As a member of the BAT-Ideological Group, we are all learners in this journey. Since the day of the primaries, my phone has been buzzing with calls from members complaining about how the process was rigged in their states and how governors imposed unpopular candidates.

One particularly concerning feedback I received noted that if the “BAT-IDEALOGICAL GROUP” does not address current challenges, President Tinubu’s actions during party primaries have allowed APC governors to exacerbate the party’s problems, leading some faithful to defect to other parties, and therefore urges the organization to take immediate remedial action for the party’s benefit.

Even at the airport, the frustration among the people was palpable. Near a POS stand, I overheard a Hausa man complaining bitterly during a five-minute phone call. Although I don’t understand Hausa perfectly, I clearly heard him say, “Tinubu mugu ne” (Tinubu is bad/wicked).
When he hung up, I asked him, “Wetin Tinubu do you?”
He complained that the President was handpicking their next governor over more popular candidates. However, when he revealed he was from Nasarawa, I corrected him right away. I told him to stop blaming the President for this, because it is actually his own state governor who is handpicking candidates for the people.

I myself also had the ambition of APC national youth leader, but I came to realize that the party adopted consensus and gave ticket to people who has just spent 4 years to return automatically. This didn’t lead me to leaving the party, I only pend my ambition to the right time.

It is undeniable that Tinubu allowed too much power in the hands of governors. But the primaries have come and gone. People must understand that an ideological politician does not just hop from one party to another; instead, they stay, fight back, weather the storm and recalibrate their strategies.

We must draw examples from the history of Asiwaju himself the brain behind the APC and its National Leader for so many years. When the 2015 elections were over, Tinubu fixed his mentees into different positions, and Buhari became the president. At that time, Asiwaju simply went back to his house on Bourdillon Road in Lagos, continued his daily routine, and quietly monitored the activities of the party.

However, a lot of conspiracies and ganging up were hatched against him even by the young politicians he nurtured himself. For example, politicians like Kayode Fayemi and former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun plotted a political conspiracy to remove Adams Oshiomhole, who was known to be a Tinubu ally, as APC National Chairman and put John Odigie-Oyegun just to get under Tinubu’s skin.

It was the same with the Saraki issue. Tinubu already had his preferred candidate for Senate President, but Bukola Saraki pressed some behind-the-curtain buttons to occupy the position anyway. There was even an event where Saraki arrived, greeted everyone present, and intentionally snubbed Tinubu.

In such humiliating situations, other politicians would definitely have left the party. But Tinubu never left. He stayed and took all the abuse. Even before these events, Tinubu had fought political battles far greater than this, yet he never resigned from the party.

These are great examples for us. If Tinubu could withstand this level of political harassment and still refuse to resign, then we have absolutely no excuse to abandon the party. We need to work on our ideology and ensure it is that very ideology driving us. We must stay committed to the party irrespective of the situation. Imagine if Tinubu, who was among the chief pioneers of the party, could receive all these insults and stay, why should we run away?

There is a telling account from Alhaji Tejumade, who revealed that he once challenged Tinubu when he was supporting Buhari for president in 2015. Tinubu’s simple response to him was that it’s not the time yet.

The famous phrase “Èmi l’ókàn” (It’s my turn) did not happen in a vacuum, Tinubu made the statement in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while addressing delegates ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary. he used the phrase to assert his right to the presidential ticket. He argued it was his turn to become president because of his long-standing loyalty, lifetime of political sacrifices, and his instrumental role in helping others (such as former President Muhammadu Buhari) attain power. This reach the peak when one of his mentee Yemi Osibanjo was competing the presidential ticket against him. . Do not leave. Stay, rebuild, fight, and restrategize!

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Bamidele Atoyebi is the Convener of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring and a publisher at Unfiltered and Mining Reporting