By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim (Goronyo)
On Thursday, 7th of October 2021, the South West governors launched a pro Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidential campaign. The South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) was chaired by the Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to succeed president Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu the former governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007 though not convicted but has many skeletons in his cupboard. In 2011 Asiwaju was accused and charged of operating foreign accounts by proxy. In 2020 Bola Ahmad Tinubu was accused of money laundering with one other. Sapo Apara accused Bola Tinubu for managing Alpha-Beta Company of money laundry. Bola Ahmed Tinubu was accused of saying that he is richer than all South West states, a slip of tongue that demands investigation by corruption crusade agencies for Asiwaju to declare his assets and narrate how he accumulated the wealth. Meanwhile, in 2008 Bola Ahmed Tinubu with four other former governors faced a trial at Code of Conduct Tribunal and the Federal High Court for false declaration of assets and corruption and in 2020 Coalition Against Corruption and Impunity, a Lagos pro democratic group submitted a petition against Bola Tinubu and Fashola for “syndicated fraud and sharp practices, corruption, land scams, diversion of funds, betrayal of trust and oath of office, financial recklessness, mismanagement, embezzlement, misapplication of funds gross constitutional violations and abuse of office.”
In August, 2021 Bola Ahmed Tinubu was hospitalized in a London hospital, suspected to have a surgery and in pictures taken with President Muhammadu Buhari, Tinubu was shown with a walking stick and secretly Asiwaju returned to Nigeria in October.
Age matters in leadership and psychologists said people need rest and caring at 70 but not responsibilities and for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is at rest age should support youth in moving Nigeria forward.
In an interview with BBC, Kaduna state governor, Nasir Ahmad Elrufa’i said that Nigeria need young people to move the country forward. El-Rufai said at his 62 age he is old to run for presidency but for Asiwaju who is suspected nursing presidential ambition will be 71 years by 2023.
After the handing over of independence to indigenous Nigerians, more than 80 per cent of the ministers and civil servants of the nation are youth and Nigeria did very well at that time in terms of leadership and governance.
In 2018 President Muhammadu Buhari signed the #NotToYoungToRun Bill to path way for Nigerian youth to grab opportunities of steering the affairs of the country. The law altered sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 Constitution by allowing the reduction of interested young person’s age for elective offices. The presidency age falls from 35 to 40, governors from 30 to 35 and Federal House and state representatives age falls from 25 to 30.
A Nigerian proverb says that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, then when the dawn of the tomorrow will break for the youth of Nigeria to lead the country in a democratic government?
Nigeria has more than two hundred million, five hundred and eighty five thousand population with about 70 per cent youth population but unfortunately the youth are abandoned to contribute in governance.
The youngest Nigerian military president was General Yakubu Gowon aged 31, followed by General Murtala Muhammad Ramat, and the most youngest democratic president of Nigeria was the fortunate Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who succeeded late President Umaru Musa ‘Yar’adua at the age of 53. Among the Nigerian ministers, late Yusuf Maitama Sule was the Minister of Communication in 1979 at the age of 32 but now it becomes hard to find a minister of Nigeria at the age of 45 to 40.
Different countries of the world had voted young leaders to lead their countries because youth have the vigor of leadership. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France was 41, Kim Jong Un of North Korea was 35 and the youth did awesome.
Despite many bitter remarks that Africans are magnet to leadership throne, some countries gave youth good chances to display their qualitative leadership styles; Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia was 44 and Andry Rajoelina of Madagaska was 46 and Nigeria need same opportunity for their youth.
Nigerian leadership cycle is sealed with political brokers and gladiators that decide the throne masters. The old leaders of yesterday are still the masters of tomorrow’s leadership. A governor and or a president will rule for two terms and continue to rule as a godfather.
As part of requirements for a Nigerian citizen to be a president of the country he or she must not be indicted for corruption, abuse of office and must be healthy and mentally sound and for these purposes Nigeria need very strong and transparent leaders for the progress of the country.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a Nigerian and by virtue of law he is fit to contest for Nigerian presidency and to say the truth and hit the nail on its head, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserved to be supported as the next presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) for merging with his party with Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and he supported the actualization of some Nigerians’ dreams for having a political change. But, it is better to know that there is no zoning and selectivism in Nigerian presidency as every Nigerian by virtue of law is entitled to contest for any political office and Tinubu should not take politics to be a do or die affairs struggle. Politics is a game of number and the majority lead. Every part of the country can endorse their candidate but only the majority lead and Nigerians should only support candidates fit for Nigerian development.
Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim contributed from Goronyo, Sokoto state.
