Thanks to a trending WhatsApp video, Nigerians now know that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose middle name should be meddlesomeness, is not only back, trying to resurrect his long dead,  and buried, ‘Third Force’ of yore, he is also out there, allegedly traversing the length and breath of Nigeria,  trying to recruit persons he had previously ‘demolished’ with both his once mighty, but now numbed pen, as well as with his mouth; the likes of former President Ibrahim Babangida for whom he spared no perjorative word,  into what he now dubs his national agenda, whereas all he had for Nigeria, even  as a sitting  president, was nothing more than  a Third Term project which was to have seen him transmogrify into Nigeria’s Life President.

If only because he never does anything for altruistic reasons, the video producer pleaded with Nigerians to ensure that this, his latest selfish project, falls flat on its face. In particular, he appealed to Northern Nigerians to ensure that  they scuttle his plot to enthrone Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour party, a man who, he alleged that even as a mere state governor, hounded Hausa traders out of Anambra state, and would have done  far worse had governor Musa Kwankwaso, who had visited him, but failed to dissuade him, not threatened to visit every inanity he threw on Northerners in Anambra state on the tens of thousands  Igbos living, peacefully in Kano state.

Obasanjo’s latest act was his attempt  to profit from the crisis in PDP – a party on which platform he became the Nigerian president –  when he chased governor Wike, all the way to London, to try to broker a modus operandi between him and his new fancy, Peter Obi.

I am today, yielding the column to  Professor Steve Egbo, Executive Director, Administration and Training, NTA,  formerly a lecturer in the  Department of Political Science, Abia State University, Uturu.

He writes on the above topic.

Happy reading.

Historians may never arrive at a better title for the London meetings of August, 2022 by some political gladiators of the APC, PDP, LP and some other freelancers. Uniquely and figuratively, they brought back  memories of the London Conferences of 1957 and ’58 which ultimately ushered in Nigeria’s independence. As background, let us do a brief recap of the pre-independence conferences and why our guys had to troop out to the Court of Saint James for the conversations that berthed a free Nigeria.

Chief Anthony Enahoro had,

on March 31, 1953 moved the historic  motion for Nigeria’s independence, with 1956 as the date. The Northern delegation disagreed with the date, suggesting, instead, that it  be replaced with “as soon as practicable”. The South wanted independence rightaway, but the North argued that it needed more time to be ready. This led to a serious altercation between the Southern and Northern delegates. This was the point  at which the Sardauna made the oft- quoted statement: ”the mistake of 1914 has come to light”. That was how subsequent conferences on Independence had to move to London which was considered a neutral territory. It has been suggested that the enduring schism between the ‘two’ Nigeria’s had its roots in the fractious emotions that Enahoro’s motion engendered.

All these came to mind afresh because of our political gladiators who recently shifted base to London to iron out their festering political differences.

London, of course, provides a cosy environment and, perhaps a shield away, from the distractions and humbug at home here in Nigeria. Like a child playing under the watchful eyes of its parents, Britain still remains the mother that gave birth to this winowy vagabond. But this London trip must be seen for what it is – a crude national embarrassment which showcased the unwillingness of our political leaders to grow up as well as their inability to let Nigeria take it’s rightful place in the comity of nations.

You would wonder what they were looking for outside of places like  Port Harcourt, the Garden City,  Abuja, the City of Gardens, Tinapa, Ikogosi or the other exotic resorts all over Nigeria. Anyway, just might be they were afraid of the numerous creations of their misrule – kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and their other cousins, who have turned travel within the country to a death wish.

Yet it appears not much was  achieved. Looking at their grim faces as they trooped back home, one can surmise a few things: Asiwaju appeared far more upbeat than the rest of them. Without a doubt, he looked the one with the least to lose. There are many brides, and many suitors, depending on the direction from which one is watching the riveting movie.

From the bits and pieces gathered so far, the quartet leaguers – Wike, Makinde, Ortom and Ikpeazu remain intact. They are, however,  in a dilemma because the choices before them are grim. While not exactly the Devil’s Alternative, there are certainly no saints in the works. They do not want Buhari to hand over to another  Northerner, nor does Atiku’s condescending perch make him a darling of any sort. Even if Atiku agrees to their demands, chiefly to throw Iyorchia Ayu under the bus, it is doubtful if that would be enough to suture the broken larynx (given the outlandish manner in which some so called leaders have intervened in the messy logjam, like the unconscionable calling of Wike’s chief stabber, ‘the hero of the convention’, Wike & co children, and new comer, Bwala, discounting River’s votes even as Kwankwaso and Obi are sure to make mincemeat of Atiku in Kano and the Southeast respectively- Columnist).

Nor are they  sure of their position with the APC either given  the fact that politicians always want to have it all. And, as things stand today, there aren’t many vacancies left in the APC world since you can not successfully play an Emperor when a junior potentate is already holding court.  Therefore, the question has become: should they jump, how would the landing be?

As romantic infatuation gradually gives way to conjugal realities, governor Wike and his team must reflect, acidly, on the prospects of sharing the APC mattress with Amaechi,  Ortom with Akume, or Ikpeazu with Uche Ogah and Co.

Peter Obi’s presence at the talks added another fireworks into the mix. It was, at best, meant to assess him and try to establish some facts amidst the uproarious fictions surrounding him. And certainly, the meeting must have ushered in some new realities. The verdict, it seems, points to the fact that, placed on the mettle, Obi is yet too brittle and superficial. This, notwithstanding, the moralising verbosity and magical statistics which, in its intensity, can mesmerise only plebian orthodoxy.

Outside his usual characteristic meddlesomeness, and his unquenchable hunger to be seen, the essence of Obasanjo’s presence in London is difficult to measure. Apart from his secret, undying cravings, I am not sure he actually has a candidate, but he will always want to latch on to something, as the journey progresses. This is archetypical of him.

In the days and weeks ahead, more interesting things  will happen. The power seekers will continue to duel around the chessboard in furtherance of their interests, while enablers are most unlikely to stop, reflect their age, and stop their rambunctious gallivanting. As we await the campaigns, as already fixed by INEC, we can all very well say that interesting times are here.