All Hail Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Perfector of Patronage Politics

Nigeria held its Presidential Election on February 25. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (former Governor of Lagos State) emerged as President-Elect in a race that was keenly contested by Atiku Abubakar (former Vice-President) and Peter Obi (former governor of the southeastern State of Anambra). The election's conduct and outcome have been hugely disputed by many Nigerians, political parties, and foreign observers. The election was bedeviled by violence, and voter suppression, with logistics and technical issues. Additionally, officials of Nigeria’s electoral body - the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived late at some polling units. Chief among the controversies the election threw up is the legality of how the election results were transmitted- The results were transmitted manually contrary to the guidelines and the promise of INEC's chairman.

From 2017 to 2021, I worked in Lagos - Nigeria’s commercial capital. I worked for two leading law firms and grew my practice with a partner. At that time, through God’s grace, hard work, and personal network, I had opportunities that brought me into the same rooms as some of Nigeria’s political elites. During that time, I witnessed the system of political patronage that was built to last by Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Mr. Tinubu was governor of Lagos from 1999 - 2007 and every governor after him till this day is a part of his patronage machinery. His patronage machinery is acutely cronyistic and does not necessarily reward skill. It rewards obedience to the patron - Mr. Tinubu.

I’ll share one story. In one case, the traditional chieftaincy/kingship of a wealthy Lagos kingdom became vacant and it was time to appoint a new king. The order of succession to the throne among the three ruling families in that kingdom was laid down in a gazetted regulation by the former governor of Lagos State - Sir. Michael Otedola. So, the succession process should be easy or so it seems. In the end, the family whose turn it was to produce the king was edged out. An individual from another ruling family was made king - against the order of succession laid down by law. This person was reportedly close to Mr. Tinubu who I was informed, ‘selects’ the king to a throne that interests him. An act that is a brazen disregard for the rule of law.

A representative of the ruling family (whose right it is to provide a king) mentioned to me that their family was not wealthy or close enough to Asiwaju. When we advised them to seek legal redress, some family members said our advice was dead on arrival - Mr. Tinubu also wielded influence over the Lagos State judiciary. (Some members of the families sued - the case remains stalled for obvious reasons).

I have many stories - some I would never share but one thing I know is that Nigeria’s INEC has just enthroned a regime of patronage. It is a regime where you must obey to get any favors - there is no plurality of thoughts and pluralists are outsiders. They may not kill you for being different but from their antecedents my prediction is that the new president will exclude anyone who does not kowtow to him. In the end, when outsiders starve and see how those who ‘fall in line’ enjoy government largesse, outsiders will have no option but to 'fall in line'. My permutation is based on my experience with these people.

The outcome of this presidential election was painful for many Nigerians because many were not seeking an Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Igala, or Jukun man or woman to win. Many Nigerians now care less about the sex, gender, or tribal origins of their president. We are just people hungry for good leadership. We are a country whose citizens do so well everywhere except in Nigeria; a giant that continues to stagger because of poor leadership. In the end, (echoing the words of Mr. Peter Obi), I have serious doubts about whether an excellent president can be produced by a shabby electoral process.