In a normal clime, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be doing time in a prison instead of dreaming to become Nigeria’s president. What a country…
The man in question is well known to have no legitimate source for his billions. Yet, he brandishes the latest samples of private jets, launders money in bullion vans, and once boasted to be richer than a whole state. The first serious attempt to trace the source of his wealth resulted to a narcotics case, where he eventually forfeited a whopping sum of $460,000 to the authorities in the United States of America. Nigeria’s anticorruption agency followed by declaring at a Senate hearing that the degree of Tinubu’s corruption is one of an “international dimension.”
Combine the above with the fact that no known Nigerian can vouch for the authenticity of his biographical details, such as name, age, parents, state of birth and origin, schools attended and certificates received.
Also consider that Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not only challenged by old age and stark ill-health, but his public outings also do not portray a man who is physically or mentally fit for any serious assignment, let alone the presidency of a country.
Yet, the same character is desperate to lead Nigeria. Even worse, Tinubu refuses to answer simple questions about his past or present. He refuses to take questions from the press. He refuses to participate in debates with other candidates.
The reason for the arrogance is not far-fetched: As in the past, Tinubu is counting on a bribery hope. Having snatched the APC presidential ticket with influence of money bags, he is hoping to do the same at the general elections.
And he makes no apology for his unending sins. Since emerging the APC flagbearer, he has been caught in open daylight along with his family members influencing voters with money. Of course, these practices are illegal, but his financial muscle seems to place him above the law. To that end, he was boasting that he was headed to victory.
But “every day is for the thief, but one day is for the owner.” Nigeria suddenly redesigned its currency along with stringent rules. Part of the target are corrupt politicians who have stockpiled cash to influence the 2023 elections. The implication is that Tinubu’s dream of becoming presidency has taken a harsh hit.
But the situation has also exposed the true Tinubu. It has become clearer that he is not only the most arrogant, most immodest, most dictatorial, most autocratic, and most diabolic presidential hopeful, but also the most narcissistic, the shadiest, and the most shameless politician in the Nigerian history.
This is a man who has stood firmly behind all the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari and ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), which have been adjudged as the most inhuman and atrocious in the nation’s democratic journey. Shamelessly, because the currency policy inadvertently punctured his bribery hope, the same Tinubu and his associates are suddenly criticizing their own government, acting as if somehow they care for the ordinary people. But that is not all.
Tinubu sees the election as do-or-die, regardless of the consequences. To sustain his bribery hope, his agents are alleged to be buying up the new naira notes at higher rate, as seen in viral video clips. This goes to worsen the scarcity of legal tender in the land, which has left the ordinary people helpless.
But the Nigerian masses have become wiser. They now know to pocket the bribery money and still vote their conscience. They know to finally make election bribery a vain hope.
SKC Ogbonnia, former APC Presidential Aspirant, writes from Abuja, Nigeria.