Tinubu’s Solid Track Record and Political Influence Largely Overshadowed the Poor Performance of Buhari/Osinbajo’s Government: Razak Kojo Opoku Writes

The ruling APC led by Tinubu has officially won the 2023 Presidential election of Nigeria regardless of the poor performance of Buhari/Osinbajo’s Government characterized by:

1. Crumbling economy

High inflation rate of 21.82%, the highest since September 2005, Debt to GDP Ratio of 38.56% and weaker Naira Currency.

However, it is important to submit that, the above indicators of the Nigerian Economy are far better than Ghana’s own currently.

We are hopeful that Ghana’s current economic situation will change for the better before the 2024 general elections by the Grace of God.

2. Widespread insecurity across Nigeria.

There is growing islamist insurgency in the North- East, Separatist attacks on Christians in the South-East and crisis of kidnapping across Nigeria.

3. Soaring prices of food and high cost of living.

4. Regular shortage of fuel, high prices of fuel and irregular flow of electricity across the country.

5. Shortage of new Naira notes. The Federal Government introduced new banknotes for the first time in more than 20 years.

6. Corruption and its related matters.

The Economic Management Team(EMT) of Buhari’s Government was Chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and has the following members:
1. Minister of Finance
2. Minister of Budget and National Planning
3. Minister of State for Budget and National Planning
4. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
5. Minister of Agriculture
6. Minister of Information and Culture
7. Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
8. Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters
9. Director-General of the Budget Office
10. Director-General of the Debt Management Office
11. Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics

The Economic Management Team has other sub-committees and all report to the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who is the Chairman of the Economic Management Team of Buhari’s Government.

However, Tinubu the man widely known as the godfather of Nigerian Politics was able to use his influence, resources and authority to mobilize voters to vote for him. If you carefully analyze the data available, indeed Tinubu won but APC lost in the 2023 Presidential election of Nigeria.

Tinubu has nurtured many talents and he is far ahead of his compatriots when it comes to the politics of Nigeria. He was instrumental in getting Buhari elected as President in 2015 and 2019.

The outgoing Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is one of the political sons of Tinubu. Several Governors and Senators in Nigeria are the political sons of Tinubu as well.

During the Presidential Primaries of All Progressives Congress, Tinubu polled 1, 271 votes to defeat 13 other Aspirants in the race including the outgoing Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who had only 235 votes. Rotimi Amaechi came close placing second with 316 Votes.

Impressive Legacies of Tinubu
1. Tinubu and his Vice-Presidential candidate Shettima have been adjudged as the best performing Governors in their time with respect to Revenue Generation for their respective States and the Federal Government.

2. Tinubu holds the Ultimate Crown Unchallenged as the Master Brain behind the massive development and modernization of Lagos State.

3. Tinubu is widely known and accepted as the godfather of Nigerian Politics.

4. Tinubu is a Muslim married to a Christian Pastor and almost all his Children are Christians.

5. Tinubu is widely regarded and recognized as one of the prominent founding members behind the restoration of multi-party democracy to Nigeria in 1999.

Most people believed that Tinubu waited for far too long before ascending to the Presidency considering his vast contributions to Nigerian multi-party democracy since 1999.

Tinubu campaigned on the slogan, “It is my turn” and finally he has won.

Some of the Reasons Why PDP, LP and NNPP Lost the 2023 Presidential Election

1. The lowest voter turnout. According to the official results, the voter turnout was only 27%, the lowest and worst ever since 1999.

2. The exit of Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan from PDP.

Obasanjo and Jonathan who were Presidents on the ticket of PDP have respectively joined African Democratic Congress(ADC) and All Progressives Congress(APC).

3. The sharp division between Obasanjo and Atiku.

Obasanjo has consistently distanced Atiku who was his Vice-President from almost all the achievements of his Government between 1999-2007.

4. The sharp division between Atiku and Peter Obi.

Atiku and Obi contested the 2019 Presidential election of Nigeria on the ticket of PDP as Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential candidate respectively.

5. Rabiu Kwankwaso, a Muslim from the North seriously undermined the electoral fortunes of Atiku and PDP in the Northern part of Nigeria.

Kwankwaso polled 6.23% of the votes and majority of these votes were from the States in the Northern part of Nigeria.

6. Lack of Unified Opposition

There was no unity among PDP, LP, NNPP and the other opposition parties.

7. Before the Presidential election, 3 out of the PDP Governors were at loggerheads with Atiku.

8. The All Progressives Congress(APC) was having a solid political architecture on the ground. Before the Presidential election, the All Progressives Congress has 21 Governors, PDP has 14 Governors, APGA has 1 Governor and Peter Obi’s Labour Party has none.

As such, with unity and a single purpose of retaining power, the ruling Party was able to mobilize enough resources to influence the outcome of the Presidential election.

9. The Muslim and ethnic background of Tinubu(Yoruba which constituted 21% of the Nigerian Population), the Muslim and ethnic background of Shettima(Kanuri, which constituted 4% of the Nigerian population), the Muslim and ethnic background of Buhari(Fulani, which together with Hausa constituted 29% of the Nigerian population).

Collectively, the 3 of them, Tinubu, Shettima and Buhari are part of the 54% Ethnic Dominance of Nigeria(21% Yoruba, 29% Fulani/Hausa and 4% Kanuri).

In African Politics, Religion and Tribe plays very significant role in the choice of the Voters according to literature.

Buhari and Shettima coming from dominant tribes in the Northern part of Nigeria decisively neutralized and diminishes the influence of Atiku, Kwankwaso and others in the Northern part of Nigeria.

10. Tinubu, Shettima and Buhari were able to make some States in the Northern part of Nigeria as Legacy States of the ruling Government and these States were no go area for any opposition political party.

11. Buhari performed poorly in Government but one thing you could not take away from him was that, he was good at resourcing the Grassroots and footsoldiers of the ruling Party