By Ahmed Salihu, Senior Editor reporting from Kaduna.
A group known as the Arewa Youth Vanguard (AYV) based in Kaduna has reacted angrily to the statement credited to former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF) Alhaji Babachir Lawal calling for support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid to become the APC flagbearer for the 2023 general elections. The Youths in a statement made available to the press and signed by their leader Malam Ishaq Munir who is the Secretary-General, the former SGF was charged to retrace and withdraw his statement as a matter of urgency.
Babachir Lawal had in his statement called on the All Progressive Congress (APC) to give the so-called National Leader a chance to fly the party’s flag because he has done so much for the party. “Tinubu has spent his time and money in building what is today known as the APC and besides he was instrumental to the emergence of the current leadership”, he was quoted as saying.
But the angry Arewa Youths incensed by that remark quickly reacted calling on Babachir to wash his hands off Tinubu’s matter because he is going nowhere! “Nigeria is not for sale to the highest bidder and we cannot choose our leaders based on sentiments”, the youths told him. “If Tinubu desires to be president, he should wait for the next 16 years because, for now, the nation cannot afford a Muslim-Muslim ticket”, they explained.
Furthermore, Malam Ishaq disclosed that Tinubu is suffering from the seed he planted in 2018 when the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and some prominent northerners pleaded with him to allow a former governor of Lagos State to complete his second term which he inexplicably refused. “We remembered how our brothers from the north prostrated and repeatedly sort his favours, yet he would not budge and indeed stood his grounds”, said Ishaq. And to the consternation of political observers, Tinubu went on to install a lackey to satisfy his selfish ambition. Nigerians while regarding that stance as “too harsh” likened it to a man using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.
As it would seem, that seed he planted in that horror show has now germinated to haunt him. “If nobody would tell him, we will”, said Ishaq. “Now, he wants the same northerners to support him in his gamble and this won’t work knowing fully that you cannot eat your cake and have it. Pundits consider this latest development as a warning to future leaders who regard themselves as demi-gods.
How fate turns out to haunt man! Ironically, Tinubu’s determined quest to secure the party’s ticket has been meeting with brick walls. The APC hierarchy has been avoiding him like a plague and other power blocks are playing hide and seek games with him. “Did you see any notable governor with him at Baba Akande’s book launch?” Only his lackeys were in Lagos attendance”, Ishaq pointed out.
Curiously, while the former governor has gone ahead to live a normal life and indeed gave a good account of himself while in office, to the admiration of Lagosians, Tinubu’s popularity has tumbled and is now seen as an incurable optimist. “He doesn’t have any achievement to show in his eight years in office and now wants Nigerians to embrace him,” said Ishaq. “That won’t happen unless he does the correct thing.
The former governor he treated harshly is a human being and simply because he is gentle does not mean he should be so ignored. “Now, nature is fighting back for him gallantly”, he said. “Tinubu, has to go back and do a proper restitution; that is the only way he can garner any support from the north”, Malam Ishaq stated. “Without that, 100 Babachir Lawals cannot secure the APC ticket for him”, he warned, adding that if he, Tinubu can rebuff the president as a non-state actor, imagine what he would do if elected president of Nigeria. “Moreover, Tinubu must know that Nigeria is bigger than him and this time we must all work for stronger Institutions than godfathers” he stated.