MUSA BAKARE
In the turbulent theatre of Nigerian politics, where reputations are shredded and ambitions buried beneath relentless opposition, one man has stood unyielding, unbroken, and undeniably consequential: Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Many tried to define him by his absences, subjecting him to scrutiny so intense it would have consigned lesser figures to oblivion. Yet, Asiwaju Tinubu did not merely endure; he prevailed.
This is more than the story of a politician. It is a chronicle of survival against entrenched odds.
His journey is woven into Nigeria’s most perilous political eras. Through the shadowy corridors of power under Ibrahim Babangida, an era clouded by covert operations and manipulation, Tinubu endured. He was neither erased nor subdued.
Under the iron grip of Sani Abacha, when dissent meant draconian consequences, he stood firm as a pro-democracy voice. Many fell silent. Some fled. Others paid the ultimate price. Tinubu survived.
In the fierce rivalries of Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian presidency, Jagaban again weathered the storm. He faced pressure, isolation, and political siege, and remained standing.
The tests kept coming: cooked up allegation and investigations by the EFCC; legal battles initiated by the late Gani Fawehinmi. Each time, he emerged not just unscathed, but undefeated.
Even within democracy, the trials persisted. Through the administration of Goodluck Jonathan and proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Tinubu faced another wave of unproven allegations. Still, he endured.
Then came 2023, a defining moment. Against internal party resistance, orchestrated opposition, and a hostile media climate, Asiwaju fought through the APC primaries. The so called cabal politics of the Buhari era could not halt his ascent. He emerged, not as a compromised APC party candidate but as a force of political will.
In the presidential election, he faced formidable opponents: Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. The contest was fierce, the nation divided. Yet Tinubu stood firm, anchored by his now-iconic declaration: Emilokan – It is my turn.
Emilokan was more than a slogan. It was a statement of destiny.
Despite social media onslaughts, media skepticism, and internal dissent, his political machinery held.
Lagos, the fortress he built, resisted incursion. The structures he nurtured proved resilient. His strategy, calculated patient, relentless, outmaneuvered those who underestimated him.
Even economic headwinds could not deter him. The controversial naira redesign policy, widely seen as a political obstacle, became another storm he navigated, turning adversity into momentum.
After the election came the courts. Legal challenges mounted. Petitions piled up. Predictions of disqualification filled the air. Once again, Tinubu survived the gauntlet, emerging as Nigeria’s president on May 29, 2023.
Then came governance. Where others hesitated, Tinubu acted, confronting one of Nigeria’s most entrenched burdens; the fuel subsidy. The declaration was swift; the impact, immediate. It was a decision that defined boldness, regardless of controversy.
His rise has drawn fierce resistance, from political adversaries, ideological critics, and even religious voices. Predictions of failure and collapse have trailed his every step. Yet repeatedly, those prophecies have shattered against the resolve of a man on a mission.
What defines him ? Not perfection, but strategy, endurance, and political ingenuity. Not the absence of controversy, but the capacity to outlast it.
President Tinubu represents a rare breed: a strategist who plays the long game, a survivor who thrives under pressure, a leader whose story is as much about endurance as ambition.
To some, he is an enigma. To others, a master tactician. To history, he will be remembered as the man who refused to yield.
As 2027 approaches, one thing is clear; if survival is the ultimate test of political strength, then Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already secured his place among Nigeria’s most enduring democratic figures.
No matter the noise, the clamor, or the rhetoric of the opposition, Asiwaju remains a formidable force, a man on a mission, marching steadily forward to 2031.
Musa Asiru Bakare
Foundational Member, APC | Political Analyst
Lokoja, Kogi State