The excesses of Tinubu’s critics: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a - TopicsExpress

The excesses of Tinubu’s critics: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man of great and communicable personal conviction. He is a man that celebrates the zest of combat and the joy of right thinking. We should appreciate him for his extraordinary contribution to the growth of democracy in Nigeria. Without him, Nigeria would have been a one -party state. His courage in confronting the brutal politics of Obasanjo’s government is the reason we have a robust democratic experience today. Tinubu has become a major stakeholder in the larger Nigerian politics. He owes his success in politics to the grace of God and a roaming, restless intelligence. But I have watched in some quarters as slander and fabrications, like an acid rain of scorn, descend on him. Most of his virulent critics are speaking out in contravention of ethical values. I gasped at their blend of naivete and effrontery. As I write this article, my wish is that my words would not seem frivolous. I have no desire to attract attention. Rather, I believe that when mis-truths are promoted publically, they must be dealt with publically. Simply put: there is need to frame an appropriate article of indignation. Most of these characters that are bashing Asiwaju don’t know anything about him. A person’s life is like the scripture: figurative: few eyes can see the mysteries of his life. Only the man who makes the voyage can speak truly about it. But like Professor Wole Soyinka said, ‘why should voices raised in ignorance affect my peace’. Asiwaju is a man of easy confidence. He is not mean spirited. He is moved by the plight of Nigerians. He is not immune to such calls on his feelings. He responds to pity. This man is working hard so that Nigerian can get new leaders who can make our country both dynamic and just; leaders who have a sense of compassion and are dedicated to individual initiatives. Recently, one Godwin Ameh of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) described Tinubu as a frustrated politician and a desperate emperor. The party fumed that Asiwaju would be held responsible if any of its leaders, followers or governorship hopefuls was again murdered like the late Funsho Williams. “Indeed, it is the attitude of a drowning man, this time around struggling for political survival. On our part, we shall not underestimate the desperation of Tinubu. We however promise him that no hatchet plot against any of our members shall prosper.” This kind of comments causes the analytical blood to tingle. Is Bola Tinubu a murderous and violent man? Is he standing trial for murder? Has he ever been convicted for murder? These are comments that are ignoring the mute reproaches of logic; comments that are dismayingly insentive. Asiwaju has said that All Progressive Congress (APC) is not into the promotion and perpetration of violence but about ideas and peaceful competition in an atmosphere that is free and fair. “Our adversaries must be mindful that nobody has a monopoly of violence. Peaceful and civilized approach to issues triumphs over violence. This government must rescue millions of Nigerians from their poverty rather than intimidate them with police.” This is what he stands for and nothing more. He abhors violence. Femi Aribisala said APC adventure marks the end of the road politically for Tinubu. “It is downhill all the way for him from now on. The very things that made Tinubu successful in the Southwest are bound to shipwreck him in APC. Tinubu call himself the leader of APC and his alliance partners seem readily inclined to humour him with that inconsequential title for the time being. But as the so-called leader of the new coalition he is not going to able to handpick the presidential candidate in the same undemocratic way he does in the South West.” All these evangelistic and dismayingly superficial views are worrisome. To Aribisala, attacking Tinubu has become a cheering -section enthusiasm. A moment thought should have sufficed to inform him that he doesn’t know much about the man he takes pleasure in bashing. We should speak our minds in deference to the sensitivities of others. That which is permitted is not ipso facto commendable nor is that which is practised, ipso facto desirable. Aribisala takes pleasure in pontificating. I can imagine him shimmering with pleasure while praying for the downfall of another man. But I know that Aribisala is a man. And like all men, he is fallible. When a man doesn’t realize this, he becomes a hypocrite. Hypocrisy, La Rochejoucauld said, “is the tribute vice pays to virtue.” Tinubu is not an autocrat. He is not a dictator. He is a man whose strength is derived from his integrity, his nimble mind and unquestionable political agility. He is a man who has understanding of rights exercisable under the constitution. Aribisala has been blinded by hatred that he cannot see the enormous contributions Asiwaju has made to the growth of democracy in our country. The Special Adviser on Media to Tinubu, Sunday Dare, has done enough justice to Aribisala’s pathetic attack on our leader. He also pointed to him some of the remarkable things Asiwaju has done in pursuant of a vibrant democracy. “Tinubu is a leader of a political reform movement along with other patriotic Nigerians. When Tinubu held fast against the tyranny of the PDP and its attempt to capture all states by any means necessary that was the work of a man committed to democracy. If he had not stood against the great odds against him and his party, the PDP would likely have turned Nigeria into a one-party state by now. Instead, the APC has come about and now challenges the PDP in an unprecedented manner. Any objective person would conclude that this competition is beneficial for the public and for the growth of Nigerian democracy. It begs the question why Aribisala seems not to see this enormous contribution. He does not see it because those whose favor he seeks do not want him to expose this truth to the wider public.” Dare also said that the men Tinubu has helped in their quest for public office such as Fashola, Fayemi, Aregbesola, Ajimobi, Amosun, are not non performing “yes men”. “They are all dynamic and outstanding performers in their own right. Each is different than the other and each state government excels in its own unique way. This means that Tinubu is not orchestrating them into some limited uniformity but stands out of the way for them to lead as they believe. No major politician in Nigeria has a track record as good as Tinubu’s when it comes to supporting able people for office then leaving them to perform as they believe. Nowhere in the PDP does this happen. If Aribisala wants to see and criticize something with dynastic pretence, he should do an expose on the PDP. In barking at Tinubu, he is barking at the wrong house.” Toni Kan just published an article entitled ‘the liability called Tinubu’. In that article he said Tinubu has been riding rough–shod over the West as if it were a personal fiefdom. “Opeyemi Bamidele’s defection and direct challenge to Fayemi should have sent warning signals but Tinubu carried on. How does a man whose wife and son-in-law are federal legislators hope to rally the troops when it matters?. What does this writer want? Does he want Tinubu to rally his troops? Or he is wishing for his downfall? I am amazed at the immaturity of his expression. Bamidele is a man that has a right to live his life the way he wants. Tinubu does not run his life for him. Bamidele has never said he is bitter with Tinubu. On the contrary, his problem is with John Fayemi. To drag Tinubu into this matter smacks of mischief. In a recent interview in The Sun newspaper, Bamidele absolved Tinubu of all blames in the Ekiti saga. I will quote Bamidele at length so that people like Kan will understand; people like him who get thrill from insulting our leader. Hear him: “From the moment Governor Fayemi dissolved the ward exco, the party became factionalized in Ekiti. Each time you called a ward meeting, there would now be two in every ward. One meeting with a few people presided over by the ward exco handpicked by Governor Fayemi, and another popular meeting holding somewhere, presided over by those who were elected by card-carrying members of the party. Orji, a Media Consultant and Journalist writes from Lagos. Original link Read More goo.gl/dxdivs (y) ✍comment ☏share