The Osinbajo phenomenon in APC campaign

KUNLE ODEREMI writes on the campaign strategies of the running mate of the All Progressives congress (APC) in next month’s presidential election, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), as the February elections approach.
IN so many ways, he has been able to animate the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Professor Yemi Osinbajo, an erudite scholar, whose imprints on the sand of time as a legal luminary, has proved to be a man of many parts.
Not many gave him the chance to make much difference when he was named as the running mate of Major General Muhammdu Buhari, the standard bearer of the APC in next month’s presidential poll. Some critics were curious on why his next port of call should be the murky waters of politics, where morality is widely considered in short supply. Others argued that he was only a child of political expediency based on the geopolitical divide and cultural diversity of the country.
Curiously, Osinbajo has been able to carve a niche for himself as a man with immense potential and elasticity. Even his most strident critics have since acknowledged profoundly his enigmatic foray into politics as running mate for February 14 presidential polls.  From the campaign grounds to the Walk for Change, a programme pragmatically designed to mobilise all and sundry to the campaign grounds, coupled with door-to-door campaign, Osinbajo has given a new life to the culture of political horse-trading and grassroot mobilisation drive.  This strategy, according to his associates, friends and admirers, is to further underscore his mien as the man that walks the talk.    
This point is best illustrated by a lecture, entitled, The Responsibility of Privilege, in remembrance of the famous sculptor and painter, Ben Enwonwu, he delivered some years ago. In it, Osinbajo had examined the obligation or burden which privilege places on an individual, group or indeed a generation. After giving a clear analyses of privilege and responsibilities, he concluded: “It is my thesis, that the privileged, or the elite both individually and collectively have a responsibility, an obligation to society to plan it, organise it, order or reorder it and above all to make sacrifices for it, for the maximum benefit of all.
“ This is the burden of privilege. It is their obligation individually and collectively to chart the course for the millions, they define and house the ethos and the public sense of the people. It is their expected role to find common cause across professions, vocations, ethnicities and faiths defining the minimum terms and conditions for the safety, security, growth and prosperity of the community. They define clearly what is lofty, what is noble, what is deserving of honour and how these values can be sustained, preserved and enforced. This is the burden of privilege.”
In a way, this principle seems to dictate and determine the flow and direction of his brand of politics. It underscores his talks and speeches at different fora: rallies, meetings and consultations with the low and the high in the society as well as the elite and members of the corporate world and the professional groups.
Osinbajo and Nigerians in the Diaspora
In all these circumstances, Osinbajo has shown not just to be humble, versatile, cerebral and eloquent but also deep in state matters. Many of such sterling qualities were manifest during one of his recent video- conference with some Nigerians in the Diaspora. While speaking with Nigerians resident in Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal, he said Nigeria was due for change after 16 years of experimenting with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration with little or no positive impact. Accordingly, Osinbajo said Nigerians at home wanted change from the policies of the current administration.
He was optimistic on the effectiveness and workability of his party’s policies in tackling the socio-economic problems plaguing the country. He said that the APC recognise corruption as the bane of Nigeria, adding that Buhari, who has a reputation as a strict fighter against corruption, would end the pandemic. He said  the APC also recognised the enormous human resources available to Nigerians abroad, whose skills, talents, knowledge and experience are contributing to the development of other countries around the world. He added that the APC government would identify such talents and integrate them in building a Nigeria of the people’s dream if elected no doubt, the gain of the APC through the video conference seems enormous, as the leaders assured Osinbajo of the full support of Nigerians abroad and urged Nigerians back home to vote wisely.
As a man of the people
He has been the rallying point in the Walk for change, which is usually the precursor to APC rallies in state capitals. His daring courage and string will and character had played a major role where some official forces attempted to truncate such mass walk, just as his frequent interactions with members of the lower strata in the society, including market men and women, as well as artisans have earned him the nickname, man of the people. One of such interactions tagged, Town Hall Meeting with Artisans, Tradesmen and Farmers, was held at Blue Roof, Lagos Television, Ikeja, Lagos, where he told the people that the February election should be seen as a choice between positive change and excruciating poverty in the land. “No one is ignorant of all that is happening to us in this country. No one likes hunger and poverty but people are hungry. In 2015, only those who love to continue to be hungry would prefer that the government in power at the centre remains there.
“By God’s grace, we will remove them from the seat of power. The people there presently cannot do anything because they don’t know how to. They lack the capacity and capability to govern the country. I pray for the farmers and artisans that the Lord will bless us in the incoming year,” he said.
Knack for issues
His preference for issues rather than primordial sentiments, tirades, blackmail and vulgarity during campaigns has endeared him to many. Even in the face of seeming provocation, Osinbajo has demonstrated much restraint, maturity and comportment, even to the chagrin of his adversaries. So, rather than sending scud missiles in the direction of his political opponents in retaliation for their verbal assaults, the APC running mate often chooses to go on adventure of dialectical discourse and debate on the fundamental challenges confronting the country and the way forward. An example will suffice here. In the face of the mundane matters emanating from from opposing political camps, Osinbajo concentrates on issues like the economy and security. A sample: “We will have social security. We will focus on jobs for the young people, Universal Health Insurance, conditional cash transfers for the poorest people in the society and explore several options for power.Power makes it difficult now for industry and business to take-off in Nigeria.”
So far, Osinabajo has been able to combine his role as a pastor with that of being a politician and professor of no mean status. He once gave an insight into how he has been to achieve this: “The reason I function as a pastor is essentially because I want to touch the lives of as many people as possible with the love of Jesus Christ and we must, in every situation we find ourselves, be able to help the poor, be able to help those who can’t help themselves and stand up for justice. I will do same as a political leader. All of these roles must be played in the same way and with the same motivation. As far as I am concerned, it is all the same,” he said.
Buhari as a misunderstood man
Osinbajo also takes time to analysis the personality of Buhari, the APC candidate, against the background of scathing remarks by some critics. He believes he is a misunderstood man because of his tenacity of purpose and idealism, coupled with integrity. Thus, he says the man can not only be trusted but also relied on in upholding the tenets of democracy. “General Buhari is a very credible individual that does what he says. He believes he must be careful with commitments he makes and he always wants to fulfill that commitment. Over the years, he has come to embrace the tenets of democracy. He is in every way someone that should be trusted with democratic governance. “I think that it has been over 20 years since 1983. We cannot judge a man with what he was in 1983 and today.
“I think the claim that Buhari is a fundamentalist is unfair.
“The PDP has done a fairly good job in making it appear that he is a fundamentalist. I think that is unfair.
“No one has ever accused General Buhari of being an Islamist.  He has never been a fundamentalist. When he was in office, his deputy was a Muslim. They were under pressure to join the Organisation of Islamic Countries but they refused. Seventy per cent of the members of his cabinet were Christians. He worked very well with Christians,” he said.
APC as agent of change
Rguably, Osinbajo is among the top leaders of the APC that have consistently and painstakingly given details of the party’s manifesto to the Nigerian public. He has gone beyond the fact that the document was already in the public domain to highlight, explain, analyse and provided insights on how the policies and programmes of the APC will be implemented faithfully and with the welfare of the citizens as the major index. He said since the taste of the pudding is in the eating, the APC should be trusted by Nigerians, as the party has a record of performance in the APC-controlled states.
His words: “It is the first time that a party will say that his policies are guided by what the man on the street wants. “We are looking at how the government can better the lives of the people directly while encouraging business and industry to do the same. So at the core of the APC’s manifesto is the common man.
“The problem of the Nigerian economy is management of the resources and that is critical with the way the APC government would deal with issues. Some of the issues surrounding the economy is a complete lack of accountability. What the government needs is accountability. Resources must be managed well. If you don’t fight corruption and make people face the consequences of corruption you will find the same problem.”
The Professionals and Osinbajo
 A good measure of his reach in the various segments of the economic and political elite is discernible in his latest interaction with a group of professionals at a town hall meeting in Abuja. He used the occasion to expatiate on the APC agenda of change, which he said is anchored on leadership by example. Therefore, he has promised that Buhari if elected would lead the battle that would bring an end to insurgency in the country, especially in the North-East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
 “The first priority is security and to question what has gone wrong in the military. Then, funding the military adequately and ensuring that the Commander-In-Chief leads from the front. But when he was Commander-In-Chief, Buhari led from the front as a soldier. You cannot lead from the rear. You cannot fail to go to where the insurgency is taking place and that is what Buhari has been saying.
“I think that the major problem with the question of security is again that it was not prioritised by this government. It was not taken seriously enough from the beginning. When you have a situation, you do not politicise the insurgency like that. You do not point to the opposition and say it is the opposition that is sponsoring it until General Buhari almost lost his life when Boko Haram attacked him.
“We must start by understanding that there is a war going on in that part of the country and what the government need to do is to get the nation behind it, not pointing accusing fingers at wrong places. We need to look at the whole question of funding and equipping the military. The military at the moment is not equipped. I worked with Femi Falana on the mutiny of some solders and what is the complaint of those soldiers who were charged with mutiny? Their complaint is that they were not given equipment and they wanted them to go to battle. So, how do you say that? How does anybody think that you can fight the insurgents without ammunitions?”
Osinbajo believes with Buhari as the president of the country, the era of looting of public treasury by public officials would be in sight, given the abhorrence of the former Nigerian leader for sleaze and other untoward tendencies. Part of the ways the APC hopes to achieve the feat is running a transparent government, where public officials will be accountable to the people. On unemployment, Osinbajo declared: “The idea is to take 2.5 million people out of poverty every year. We will give free healthcare to children. We will follow the example of Osun State where such has been done successfully.”
A man of his words
Osinabjo came into the current race with an intimidating credential and savvy. He towers above his peers as a professor of law and advocate. His tenure as the Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State for eight years remains outstanding. His spirit as a team player while serving in many high capacities is seen by his teeming admirers as exceptional. And in his current sojourn into politics at the highest level in the land, Osinbajo has promised to maintain his mien: humility, diligence, piety and doggedness. His acceptance speech when he emerged as the APC running mate, last December is apt on this issue. “I am deeply honoured and grateful to have been nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate of our party, APC and especially the Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
“I also thank the leaders and elders of our great party, APC for the trust reposed in me. “The task of rebuilding this nation is one to which I am fully committed. There can be no other President, Leader and commander that can lead that common sense revolution Nigeria urgently needs than General Muhammadu Buhari. I will proudly serve this country with him.
“General Buhari’s uprightness and fierce commitment to good governance is well known. It will be a privilege to work with him. I come to this assignment with lots of hope and a resolve to be a part of this movement to bring Nigeria back to its lost glory. With the support of all Nigerians and the help of God, we shall make Nigeria work again.
“I will work with him and the party to restore hope and confidence in millions of our youth and provide comfort and security for millions of our country men and women.”
So, the man, Osinbajo already has his eyes on history. But, the battle is not over until it is over, as they say. 

Read 39 times Last modified on Tuesday, 27 January 2015 21:04