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In 2002, and for the presidential primary election leading to the 2003 presidential election, I was the secretary to the PDP Presidential Primary Election Panel, with Chief Tom Ikimi as the Chairman. It was, as Charles Dickens had said in the TALE OF TWO CITIES, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times”!
I remember that every effort was made by some of the contending parties, but we became totally and completely incommunicado.
There were four explicit contenders:
- Obasanjo
- Ekwueme
- Rimi
- Sarah Jibril ( I hope I got her name right)
There was also an implicit contender who, however, refused to show his hand openly.
I remember that some sympathisers of the implicit contender tried everything possible to reach us, but we refused to be reached.
Chief John Oyegun was a member of the panel, and I recall his calling me aside and saying to me:
“Alhaji Ida, tell your kinsman (meaning the implicit contender) to come out and declare his interest in the presidency. He should not do so from backstage. You do not fight a Yoruba man from the sidelines. You have to come out and face him head-on. Otherwise, if he defeats you, he will not be satisfied with that. After defeating you, he will go all out to DESTROY (emphasis, mine) you!”
By the way, this is an extract from an autobiography of myself, which I am writing.
I have recalled the incident I have stated because of the comments I have been reading in the social media since it was announced that PBAT has appointed a new governor (wisely in an acting capacity) of the CBN and 4 new deputy governors, in the same status. I am surprised that people should wonder why the President would appoint the person he did for the governor and for the appointee to be from the South West. Why should he not even get what the CBN did to him when they came all out to stop him, and his party, for that matter, from winning the 2023 presidential election through the ill advised, and I’ll timed currency exchange?
Do you think that he would take the issue lightly? Do you think he will forgive and forget. If you do, the perish that thought.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done what many of us had expected him to do and in the manner he has done it. So to me, it has been no suprise.
I know the new governor of CBN. I got to know through National Economic Summits 2, 3, 4, 5 & the Vision 2010 Programme. I know him to be an intelligent and capable person. I, therefore, have no hesitation in recommending him for the job if I were to make a choice between him and Emeifele.
As to his coming from the South West, I would like to quote what President Kennedy was reported to have said when he accosted as to why he appointed his younger brother, ROBERT , as AG in his administration, he was reported to have said:
“When it is your time to make such an appointment, appoint your enemy.”
BAT has appointed his people from the South West to the commanding positions in the economic sector, so what? Why did you not do so with your people when you were in control?
It is a pity, but we seem to forget the sheer and immense powers of a president under the CFRN (1999), as amended many times!
Sen. Ibrahim M. Ida, Ph.D., CON (Wazirin Katsina) writes from Abuja Nigeria. 16th September 2023
