As the election year, 2023 approaches, we consider the men whose influence and opinions would matter most in who emerges Nigeria’s president. Call them the kingmakers, and you will be correct. These men wield widespread influence and power and over time they have always had a hand in who led the nation....CONTINUE READING
Incidentally, all four men have a military background. They are retired military generals.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
First on the list is Olusegun Obasanjo fondly referred to as OBJ or Baba Iyabo.
Obasanjo was the nation’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979. He later led the nation as its civilian president for two terms of 8 years from 1999 to 2007.
As the military Head of State, he was instrumental to the emergence of his successor, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
As a civilian president, he singlehandedly picked the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua as his successor in 2007 at the expiration of his tenure.
He equally handpicked Goodluck Jonathan as Yar’Adua’s running mate.
Then Jonathan took over from Yar’Adua following the latter’s death. Obasanjo supported Jonathan’s bid for the presidency in 2011 and Jonathan won. However, some time into Jonathan’s first term in office, something went wrong between the two men and Obasanjo withdrew his support for the administration.
That marked the beginning of the downfall of that administration.
The relationship between both men degenerated to the point where OBJ in his characteristic fashion penned down a scathing open letter to Jonathan. In the letter, he accused Jonathan of having drawn up a hit list of people to eliminate which included him.
From that time on, discerning political pundits knew that it would take a miracle for Jonathan to get a second term.
At the height of the squabble between both men escalated, Obasanjo officially denounced his membership of the PDP by publicly tearing his membership card.
He then threw his weight behind the then opposition APC and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari. The rest, as they say, is now history.
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida
The second on the list is Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida who many fondly call IBB. Like Obasanjo, Babangida was the nation’s military Head of State from 1985 to 1993.
In his days as the Head of State, Babangida proved that he is a quintessential politician. He was so good at playing the political game that Nigerians nicknamed him “Maradona” after the great Argentine soccer legend famous for his dribbling skills.
But he made many men across the nation both in the military and the civil society. Back then, these men were commonly referred to as “The Babangida Boys.”
Some of these men who are in places of authority and power today are still loyal to him. That is where IBB draws his power and influence from.
Although his influence seems to have waned slightly these days partly because of his failing health, he is still relevant in the political scheme of things. That is why his Hilltop Mansion resident in Minna, Niger State, is still a Mecca of some sort for politicians who go to him to seek his endorsement for political positions.
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari, the current president, will no doubt have a big say in who succeeds him in 2023. However, the only thing that qualifies him to feature on this list is that he is the incumbent president.
He may have the biggest say at the end of the day, but take away his influence as the incumbent president, he cannot be considered a kingmaker.
Abdulsalami Abubakar
Abdulsalami Abubakar was briefly the nation’s military Head of State from 1998 to 1999. He handed over power to Obasanjo as the civilian president. That singular act of conducting a smooth transition from military to civilian rule endeared him to many Nigerians. It is the reason for his influence to date.
Abubakar has stayed away from active politics since he handed over power to a civilian government. He has rather chosen to play the noble role of a statesman. He wields his influence subtly. But he is by no means influential.
Nigerians pay close attention to the utterances and actions of these men especially when it comes to presidential politics. That is why they have a say in who becomes the nation’s president. And without a doubt, they will influence the choice of the next president.
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