The name Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs no further introduction in the political landscape of Nigeria. When it comes to Nigerian politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a grand master. He is the 16th and current President of Nigeria. Apart from being the incumbent President of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, the Jagaban, as Tinubu is renowned for his brand of politics. He is a master strategist and this came to the fore when the political party he midwifed its formation, the All Progressive Congress (APC) wrestled power from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) which was in power for 16 years from 1999 when Nigeria came back to democracy, to 2015.
In what many called mission impossible, Tinubu spearheaded the campaign which marketed former President Muhammadu Buhari to Nigerians after the former Head of State failed in his multiple attempts to become President. The ‘Change’ mantra used by the opposition APC at the time, sank into Nigerian electorate and Muhammadu Buhari finally won and became Nigerian President.
Tinubu was born in Lagos into the merchant family of Abibatu Mogaji, the late Ìyál’ọ́jà of Lagos. Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu was the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and Senator representing Lagos West, in the aborted Third Republic.
Tinubu spent his early life in Southwestern Nigeria and later moved to the United States where he studied Accounting at Chicago State University. He returned to Nigeria in the early 1990s and was employed by Mobil Nigeria as an Accountant, before entering politics as a Lagos West Senatorial candidate in 1992 under the then Social Democratic Party (SDP). After the then military head of state late General Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate in 1993, Tinubu became an activist campaigning for the return of democracy as a strong member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
In the first post-transition Lagos State gubernatorial election, Tinubu won by a wide margin as a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Four years later, he won re-election for a second term. After leaving office in 2007, he played a key role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013. Ten years later, he was elected President of Nigeria.
On 10 January 2022, Tinubu made his formal announcement of candidacy for President. On 8 June 2022, Tinubu defied all odds to win the party presidential primaries scoring 1,271, to defeat the then Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi who scored 235 and 316 respectively.
On 1 March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu winner of the 2023 presidential election. He was declared President-elect after he polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat his opponents. The runner-up, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) polled 6,984,520 votes, while Labour Party’s Peter Obi had 6,101,533 votes to come third.
Tinubu’s political ideology in his political career so far, espoused a comprehensive political and economic platform. He believes in the values of egalitarianism, social justice, liberty, and the recognition of fundamental rights. He views the state as a positive advocate for the public welfare and its intervention in Nigerian society as necessary to ensure equality, justice, and social harmony. This ideal is not so far removed from his activism of democracy during the military dictatorship in Nigeria.
Just like the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, President Tinubu has built a large poll of trusted followers across the country. They are called the Tinubu disciples. He is indeed the grandmaster of Nigerian politics.
