Buba Galadima writes Tinubu

Those who are accusing R-APC commander, Buba Galadima, of over-firing in his current political battle, are either mischievous if well-versed in his politics, or simply ignorant of what they are dabbling in. Before he became a fiery enemy of his long-standing friend; Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Sherifat’s husband, had always been a loose cannon.

When he turned on his famous associate, with whom he must have done many nocturnal stuffs together as buddy-buddy, he didn’t turn away from who he has always been, at least, politically. Judging from how far gone he’s with his brand of politicking, chances are that he will always be vitriolic with all enemies, irrespective of personality, regardless of influence and whatsoever the status. He has chosen his political path, style and texture and should ordinarily be commended for being consistent, unlike many of his peers and even age-grade, who run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

Galadima has made it very clear who the main enemy is in the ruling party, and his darts have been appropriately directed. Without doubt, some of the chieftains he left behind in the party, are still likely his associates and considering our peculiar politics and even everywhere, including the “dirty” game’s supposed world capital in Washington, where the Clintons and Trumps used to, interchangeably, host themselves to private dinners before the bubble of presidential contest, there is a probability that he’s still comparing notes with some APC goons, especially the tepidly-disgruntled, who must stay behind in the party and seen to be assiduously working for the re-election of the president or end up with undignified Magu’s medicine.

Galadima’s relationship with the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, may not be easy for outsiders to deconstruct. Knowing Asiwaju for his Jagaban politics, it is very much likely that he isn’t making Galadima’s case that of the enemy of my friend is my enemy. But is Buhari really Tinubu’s friend? Have they ever been friends? Do genuine friendships exist again in politics of boo ba o pa (everyone to himself)? Considering the background of both men, is it not natural that fissures must always define their political relations? Aren’t both too much of ego; military sense of superiority for Buhari and self-importance/righteous of progressives for Tinubu, not to always clash, even when such “beef” must be managed from public domain? What about the saintly posture of the president and the sinner perception of the uncrowned leader? Does any situation present a better recipe for posturing, from both ends? While the self-canonized saint can easily grab a bragging right, specially when libation is flowing continually from his adherents, the one being crucified for spending “dirty” money to white-wash the saint for his eventual coronation, will likely seek to prove a point that nobody is better than anybody. If the “thrashing” grounds are always neatly laid before the duo, to knock heads from time to time, why would anyone, predicting a final showdown if Buhari is re-elected next year, want to seek the Nostradamus-reborn applause; be either emergency 2019 prophets, shaded-from-sun jaded marabouts, or social and traditional media analysts.

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The lamentation of Pastor Remi Tinubu was the closest to wall-ear revelation of the last tiff between the president and the “unelected” fellow, contending the supreme influence-space with him in the ruling APC. Though both men appeared to have moved on, treating Remi’s outburst as the usual feminine nosing, it is easy to predict more and messier head-knocking, going forward, despite what appears to be a smoothening of relations with Oshiomhole’s ascendancy. Except one decides to let go, attempts by two extremely-stubborn co-pilots, would eventually crash the already wobbly flight; of government and party, even if Buhari is re-elected.

Tinubu is certain to know more than outsiders. Yet, he would forever be thrashing his much-vaunted political credentials in history bin, if Galadima’s expose about Buhari’s prevalent feeling about him, would not go into his 2019 and 2023 calculations. When his kind were holding what could be considered extra-ordinary meetings with Buhari to firm up Goodluck Jonathan’s ouster pre-2015, Galadima and Buhari were “cooking” stuff together. Both knew the condiments that went into the making of the historic presidential soup and the orisirisi (seasoning and garnishing) that made it tick, tasty and ready-to-eat. You don’t hold up the nomination of a presidential running-mate like Galadima claimed he did, to get Tinubu’s nominee, Yemi Osinbajo on board as the future Vee-Pee in place of Buhari’s desire; Tunde Bakare, if your head, hand and whole body, wasn’t in there.

Galadima is a scorned man, no doubt. But nobody is yet to call him a liar. If his claims in the media remain irrefutable, then Tinubu would have to reprogramme, if not for anything, for the sake of the little shaking Yoruba land, her politics, commerce and political future, could receive from his likely “shaking” by the one seeking to be the undisputed leader of their party.

Galadima disclosed that Buhari never wanted to have anything doing with Tinubu. That was a strong mindset. Such mindset could only be from holding someone in long-drawn disdain and contempt. Past contests had shown that without South-West votes, Buhari would not win the presidency, even if the entire North returned all registered voters as votes. Pre-2015, Tinubu was the undisputed political leader of the South-West majority political family. The president’s disavowal of whatever he thought and possibly still thinks (mindsets don’t disappear overnight) Tinubu represented and still represents (it can also get worse with their APC leadership struggle), must be so compelling that he was minded to throw away the last and the brightest chance of fulfilling a life-long dream, by refusing to touch anything and anyone from Tinubu, including a gentleman pastor without a record of known scandal, as running-mate, before Galadima stubbornly stepped in and got Bakare off the nomination papers, being sent to INEC. Can anything be so repugnant?