By Adebayo Abdulrahman
Bola Tinubu was in the senate in 1992 under Social Democratic Party, SDP, representing Lagos West. He had his eyes on the senate presidency then and already, 38 out of 56 senators of the SDP stock had endorsed him. Senators Kashim Ibrahim, Kanti Bello, Kazaure and others had formed a caucus towards Asiwaju Tinubu’s emergence as the senate president.
Some political intrigues threw up the idea of Yoruba presidency from the south west and south west elders like Olu Falae and Biyi Durojaiye approached Tinubu that south west was interested in Nigerian presidency. South west could not be aiming for presidency and senate presidency at the same time, so Tinubu assured Falae that he was ready to make a sacrifice. But in the spirit of appreciating the support and loyalty of the senators who supported his senate presidency ambition, Tinubu said the senate presidency must go to the north central which contributed more senators to support him than other regions as out of the 15 senators that supported him, north central produced 12. This led to the final emergence of Iyorchia Ayu as the senate president for the shortlived third republic.
Bola Tinubu had to forgo his senate presidential ambition to pave way for Yoruba presidency which later produced MKO Abiola.
If Bola Tinubu had wanted power by all means, he would have insisted on his senate presidential ambition since he already got the support and loyalty of his colleagues from other parts of the country, and also with the support of Yar’Adua camp. He has been treading the path of ideology to get power and this has failed him even in recent pasts.
