Tinubu’s Legacy Is On Sacrifice ~ Coalition Lacks The Grit To Compete
Coalition Lacks the
Spirit of Sacrifice Needed to Challenge Tinubu’s Legacy
It is important to speak frankly at this critical political juncture. As one who observes the Nigerian political landscape with deep concern and patriotic interest, I must state without bias that the current coalition — particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its allies — lacks the spirit of sacrifice and strategic endurance required to challenge the formidable political legacy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Unlike what we see today in the coalition, Tinubu invested selflessly for over 16 years — committing his time, resources, and even risking his political future — for others to rise. Long before seeking office for himself, he supported several others to positions of prominence. In 2007, he gave the platform of the Action Congress (AC) to Atiku Abubakar to contest for president. In 2011, he backed Nuhu Ribadu under the ACN banner. By 2013, Tinubu had engineered the historic merger of the ACN, CPC, ANPP, and a faction of APGA to form the APC — a move that eventually ushered in General Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency in 2015.
Despite enduring betrayals — even from President Buhari himself — Tinubu remained steadfast. His declaration of “Èmi L’ókàn” (“It is my turn”) in 2023 was not just a slogan; it was a culmination of decades of strategic sacrifice, dogged loyalty, and calculated service to the political future of Nigeria.
Can the same be said of others in the coalition? Can Atiku Abubakar — who has contested for president seven times — truly step aside or make the kind of selfless investment Tinubu made for the greater good of a coalition? Can Peter Obi, who once swore never to leave APGA but later defected to PDP and then to the Labour Party — now flirting with ADC — claim the moral high ground on political consistency or sacrifice?
Sadly, the answer is no. What we see in the coalition today is a collection of individuals driven more by personal ambition than by national vision. Many have served in various capacities in the past, yet their records are unimpressive. There is no indication of the depth of planning, consistency, or political generosity that Tinubu demonstrated for over a decade and a half.
To defeat a man like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a one-cycle project. It requires 16 years of groundwork, sacrifice, institution-building, and nation-first leadership. Unfortunately, no figure in the current coalition has shown such capacity.
As it stands, barring a major political realignment driven by sincere sacrifice and visionary leadership, Tinubu’s political dominance may well extend beyond 2027.
