Former head of state and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 general elections, General Muhammadu Buhari, has described the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a consummate politician and a very strategic person who thinks on his feet.
General Buhari, who paid a glowing tribute to Tinubu in a congratulatory message on the 60th birthday of the ACN leader, also urged the opposition elements in the country not to give up in the struggle for the attainment of full democratisation of the country where the rule of law reigns supreme and good governance becomes the norm.
He noted, “It is a joyous moment to look back at 60 years that have been packed with personal achievements and involvements as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a pro-democracy activist, two-time governor of Lagos State and currently one of the major players on the national political scene.”
Speaking further on his association with Tinubu, General Buhari stated that they have related so closely, particularly during the struggle against former President Obasanjo's third term agenda.
While describing the anti-third term struggle as the turning point in the annals of Nigeria's political history, the CPC leader recalled that “the patriotic intervention of well-meaning leaders across the country to frustrate the third term agenda in 2006, so that Nigeria would not join the odious club of nations under perpetual rule of one man across Africa, is still fresh in memory”.
General Buhari further described the period of the third term as “a defining moment for our country as the incumbent then was set to use his strength and men to muscle a constitution amendment that would have tampered with the existing term limit in our constitution”.
He maintained that the tenure elongation agenda, which they collectively opposed together with Asiwaju is a function of gallant resistance “by men and women of goodwill in our country who will all be accorded a befitting tribute by chroniclers of our democratic strides”.
General Buhari also remarked that his association with the ACN leader extended the period of the third term struggle, as political destiny brought the two together in an effort to form a credible platform that was poised to galvanise the opposition to change things for the better under the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
“I have worked closely with him on the NDM, which was an amalgam of opposition leaders who tried to move forward the process we initiated before the 2007 elections to bring the major opposition players under one banner ahead the 2011 elections,” General Buhari said.
The former head of state noted that although the NDM did not succeed in its stated objective, “I strongly believe it opened a window of opportunity of cooperation for opposition forces which must never be shut if our people are to get out of the evil grip of those who do not mean well for Nigeria.”
He averred that there is no doubt in the minds of all patriots that Nigeria can do much better if proper leadership that can put the interest of the people and the nation above the selfish and parochial interests of politicians is in place.
General Buhari told Asiwaju: “As the Asiwaju celebrates his 60th birthday, I rejoice with him, his wife Senator Oluremi Tinubu, his children and all his associates and I send the warmest greetings to the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the occasion of his 60th birthday on March 29, 2012.”
In an interview with LEADERSHIP recently, Tinubu had corroborated the position of General Buhari on the need for the opposition to stay on, saying that despite past failed attempts to form an alliance, an early preparation in that direction will ensure defeat of the PDP in the 2015 general elections.
Tinubu stated that in spite the past difficulties, the opposition is now poised to wrestle power from the PDP in 2015, adding that “the principal reason why we did not succeed in the past was lack of a spirit of compromise”.
In 2011, the ACN and CPC failed to seal a merger deal which many believed would have been a game changer.? The ACN leader said that the opposition would not be deterred by past difficulties.
•Full text of the message by the CPC leader, General Muhammadu Buhari, to the ACN leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be published in tomorrow's edition. Keep a date with us.
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