Tinubu still in dilemma over 2023 presidential ambition

The national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in a seeming political decoy, assumed to be dilemma over his 2023 presidential even when his campaign forces have been increasing in size and intensity across the country. The campaign and mobilization activities for the Tinubu 2023 presidential project have been spreading unstrained and with noticeable robust pressures. Ironically, Tinubu, the political principle on whose behalf the wide contact and mobilization for 2023 presidential race is being done, referred to public observers of the activities as eager seers.

However, this compendium may not be unconnected with the projections of perceived death sentence in correlation with the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as APC national chairman, including the dissolution of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), on Tinubu’s 2023 presidential project.

Accordingly, Tinubu in a statement on Saturday on the dissolution of APC NWC and appointment of a caretaker committee by the NEC, declared: “To those who have been actively bleating how the  President’s actions and the NEC meeting have ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity. I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. “Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born.”

Tinubu tried to communicate that he has made no decision on the 2023 presidential race neither has he committed himself to 2023 politicking. He indicated his commitment to assisting the government in finding solutions to current problems of governance in the country.

“At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough.

“During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face.

“I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do 3 years hence seems too remote given present exigencies.

“Those who seek to cast themselves as political Nostradamus’ are free to so engage their energies. I trust the discerning public will give the views of such eager seers the scant weight such divinations warrant.

“Personally, I find greater merit trying to help in the present by offering policy ideas, both privately and publicly, where I think they might help. I will continue in this same mode for the immediate future. 2023 will answer its own questions in due time,” Tinubu declared.

The APC national leader also recalled his huge investment in the APC, affirming his willingness to make more sacrifice in the collective interest of the party.

Tinubu further declared: “I have toiled for this party as much as any other person and perhaps more than most. Despite this investment or perhaps due to it, I have no problem with making personal sacrifices (and none of us should have such a problem) as long as the party remains true to its progressive, democratic creed.

 “Politics is but a vehicle to arrive at governance. Good politics promotes good governance. Yet, politics is also an uncertain venture. No one gets all they want all the time. In even a tightly woven family, differences and competing interests must be balanced and accommodated.”

He appealed to aggrieved APC members to make sacrifice for the unity of the party. “My fellow party members who now feel aggrieved by the NEC meeting I urge you to accept the sacrifice you have been asked to make so that the air can be cleared, the party can assume its proper role of helping this government lead the nation toward enlightened improvement, and the party itself can grow and firmly establish itself as the best, most democratic party in the land,” he said.