By Bayo Oluwasanmi
Nigeria is in a turbulent time. We need a president particularly fitted for the times. The judgment of Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make his ticket Muslim-Muslim has been overwhelmingly condemned by Nigerians.
The selection of a running mate in a civilized country is often called the first Presidential act. The choice of a vice-president provides an important glimpse into how a presidential candidate will decide if he becomes the president. It shows whether he possesses the judgment the country expects in a future president. More importantly, it reveals the candidate’s own qualities of character and judgment.
Tinubu is not qualified to be a president for the following reasons:
1. A president must have a strong vision of where Nigeria is going, and must have a plan to bring it there. His eight years as governor of Lagos State with the combined years of cronies he imposed on Lagos as governors totaling 23 years, Lagos in particular and Lagos State as a whole, didn’t witness any economic, infrastructural, educational, and industrial development. Indeed, Lagos is a slum mega city. If Tinubu couldn’t transform Lagos State, how in the world is he going to bring Nigeria back to life?
2. Nigeria needs a charismatic president. He must have a powerful charisma to gain the support of Nigerians and inspire them to contribute to its success. The selection of Kashim Shettima as running mate shows Tinubu is an insensitive, divisive person who doesn’t value the support of Nigerians and doesn’t give a damn about what Nigerians think and how they feel.
3. A president who is an effective global communicator of Nigeria’s vision on the world stage, is what the country needs now. Tinubu who is suffering from amnesia due to old age and other physical impairments like shaking and stuttering, cannot be an effective global communicator.
4. Nigeria’s situation demands a president with a strong mind and incredible stamina to synthesize, process, and understand the vast amount of information coming in daily. With signs of dementia and slurring speech coupled with ambulatory problems, Tinubu will not be able to stand the rigours and regiments of the office of the president.
5. The president must be able to focus on the important problems facing Nigeria. Because of limitations due to his health, Tinubu will not be able to compartmentalize problems and deal with each problem swiftly and speedily.
6. Tinubu is not a pragmatist. A president must be able to make tough decisions, decisions that not everyone will like. He must put the total good of the Nigerian people above his own selfish interest. His choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket points to the fact that he cannot make tough decisions in the overall interest of the country. Tinubu will not be a pragmatic president.
7. A president must show love for all Nigerians. Tinubu practices selective love. Love that’s beneficial to him. Tinubu has demonstrated this on many crucial occasions. Two instances readily come to mind: When Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti was coldly murdered by Fulani herdsmen terrorists. Instead of consoling the bereaved old man, all Tinubu sarcastically asked: “Where are the cows?” Meaning that Fulani herdsmen terrorists didn’t kill Mrs. Olakunrin. Remember the #EndSARS demonstrators that were mowed down at Lekki Toll Gate? Apart from being complicit in the murder, Tinubu ran away to France. Tinubu only loves himself and his family.
8. Character is critical to leadership. A president must be honest, reliable, and trustworthy. People are more likely to follow a leader they feel they can fully trust. Tinubu is seriously deformed in character.
By renting fake pastors and unknown bishops, Tinubu proves right the saying that a crook will always remain a crook. After all, Tinubu is a fake man, unknown presidential candidate. No one knows his real name. We don’t know his age. We don’t know the schools he attended. We don’t know anything about him. Everything about him is fake and phoney. No wonder, a fake man, unknown presidential candidate, will rent a crowd of fake pastors and unknown bishops to endorse his Muslim-Muslim ticket. Nigeria is irredeemable. Election is not the solution. Dissolution is the solution!
