The Tinubu I know, Kwara politics, and my story, by Femi Ogunshola

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one politician I have seen exhibit a unique kind of humility especially when it comes to admitting wrongdoing. I witnessed this firsthand.

When Gov Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and his faction of the PDP in Kwara led by the incumbent Chairman of the APC in Kwara, Prince Sunday Fagbemi alongside the faction led by Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, former Minister of Transport Ibrahim Bio, and Prof. Oba Abdulrahman, visited Tinubu at his Asokoro residence in Abuja to defect to the APC, I was present.

I was at the meeting because I played an instrumental role in facilitating it, courtesy of a friend and Lagos politician who handed the assignment to me. Being from Kwara and since he would be returning to Lagos, the responsibility fell on me.

How it happened

On arriving at the former Minister Ibrahim Bio’s house with my friend, Bio expressed his frustration over the difficulty in reaching Tinubu over his plan defection to the APC even though his house was directly opposite Asiwaju’s residence in Asokoro.

Narrating his ordeal, “I went to see Adams Oshiomhole, (who was then Chairman of APC). I waited for four hours with no success. Attempt to reach Rotimi Amaechi and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to inform them about my defection to the APC along with my supporters from Kwara North also failed.”

He added:

“I’ve met with a brick wall, no headway. This is my frustration. I cannot decamp like an ordinary person, yet my people are mounting pressure on me to leave the PDP. They don’t want anything to do with Sen Bukola Saraki.” And truly we saw the barrage of calls from his people that day.

At the time, in 2018, Saraki was the Senate President and had perfected plans to return to the PDP due to his unending disagreement with the leadership of the APC

Immediately, my friend put a call through to the late Madam Kemi Nelson and relayed the former Minister’s frustration in joining the APC.

Madam wasted no time in contacting Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was in France at the time. She arranged a meeting for the following week specifically, Tuesday. It was cheering news for the former Minister, who was visibly relieved.

In his words: “Look at my house and look at Asiwaju’s. I couldn’t penetrate because the security wouldn’t allow me.”

However, my friend said he wouldn’t be available for the meeting and asked me to handle it. He had already informed Asiwaju’s security that I would be leading the Kwara delegation.

I took up the challenge and contacted Senator to Suleiman Ajadi about our planned meeting with Asiwaju. He indicated interest and asked me to come to his house that same day, so we could head together to pick up Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

I informed the former Minister that Sen Ajadi and his group would be part of the meeting. That was when he flared up.

“Femi, I will not be part of this meeting,” he said.

I asked why. He responded:

“Why would you involve Ajadi and his group? I don’t want anything to do with that group.”

Meanwhile, the meeting had been rescheduled for Wednesday, due to Asiwaju’s ill health.

I pleaded with the ex-Minister:

“Sir, we are all fighting the same cause. We want to dislodge Sen Bukola Saraki. If that is our goal, please sir, let’s bury our differences and unite to send him out of power in Kwara.”

He agreed and gave me the go-ahead.

I proceeded to Sen Ajadi’s house. On getting there, he was already prepared. We both entered his car and drove to Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s villa residence. At that point, I honestly didn’t know who Abdulrazaq was only that Sen Ajadi kept mentioning his name. I later learned that he was the former CPC governorship candidate

At Gov Abdulrazaq’s house, I met Baba iliyasu and lawyer Kunle Suleiman as they were both called. Baba Iliyasu asked who I was, but I told him we were behind schedule and needed to move to Asiwaju’s house.

Abdulrazaq, alongside his two guests, moved in his car, while Sen Ajadi and I drove in his jeep. We stopped at the gate and I called the former Minister to let him know we had arrived. He soon joined us. Mr Isa Oninu the current Director General of National Orientation Agency w as part of the meeting.

The man who was the minister representing Kwara, Alhaji Lai Mohammed could not be part of the meeting for reasons best known to him.

We were now seated in Asiwaju’s living room, waiting for the Jagaban. He sauntered into the living room shortly after, visibly unwell and with a constant runny nose which was why the meeting had been postponed.

The meeting commenced. Asiwaju said he wanted to hear from us. But before then, he made a revelation:

“While I was coming down, I got a call. The fellow pleaded with me not to meet with you. I asked, ‘Why?’ He said, I should not receive you, but I told him you are no longer in our party, so why should I not meet with them?”

At that moment, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo stood up and said bluntly:

“Before we came here, we were divided into factions. But today, as we stand before you, we are burying our differences. We now have a common goal: to send Bukola out.”

He went on to recount the Kwara ACN’s several failed attempts to oust Saraki, all of which had been thwarted by Tinubu.

According to Akogun, we once approached you to support a governorship candidate for Kwara ACN. You gave us Dele Belgore, but shockingly, Saraki also reached out to you, and their plans were frustrated.

Tinubu nodded in agreement. Akogun told another story of how Asiwaju betrayed the Kwara progressive movement. At that point, the Jagaban stood, raised both hands, and tendered a heartfelt apology promising never to repeat such actions.

Prince Fagbemi also spoke and aligned with Akogun’s position. But throughout the meeting, Mr Abdulrazaq as he then was sat akimbo and quietly at the back without uttering a word.

Asiwaju then pleaded for forgiveness for all past misdeeds against Kwara progressives. He promised to turn a new leaf and support whoever emerged as APC’s governorship candidate in the state.

He urged us to return to Kwara, mobilize from the grassroots, and ensure massive voter registration for the APC.

We agreed. But no pictures were allowed, Asiwaju declined due to his health.

As we prepared to leave, TVC began airing footage of Akogun addressing Kwara residents about their defection to APC. We watched and laughed.

Later, we agreed to regroup at the former Minister’s house which is directiy opposite Tinubu’s house to strategize. While there, the Abdulrasaq called me aside and personally gave me his number. He told Sen Ajadi, myself, and the two “Babas” to follow him to Wuse Zone 4, where he hosted us to a sumptuous meal.

We all dispersed from there to begin mobilisation, as directed by the Jagaban.

As for how the governorship primary unfolded, how Gov Abdulrazaq emerged with the support of Tinubu and Oshiomhole, despite Prof. Oba Abdulrahman winning in 9 out of 16 LGAs, that story will be told soon.