By YAHAYA BALOGUN

Vice President Osinbajo’s political ambition and muteness are more tricky and politically imprudent. Some Nigerians are more versatile and intelligent to discern and understand the motives behind VP’s gesture and political opportunism. Also, the VP’s political and religious advisers seem not to be motivated by the unity and continuity of a fragile nation. Our country is bleeding under ethnic and religious chauvinists and polarized people. Politics and religion are veils covering our eyes to see beyond the mundane.

In a nutshell, there is nothing wrong with advancing one’s political ambition. But one must do it with political strategies! Also, more importantly concerning is when religion is injected and used to promote political agenda in a polarized and secular state.

Be advised, I am not a political fan of Jagaban, but I am more comfortable with BAT’s openness and strategic politics than the covert politics VP Osinbajo is playing. Call BAT a political rogue; I call him a political strategist whose skin is thicker than PYO. Love Tinubu or hate him; any politician can’t match Tinubu’s political success in Nigeria. I repeat, Tinubu’s political sagacity cannot be reached by dint of success of any politician in Nigeria.

Tinubu has influenced, molded, structured, and restructured successful politicians who have been presidents, governors, senators, technocrats, and diplomats in Nigeria. The failures of these molded politicians are entwined in those factors that have impeded our growth and development.

In the twilight of time, most of us reposed our trust, love, and belief in Professor Osinbajo. This writer even wrote a published article about his impeccable credentials as a good leader, decent religious, and family man. But, just like we exhaustively wrote to encourage President Buhari to meet the people’s mandate, President Buhari failed somehow. It is pertinent to note that the Vice President is being disingenuous by keeping mute when he is supposed to show his grace and openness to everyone. The measure of any government is the multiplier effects of successes his administration shared in the lives of its citizenry. Ordinary Nigerians are suffering under the distribution of abject poverty in Nigeria.

Nigerian successive governments have failed Nigeria. Who do we trust to do the right thing in Nigeria? This is a million-dollar Nigerian question that we may not be able to answer.

Take a cursory look at BAT’s political arsenal at how the political strategist builds his political momentum. Discern how he is making consensus with the actual voters who have the ballot numbers to sail him to the presidency. Osinbanjo’s miscalculation and the youth’s political slumber allowed Tinubu to inject his long ambition into our political consciousness. We have suggested to Osinbajo to announce his dream a long time ago.

Now, it is politically expedient that we must avoid the Yoruba axiomatic expression that says: “Kaka ki eku ma je sese, aa fi se awadanu.” It’s pertinent to note that the opposing party is preying on PYO/BAT’s awkward ambition and political battle.
Like it or not, BAT is auspiciously building political momentum in the current political development in Nigeria. But, I will continue to say it: in the absence of our sleeping giant—-the Nigerian youth. Is he capable of using politics to bring victory to his side between PYO and BAT as it stands in Nigeria today? Who plays inclusive and open politics between Tinubu and Osinbajo? The answers may not be farfetched. If the seemingly dysfunctional APC nominates Jagaban as its candidate, Jagaban might win the presidency in 2023. But, politics is a game of numbers, strategies, and glorified brute, not for social media rants, religious bigots, and political thugs.

In reality, from the prism of my political calculus, the northern oligarchs and their PDP agents in southern Nigeria are either scheming or using Osinbajo to maintain the status quo. The worst part of it is religious politics that will be sickening the minds of those who hate religion as a weapon of division in politics. With the recent developments and the dispositions of the Vice president, Vice President Osinbajo cannot win a popular election in Nigeria. Politics is a game of numbers. Where is Osinbajo’s political calculus in the fouled politics of Nigeria? I will be surprised if the Daura man anoints PYO as his political successor in a politically cunning and savvy region regarding the born-to-rule axiom. Buhari is not in control of his government anymore.

The man is prayerfully buying his twilight time in Abuja. The geopolitical entities in Nigeria today are more concerned about the future of their sociopolitical and economic conditions than the frustrating events in Nigeria. People are hungry and angry as they are strangulated by the mismanagement of their resources. Whosoever is advising Vice President Osinbajo not to announce his political ambition is not giving winnable advice that will engender a realization of his political agenda. The Vice President’s cunning muteness to make up his mind when the political ovation is loudest cannot help him either! Osinbajo shouldn’t allow the AGIPs and other ethnic chauvinists and religious bigots to thwart the 2023 political recipes for the unity of a fragile and divided Nigeria.

Without any hyperbolic utterances, Nigeria seems jinxed. As I was traveling on a US I-10 freeway to Flagstaff, listening to Ayinla Omowura’s ace music, the imports of his music are the revelations and prophecies of the late sage Obafemi Awolowo, Ayinla Omowura’s, and others who have predicted our current predicaments.

The success of any nation rests squarely on the collective patriotism and unity of the country. Our joint problem in Nigeria goes beyond frailed Buhari and the abysmal failure of Buhari/Osinbajo’s administration. What we do to ourselves before, during, and after Buhari is beyond the complexity and reality of Buhari’s failures. Almost all Nigerians are entwined by Buhari, Tinubu, Osinbajo, Jonathan, Obasanjo, and Babangida’s characters. You can’t trust the sl

The sense of entitlements and instant gratification of the Nigerian youth is more concerning than the sense of looting of their leaders in religious and political circles. Before you cast the first stone, check yourself to see if you aren’t a hypocrite. Always remember that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
•Balogun wrote from Arizona, USA. (Adopted from The Guardian)

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