The Fear Of Bola Ahmed Tinubu —Joe Igbokwe

Boldness, I am told is welcoming any suffering that comes from doing what is right, because it will produce a greater power of love. Honour is given to those who are bold in the face of provocations and persecution. John Knox was a sixteenth century reformer. He spoke the truth to power and to his large congregation in Scotland but was arrested for it and chained to the oars of a galley sheep. During the long months of pulling on oars, he built not only physical strength but also strength of fervent prayer. His cry was “O God! Give me Scotland or I die”. His life and work for God became so powerful that the queen of Scotland was quoted as saying “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe”

The summon of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) few days back was a bold statement from the ruling PDP to water the ground for the official plot to bring Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu down whatever it will cost. It was a very powerful plan meticulously put together by the powers that be to begin the process of pulling Bola Ahmed Tinubu down by all means. It was a plot to take BAT away from the public space just for the survival of PDP.

Come to think of it, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, gave PDP a run for their money both in the governorship and the presidential elections. The world knows that if the alliance between the CPC and ACN had worked as planned, PDP would have been history at least for now in Nigeria. A party that rudely claimed that it will rule Nigeria for 60 years suddenly found itself gasping for breath in an election it was destined to lose as a result of non-performance, political idiocy and deceit. In desperation the desperadoes in PDP infiltrated the camp of CPC telling the party that they can win this election without ACN. A lot of money changed hands, choice buildings in Abuja were given out to moles in CPC, and huge promises of political appointments made. The alliance failed and PDP is today smiling again. One of their power drunk chieftains told us a few days ago that PDP will rule Nigeria forever. O God! The political lepers have found their voice again. Thanks for the blacklegs in CPC.

Now that PDP has survived the onslaught from CPC/ACN failed alliance, the political traders in PDP feel that it is time to nip in the bud what led to the high blood pressure they suffered before the elections. They must destroy every obstacle on the way to avoid a repeat of the earthquake of 2011 presidential elections. Never again will they allow any opposition figure or figures to stand on their way. The clearly identified stumbling block, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be stopped no matter whose ox is gored.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a thorn in their flesh. The criminal governors that were either sent packing by the election tribunals or through the ballot box in 2011 have never forgiven the chancellor of the University of Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos. Ever since the verdict of Edo, Osun and Ekiti states were delivered coupled with the colossal defeat in Oyo and Ogun, the ex-governors have been going to and fro Abuja to cry at the feet of President Goodluck Jonathan to kill Asiwaju for them if he wants them to remain politically relevant. ‘Ah! Ah!’ They cried and cried to GEJ to help them reverse the political misfortune. In their troubled world they wish that Asiwaju will just disappear so that opposition to their political brigandage and irresponsibility will continue. In their wildest imagination they wish that Asiwaju does not exist any longer so that they will continue with their inept and rudderless leadership. In their juvenile fantasy they wish that Asiwaju’s illustrious personality will vanish into the thin air so that they can be at the same level with him. No you cannot be in the world’s who is who or world class series overnight. Leadership is earned over years of hard work and commitment to the welfare of the common people. Asiwaju is the indisputable leader of the opposition in Nigeria and soon ,very soon we will seize the centre stage.

In 1980 at the University of Nigeria Nsukka during a course called Introduction to Engineering, our teacher told us that doctors bury their mistakes, architects cover badly designed houses with trees and vines and lawyers blame the judges for losing their cases. When the electoral criminals and vote robbers lost their cases in Edo, Osun and Ekiti States, the judges were blamed for their predicament.

They cried and cried, rolling on the ground urging GEJ to show the way out for Justice Salami, the President of the Appeal Court (PAC). Through subterfuge, mediocrity, and dangerously working on a script prepared by the PDP hawks, the National Judicial Council was manipulated to deal with Justice Salami. First using the former CJ they gave Justice Salami a Greek gift by ‘promoting’ him to a Supreme Court Judge. He sensed that these guys were up to something and declined the so-called promotion. They know Justice Salami is no nonsense judge, a thorough bred judge, incorruptible, courageous and firm. They know that he has no price tag; they know that he is above board; they know Justice Salami is not a cheap character. NJC made up of 24 members got just 8 to sit and 5 of them passed a vote of no confidence on Justice Salami and based on this minority report, Salami was suspended. GEJ later converted it to retirement.

When they ‘finished’ with Justice Salami, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu became the next man to be brought down by all means. The less creative and poor students of history went back to the days of Asiwaju as the Governor of Lagos and began to sing that he maintained foreign accounts while he was a governor between 1999 and 2007. How much was in the accounts? About 30,000 pounds! Now how much went through the accounts in 8 years Asiwaju was in office? Were they used for looting and money laundering? If a world class Chartered Accountant who rose to become the treasurer of Mobil Producing Nigeria and maintained foreign accounts before becoming the Governor of Lagos State is being accused of allowing the accounts to stay put without serious transactions while in office, what is all this fuss about? They want to simply give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. But can they succeed? We wait and see!

The fear of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now the beginning of wisdom in the PDP mad house in Nigeria. If you doubt what I am saying ask the former President Obasanjo, Mr Segun Oni of Ekiti State, Professor Osunbor of Edo State, Alao-Akala of Ogbomosho, Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, Dr Agagu of Ondo State, Chief Bode George of Lagos State, Prince Oyinlola of Okuku, Osun State, Ebenezer Babatope, Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Obanikoro, Senator Omisore of Ife, Dr Dosunmu of Lagos and hundreds of others. Any political misfortune anywhere in Nigeria where ACN is doing very well, BAT is the problem. BAT is the problem when GEJ is facing the Electoral Tribunal. BAT is the problem when their wives cannot get pregnant. BAT is the problem when PHCN cannot deliver power. BAT is the problem when all the federal roads are bad. BAT is the one who created Boko Haram. BAT must have a hand in the crisis in Jos. BAT must be the one who caused the flood in Lagos,

Ibadan, Cross River, Adamawa, Ogun State, etc. Deficit in anything that is honorable and worthy, the hawks in PDP are linking Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda to rubbish his towering image abroad. Oh God! These men lack creativity, these people lack honour. They cannot get it, they cannot figure things out. Their actions and deeds will continue to add to the frequent chapters in our chronicle of national disgrace. They pursue rats and cockroaches when their houses are on fire. They create horrible scenes just to divert attention to monumental challenges of leadership confronting them. They run when nobody is pursuing them. They lack depth!

When you do common things of life in an uncommon way you will command the attention of the world. BAT remains the stormy petrel in the political landscape you ignore to your peril. One of the laws in the Book, 48 Laws of Power is to destroy the leader and the followers will scatter. When a big iroko tree is brought down the birds will have no where to perch. As the big tree is going down, it brings down the small trees around it. Through committed leadership Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has built a formidable followership over the years and I am yet to see any living Nigerian today that can command this type of followership. But success they say breeds envy!

Finally, I ask the President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to call the political contractors in PDP to order. His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan, please, please in the name of whatever you believe in, use your exalted office to call these hawks in PDP to order. Please in the name of God look beyond PDP in trying to solve the teething problems confronting this country. They may tell you that BAT is your problem but believe me, you need the contribution of BAT to move forward. BAT has useful advice to give you on how to succeed. He came from a humble background and has drilled the deepest well, went through tough and hard times, crossed many difficult bridges, fought many battles, took too many risks, and he has been humble in all these. This witch-hunting, intimidation and political harassment must stop today. The widely acknowledged servant leader deserves some respect even from his enemies. BAT remains the conscience of Nigeria at least for now.

•Igbokwe wrote from Lagos.