste his time in opposition? After all, all other former head of states have all been in the ruling party at one point in time.

As for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, one time Senator and who manned the seat of governance in Lagos state for 8 years even while his other colleagues in the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the South-West were swept away by the machinery of Obasanjo in 2003. He was the last man standing hence his stock has risen by the day.

There is no doubt about his political acumen which is widely acclaimed as his biggest asset. Some see him as a maverick of some sort others see him as a bridge builder. But his major drawback seems to be that his popularity is definitely not beyond the shores of the South West. Little wonder any political party Tinubu belongs to is seen as a “Yoruba party”. Doesn’t the lack of strength of the APC and others before it in the South-East layscredence to this argument? Some even say he can’t be trusted especially when he wasalleged to have sold out to the PDP and Jonathan during the 2011 Presidential elections.

Can Nigerians trust this Lagosian?

In conclusion, a Muslim-Muslim ticket would not win an election in Nigeria for now, not even in 2015. The bickering and squabbles currently pervading the country is so widespread that an attempt to promote one religion over the other would be met with stiff oppositions. Opinions by Nigerians particularly, from the Social Media buttress this ugly truth. A word is enough!!!


By Clement Ogbemudia