By Dele. Sobowale

“There is a pleasure in being mad which none but mad men know” – Saul Bellow, 1915-2005, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 147

This second and last part in the series is in response to a text message from our reader 0806-666-7339 who asked me “where do we go from here?” Permit me to start off where I ended last week. “If Tinubu is declared President, I will accept it – just as I accepted, with grace, Shagari over Awolowo 1979 and 1983, Obasanjo over Falae 1999, Jonathan over Buhari  2011 and Buhari over Atiku 2019. Democracy does not mean that my candidate must win. I always take solace that Nigerians frequently proved me right later by their reactions to the person they elected.”

So, without prejudice to where others might want us to go from here, I will start my own journey by congratulating Tinubu – while reminding him that the majority of Nigerians don’t want him as President. Even the most incorrigible liar among his Presidential Campaign Committee, PCC, cannot deny that. Since “a leader is worst when they [the people] despise him” (Lao-tsy, 4th century AD), it is obvious that he is starting out in the worst post-election position of any elected Head of Government in our history. That is bad enough.

I will also point out to him, in summary, the greatest mess, including worst record of corruption, he will inherit from the man he foisted on Nigerians in 2015. It is perhaps divine justice that Emilokan should follow Buhari because the economic roof might cave in any time soon, irrespective of who follows the worst President we ever had. Atiku and Obi might soon have cause to thank God that they were not called upon to drink from the poisoned chalice which Buhari will bequeath to his successor.

“What experience and history teach us is that people and governments never have learnt anything from history, or acted on principles deducted from it” – George Wilhelm Hegel, 1770-1799, VBQ p 92

However, I will stand firm in my opposition to any notion of Interim Government or Government of National Unity. The reasons are numerous and simple.

But, let me dwell on three for now – unless the misguided notions being peddled continue to gain traction. I hold these positions despite my serious doubts that Tinubu can be a good President for Nigeria. I will explain why he is, to me, deficient; until he proves me wrong. He is already surrounded by verbal and violent pyromaniacs trying to ignite ethnic war between Igbo and Yoruba people. “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are.”

First, and most important reason I will oppose the idea of an Interim or National Government is because it is unfair to the winner. Politics, like other games, although more deadly than most, is based on rules and regulations. Take Decathlon, Lawn Tennis or Formula 1 racing. In Decathlon, all the participants contest in ten different events (read states) and each scores points in each event. The contestant with the highest point is declared the winner and goes off with the trophy. The same is true of Tennis and F-1. Several contests in various venues occur. Points are given for first, second etc.

The competitor with the highest points is crowned for that year. Certainly, nobody, in his right senses, at the end of the season suggest that the trophy be given to a non-participant or that every contestant take the cup home for a few months. Changing the rules after the tournament is concluded is not only unfair to the winner; it is the worst form of political corruption. I am amazed that some Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, are advancing this political swindle. Was it because the outcome, so far, was unexpected? Well, I was surprised too. But, on no account will I change the rules after the referees have blown the whistle. So be it, if it is Tinubu.

“You burn the house to roast the pig. It was the only way mankind always roasted pigs” – Saul Bellow, VBQ p 219.

Second, there is no provision for such a monstrosity in our Constitution. Who will install such a government? What will be the basis? From where will the government derive its power to rule over us? If there is one thing Nigerians love most, it is wanting to convert defeat into victory at all costs; or getting the winner to compensate us for our losses. When possible, we call on lawyers and sometimes the judiciary to assist us in the enterprise. We have been encouraged by some weird judgments delivered in this country which make us laughing stock globally.

Young Nigerians might not be aware of it, but some eminent Nigerian jurists have served in the World Court before – Teslim Elias, Udoma Udo Udoma and Bola Ajibola. The three served on merit. It is doubtful if any justice in this country will receive a glance today when someone who was not a candidate was declared winner of primary and when the candidate who scored the fourth largest vote was declared winner – after court-allocated votes were added to those recorded by INEC. In fact, the Supreme Court justices were so generous the “winner” had more votes than all the registered voters!!! It can only happen in Nigeria. But, even the “magicians” at the Three Arms Zone will find it difficult to find any clause in our Constitution to justify an Interim or Government of National Unity. That can only be a rogue government.

Third, we had an Interim Government before in 1993; and it didn’t last up to three months. Old media soldiers, like me, are around to remind the younger generation of events which occurred in the past before they were conscious of what was going on around them. On August 26, 1993, after annulling the June 12, 1993 election, generally presumed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola, and bringing unprecedented political upheaval, General Babangida decided to step aside and installed Chief Ernest Shonekan as the Head of Interim National Government, HING. I was strongly opposed to the HING and wrote several stinging articles against it. I was spared an invitation by the SSS only because two of my brothers were Shonekan’s. On November 17, 1993, the HING was toppled by Abacha; and Nigerians were back in bondage.

In one of my articles opposing the creation of the HING, the point was made that the Interim Government was a sitting duck waiting to be knocked off by the military. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians participated in demonstrations; Area Boys burnt all the used and discarded tyres I could afford to buy for them on Broad Street, Lagos, to keep banks closed when the election was scrapped – because we had a stake in that election. But, the HING represented nobody; and the Abacha-led military knew it. Thus, it came as no surprise to me when 83 days after he stepped up Shonekan was forced to resign at gun-point.

The worst mistake anybody can make is to assume that we have put military rule behind us. Despite the poor show of support Tinubu received on Election Day, even people who did not vote for him would rather see him in Aso Rock than any person who did not contest election. I will certainly defend him – despite all the serious short-comings he has as President of Nigeria.

Let me quickly summarise. If the courts uphold INEC’s decision to declare Tinubu or anybody else President, he will have my total support to form his government. But, there the support ends. I will immediately take out the manifesto published during the campaigns and assess his performance against the promises made to us. As much as possible, after a few more references, I will throw Buhari into my dust bin of history. “Only cowards insult dead majesty.” I will train my guns on the next President. He will receive the same treatment as Babangida, Shonekan, Abacha, Abdulsalami, Obasanjo, Yar ‘Adua, Jonathan and Buhari. There will be no discrimination – whatsoever.

That is my own way forward.

PDP MAKING BAD SITUATION WORSE

“It is the loser who finds the horrors of war at his very doorstep” – Phocion, 402-318 BC, VBQ p139.

If you want to acquire wisdom and improve on your strategic planning, then turn to Google and look up Phocion the Good, a great Athenian statesman and general who led his people during what Plutarch called The Age of Alexander. If ever there was a general who knew how and when to fight, as well as when to avoid battle, Phocion was the general. He was also the first to state that a general is worth 1, 000 foot soldiers. I still shake my head in amazement when I read his life story. If the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has had a member of the National Executive Committee, NEC, or National Working Committee, NWC, with the wisdom and strategic insights of Phocion, Atiku would be the President-elect today and Tinubu would be the loser crying foul.