LET THE NARRATIVE REMAIN UNCHANGED
In 1993 under the watch of the then military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida in preparation for the return of the nation to civilian rule, two parties emerged for the electoral process which commenced as soon as they were confirmed.
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola a Yoruba (Egba) Muslim from Ogun state and Baba Gana Kingibe, a Muslim from Borno state clinched the presidential and vice presidential tickets of the Social Democratic Party; while Bashir Tofa, a Muslim Kanuri from Kano and Sylvester Ugo, an Igbo Christian were the candidates representing the National Republican Party.
At the polls, something magical happened. Despite the fact that SDP had a Muslim-Muslim ticket, Nigeria spoke in one voice. Although the NRC presidential candidate had an Igbo man as his running mate, the Igbo joined the rest of Nigerians to support a Yoruba man who was not religiously or ethnically associated with them.
History holds that that electoral process was the fairest and free.
It was annulled, painfully.
Nigerians refused to take that for any half truth. Violence was unleashed and many lost their lives and property.
Nigeria struggled to heal and in 1999, a consensus was reached to compensate the Yoruba with the presidential candidacy of Olusegun Obasanjo who was incarcerated by the government of Abacha shortly before then.
The rest is history.
After 30 years, we are back to that grind again ...
To be or not to be.
Many things have changed.
Tinubu's choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket is inappropriate for the times.
Nigeria has been polarized over these 30 years. We'd be making a mockery of our sensibilities if we think that this holds no relevance. If it did not, there would not be ethnic agitations, wanton murders, threats of violence, etc.
After the Nigerian civil war, the healing mantra was "No victor no vanquished", but can we still uphold this today? Every day, people are vanquished in every part of Nigeria and the victors claim responsibility for their dastardly acts and nothing is done. Even karma is slow in action.
If we have to rebuild Nigeria again and give Nigerians the reason to belong here, something has to give. The brotherhood we share must not be lip service, it should be demonstrable.
The Muslim-Muslim ticket won't serve any purpose anymore in the Nigeria our past leaders recreated with desperation, insubordination, avarice and bigotry. Equity is the language of today. But this changes nothing.
If Peter Obi were Muslim, would this same narrative have been pushed across? Definitely. He would have gone for a Christian northerner.
What unifies a people is love and accommodation of the elements that make us slightly different.
If the Igbo man supports the Peter-Datti candidacy because Peter is Igbo, would he be entirely wrong? Does that make him a bigot? But every candidate is supported for one reason or the other by his people or/and fans. Is Peter supported by every Igbo man? Is Datti loved by every Kaduna man? We know the answer to be No.
Let the best man take the job.
Shettima was an executive governor once upon a time. Under his watch, the unthinkable happened and that act of insubordination destroyed the lives of over 250 young girls, and completely rewrote the history of Nigeria forever. Have we forgotten? Is it in our character as a people, to reward insolence and insubordination with love and support?
Tinubu would have been a good presidential candidate if he were stronger and healthier. The same reasons electing Buhari was a mistake are the same reasons having Tinubu at the helm of affairs will become a cancerous situation to the administration of Nigeria. Nigeria is not Lagos which Tinubu ruled twenty years ago.
Peter-Datti is still the real deal. Let Nigeria speak.
By IFEDIMMA ONWUGBUFOR
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