THE ART OF NIGERIAN POLITICS: Lessons from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Leadership
Nigerian politics is a complex one made so by the country’s sociocultural diversity, resulting in an eventful confederation of individual nations comprising over 250 ethnic groups, speaking over 500 indigenous
- By Keem Abdul
Nigerian politics is a complex one made so by the country’s sociocultural diversity, resulting in an eventful confederation of individual nations comprising over 250 ethnic groups, speaking over 500 indigenous languages. To this end, Nigeria is rife with intrigues and interesting turn of events that have defined its relatively short history since the country’s independence from British colonial rule in 1960. The country’s sociopolitical clime aside, Nigerian leaders have remained some of the most interesting and spotlighted in African history, wielding charismatic influence within the continent for both positive and negative reasons. Through years of mostly heavy-handed military rule, brief periods of democratic governance, and eventual transition to civilian rule in 1999, only few of the nation’s leaders have weathered the storms well enough to remain increasingly relevant to date. One of such leaders is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is arguably one of the most discussed political figures, especially since his ascension to the nation’s highest seat of power in 2023.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is widely known for his political fortitude, with a compelling track record of beating several odds to become Nigeria’s president eventually since August 2023. Popularly dubbed The Last Man Standing -- an expression created by Dele Alake, the then-Commissioner for Information and Strategy of Lagos State in a 2003 address, President Tinubu is not new to severe opposition. The aftermath of the 2003 general election, where the then- President Olusegun Obasanjo-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had swept six of the seven states in southwestern Nigeria, further established the President as one of the most dogged fighters in Nigeria’s political scene and history. Bola Tinubu, who was the Lagos State Governor at the time, and a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), remained the last remaining governor of AD, securing a second term in office.
Apparently, like him or not, there are many leadership lessons to glean from Tinubu, regardless of the divide anyone may find themselves in Nigeria’s ever-evolving political landscape. The ability to transcend political divides, attracting people of similar ideologies with consistence through dispensations, has been one of Tinubu’s strong points. For instance, his approach to politics where he prioritizes people over electoral victories has made him the consistent lead figure through the party formations and mergers of the Alliance for Democracy formed in 1998. Now, as the lead member of Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), few have remained as consistent within the same party corridors as Tinubu, with many original associates as well as new entrants remaining loyal to this very day. It’s not out of place to assume that such privilege of loyalty is traceable to Tinubu’s knack for attracting and retaining loyalists through thick and thin, as well as transient political differences. Political figures such as the current Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Lagos governor and one-time minister of power, Babatunde Fashola, and former governor Akinwunmi Ambode are few alumni of President Tinubu’s political masterclass.
Another defining module of Tinubu’s university of Nigerian politics is structure. It’s a unanimous and unequivocal thought shared by sincere citizens that President Tinubu is not only a master strategist but a stickler for lasting structures. Here’s the reason Lagos state has since become a model for the other states of the federation. One key driver of this milestone was the intense focus by the state government under Tinubu’s gubernatorial leadership between 1999 – 2007 to intensify internally-generated revenue. This move afforded the state the financial leverage to constitute landmark fiscal reforms, many of which have yielded visible results in public transportation, e.g., the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), light rail, boat ferry services and the construction of roads.
Tinubu’s focus on the political imperatives of these structures have largely translated to these compelling results which are now being replicated at the national level. His preference for building delegate systems, party machinery and internal contests have fueled his endurance despite erratic public opinion, highlighting the importance of strategic organization over fleeting popularity. One of the most controversial yet crucial decisions by President Tinubu that attests to his preference for legacy over popularity was the removal of petroleum subsidy to free up funds for infrastructure development, which created a ripple effect in the economy. Interestingly, his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari laid the groundwork for subsidy removal. However, Tinubu wasted no time in actualizing it, regardless of the negative attention it would draw.
Yet another masterstroke of President Tinubu is his ability to galvanize support in catchments outside his region. Had his influenced remained in Lagos and the southwest, his detractors would have the ammunition to dismiss his compelling sagacity as mere luck considering his aligned ethnicity. However, Tinubu engineered a historic nation-wide political alliance in 2013, resulting in the merger of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All People’s Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the current ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC). This merger produced a formidable opposition which secured the win of its presidential candidate, General Muhammed Buhari, becoming the first time in Nigerian history that an opposition party would unseat a governing party for the presidency.
It’s also worth noting that Tinubu’s focus on consolidating regional support is a key driver to his national ascent to the highest seat of power. By securing a strong and loyal base in his region, he was able to gain unrivalled political leverage that stalwarts from other regions and even parties found too irresistible to pass up in their quest to win support and votes from other regions. This leverage was the deciding factor for the 2013 party merger that displaced the People Democratic Party (PDP) from Aso Rock.
In all the analysis of Tinubu’s political sagacity, one compelling virtue that’s found to be consistent is patience. All through the years, he has shown himself to be a leader who thinks in decades and not mere ephemeral wins. While building lasting structures in his base, and maintaining strategic relationships, Tinubu proved himself to be one who has his eyes on the big picture, while negotiating and repositioning himself strategically. This posture enabled him to gain the needed clout through painstaking forbearance over the years.
Another crucial character trait embodied by President Tinubu is consistency. Over the years through his illustrious and eventful political career, he has remained consistent to his political ethos, which is a commendable feat. Juxtaposing his political antecedents with the likes of Daniel Bwala, Reno Omokri and others, Tinubu expatiates that inconsistency and a lack of principle can precipitate public embarrassment. His consistency underscores the importance of adhering to one’s convictions.
With lasting political systems often shaped by leaders who build lasting structures and alliances, Tinubu has proven himself to be Nigeria’s mascot and leading model in this regard. His political antecedents are a case study for any leader – public and private –looking to play the long game and emerge victorious. As for Nigeria, a full leadership course has been provided to citizens and voters to be imbibed for leadership in all spheres.
As for President Tinubu we hope he maximizes his tenure to secure a lasting legacy to Nigeria’s benefit, finishing as strong as he started, and etching his name in Nigeria’s history as the last man standing who came, saw and conquered.
• Keem Abdul, a public relations guru, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via +2349046303816 .