Osinbajo, 2023 and the struggle for power

 

Yesterday Vice President Yemi  Osinbajo announced he was going to fight for his party’s nomination to contest the presidential election next year thus ending months of speculation on the subject.

In an evocative address to the nation via video, he spoke of his experience as Vice President over the past seven years and his conviction that this country would not only survive but would thrive with proper leadership. It was a message of hope given the rather dreary circumstances of this country today.

He was careful to give honour to his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari who he commended as “a true Nigerian patriot”.

But herein lies Osinbajo’s potential albatross. By almost universal consent, President Buhari has performed very poorly in office and Osinbajo has his work cut out persuading the generality of Nigerians that he should not be identified with the administration’s worst excesses and failures. Indeed he has to be a dexterous trapeze artist to walk the thin line  separating himself, and projecting hope for the future, and an administration that has not had a purchase on hope, almost from day one of assumption of office.

But to be fair, it must be acknowledged that Osinbajo has had his struggles as Vice President often confronting individuals in the power corridors who did not want him to forget that he only had as much power as the president allowed him.

An accomplished lawyer, Osinbajo knew what he signed for by accepting the position of Vice President and that no useful purpose could be served  by confrontation. This has, however, made him out as weak with some suggesting he should have resigned his position. But again proponents of this view have little understanding of the constitution and the political complexities of the country which require a delicate management of its many fault lines.