Tinubu And Dogara: The Sweet And Sour Story

By Chuks Ekpeneru

Last Sunday, the social media was flooded with 2023 campaign posters of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara running as a team.

Dogara thus joins a list of probable running mates that have been thrown up to run with Tinubu. Others include Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha among the notable names. All prospects are Northern Christians who are expected to balance Tinubu, a Southern Muslim.

The Tinubu and Dogara pair is, however, a sweet and sour story.

In fact, spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere said:

“I hope they have not used the propaganda of northern Christian VP to Tinubu to lure my very good friend to the APC party that might not survive the upcoming intraparty 2023 crisis.”

In 2014, when members of the nPDP joined forces with the ACN, ANPP and CPC to form the All Progressive Congress, APC, it was expected that each of the parties will be duly compensated.

However, the nPDP where Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara, Musa Kwankwaso etc belong felt slighted.

Against all odds, Saraki emerged Senate President, while his friend, Dogara became Speaker, House of Representatives.

That was the beginning of a cat and mouse relationship between the executive arm and the legislature. All attempts by the executive and party allies to remove the recalcitrant leadership of the National Assembly failed.

Saraki and Dogara were blamed for most of the failings of the Buhari administration.

In bitterness, Tinubu in a statement alleged that Dogara and Saraki have been padding Nigeria’s budget since 2015.

“Just look at the way Saraki, Dogara and their ilk hijacked the budget process these past four years,” Tinubu said in a feisty statement following the 2019 General Election.

“National budgets were delayed and distorted as these actors repeatedly sought to pad budgets with pet projects that would profit them. Even worse, they cut funds intended to prosper projects that would have benefitted the average person. After four years of their antics halting the progress of government, we should do all we can to prevent a repeat of their malign control of the National Assembly.”

In his reply, Dogara accused the APC leader of having a “wayward lust for power” and promoting a “fascist agenda.

“We advise Asiwaju Tinubu to be circumspect in his use of language. In this case, he spoke as a spokesperson of depravity,” Dogara said.

“Our reaction must, therefore, be seen as a provoked counter-punch. Anyone can descend into the gutter if he so wishes but no one has a monopoly of gutter language.”

So with Dogara now entering the permutation of a matchup with Tinubu for the 2023 ticket, his words about the national leader having a wayward lust for power would be an echo in framing up the ticket.

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