Even though they both promised to do the same thing, Atiku and his former running mate Peter Obi had sought to exploit the initial alarm that greeted President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of the end of Nigeria’s decades-long oil subsidy regime.
The desperate opportunism of the duo who lost as a team in 2019 and separately in 2023, was informed by a need to remain in the news cycle and the people’s consciousness. They had reasoned rightly that with Tinubu’s successful swearing-in, despite anti-democratic threats to the contrary, it was only natural for the Nigerian public to deem all election matters closed and for the national psyche to be that of optimistic anticipation of what the next four years hold.
This was exemplified by a trend that made the rounds on social media days before and on the day of Tinubu’s formal ascension to power. A tiny faction of Obi-dients that had yet to recover from their defeat at the polls went about prophesying doom for the nation because the prophecies of their hired prophets failed and their Anambra saviour would go nowhere, not even a Kingdom in Europe where he is reportedly a marked man over an alleged financial scandal.
They said everything negative about Nigeria and insisted that suffering would be the lot of the people because they refused to enable Obi’s rise. They meant to scare, dampen the mood, and maybe provoke people into a violent uprising. But the move backfired spectacularly. The Nigerian people responded by telling these doomsday specialists that as for me and my household, we will prosper in this administration and enjoy the good of the land. The pessimism of the hyperpartisan zealots was roundly condemned, rejected and thrown in their faces.
It was the beginning of the end for the Obi-dient cum Atikulated campaign that for months sought to divide, bully, scare and deceive the people into making their preferred choice at the polls. Tinubu wasted no time in showing just why he is the right man for the job as soon as he assumed power. He followed his announcement of the termination of the financially burdensome oil subsidy with a move that ended his opponent’s opportunism who at the time made a startling u-turn and were posturing as merchants of public concern. He would increase the minimum wage and organize the government to provide relief to the poor impacted by the fallout of the subsidy removal. With that, the compromised labour union no longer had legs to stand on and calls for a nationwide protest were abandoned.
For Obi, the religious warlord, his scare-mongering of an “Islamization agenda” was put paid to by the president’s immediate appointments and political moves. He named George Akume, a Christian from the country’s middle belt no less, as the SGF. He backed Godswill Akpabio, another Christian from the oil-rich South-South region, for the Senate Presidency. The church cheered, the people saw a fair leader, and Obi was left fiddling with his fingers, unable to find any reasonable ground for criticism. Reports are that he has now abandoned the church for the courts, no longer attending conventions and special services. Perhaps he has finally accepted that his crusade is over.
Moving further, President Tinubu announced his Access to Higher Education Act meant to offer interest-free loans to tertiary students across the country. Young students rejoiced and sent their endorsement through representative bodies such as NANS. The starry-eyed ones who turned Obi-dient because it was, at the time, the cool thing on social media no longer saw the need for bitter opposition. They exited the echo chamber of lies and embraced the reality of Tinubu’s readiness and noble intentions. It’s town hall, yes, and it is different.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who has for years tried to woo voters by claiming he had a plan and would set about the re-organization of the country in no time if helped to the Villa, was dazed by the speed and efficiency of Tinubu. In a matter of days, he ticked off the high priorities of critical stakeholders — foreign investors and partners, governors and local leaders, traditional council, religious associations etc. — and placed his governance agenda on a strong footing.
Even the election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly which in the recent past has been a point of confusion and distracting drama was conducted under Tinubu’s leadership with admirable organization and unity. Conflict was averted and the business of the House can proceed in earnest. The worst critics are all conceding that Tinubu has ideas and is no short of courage to pursue them. He has held the country and his party together with strong, decisive and methodical leadership.
The sum total of all of this is that the people are upbeat. It matters not how they voted back in February. They are relieved to see a president who walks the talk and is clear about steps to achieving his developmental goals and objectives. Obi and Atiku are thus struggling for oxygen. They no longer have an audience for their tale of woes. They speak negativity and encourage bitterness when the people simply want to move forward and ahead with Tinubu who offers solutions and shows no sign of slowing down.