How Tinubu’s fiery critics grew to become spokespersons, loyalists

ISMAEEL UTHMAN writes in regards to the shifting alliances of vocal politicians who as soon as derided President Tinubu with scornful abuse, solely to later sing his praises inside a brief interval

Nigeria is dwelling to quite a few politicians and articulate social analysts who’ve been recognized to oppose governments, political events, or people at numerous occasions. Nonetheless, inside this gallery of critics, constant and politically disciplined people are uncommon. Many distinguished self-acclaimed activists and public defenders have ended up serving the very folks they beforehand criticised.

Daniel Bwala

This sentiment was palpable when an outspoken critic of President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, was appointed Particular Adviser to the President on Coverage Communication. Bwala, a former spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2023 Presidential Marketing campaign, was a vocal critic of Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress earlier than and after the presidential election. A former member of the APC, Bwala claimed he turned down an appointment supply from Tinubu earlier than becoming a member of the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, arguing that the APC had underperformed.

“Eight years is sufficient for any administration, even in case you are ranging from scratch, to realize its goals. Sadly, after eight years, the query Nigerians should ask themselves is, ‘Has the APC taken us ahead or backward?’” Bwala acknowledged throughout an interview with Channels TV on August 5, 2022.

On October 5, 2022, Bwala tweeted on X (previously Twitter), “Our message to Nigeria is straightforward: if you need one other 4 years of tremendous inflation, poverty, insecurity, and distress, vote APC and emi lo kan.” On November 25, 2022, he added, “The human mind is exclusive and miraculous. It really works and features optimally 24 hours a day and twelve months a yr till you be part of the APC. Then it stops working.”

Criticising Tinubu’s efficiency throughout an look on the Royal Institute of Worldwide Affairs in London, Bwala posted on X on December 5, 2022: “Chatham Home present of disgrace. You wish to be the president however keep away from answering questions, as an alternative redirecting the solutions to El-Rufai, Alake, and co. Nigerians wish to be ruled by an individual, not a robotic who can not train unbiased thought in answering questions.”

Two days after the February 2023 presidential election, Bwala appeared on Come up TV, calling for the cancellation of the train and citing gross malpractice and end result manipulation. In April 2023, he accused Tinubu of rigging the election, predicting that the President would face ethical legitimacy challenges upon assuming workplace.

“Proper now, though the presumption of legislation is in favour of Tinubu till the ultimate dedication of the election tribunal and appeals, he’ll wrestle with ethical legitimacy (as a result of he rigged the election) for 240 days of his presidency,” Bwala wrote on X. In Could 2023, he described Tinubu as a “president-select” slightly than a “president-elect.”

However Bwala’s most controversial assertion got here in December 2023 when on Channels TV he thundered: “Nothing will work underneath President Tinubu, even when he’s given 30 years.”

Nonetheless, there was a noticeable shift in Bwala’s political allegiance in January 2024 when he suspended his criticism of the President after a go to to the State Home in Abuja. On January 15, Bwala expressed willingness to just accept a proposal from the President, pledging to assist his agenda. He additionally met with Tinubu in Paris that very same month and subsequently praised his “ardour to steer Nigeria out of the woods.”

It was due to this fact no surprise when he was appointed particular adviser to the President, which attracted criticism from netizens, who described him as an inconsistent politician.

DOYIN OKUPE

Till not too long ago, Doyin Okupe, a former Senior Particular Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, was one other famend critic of President Tinubu.

The septuagenarian, nicknamed the “assault canine” of Nigerian politics—a title he later upgraded to “assault lion”—was a vocal character within the PDP earlier than becoming a member of the Labour Party because the Director-Normal of Peter Obi’s Presidential Marketing campaign Organisation in 2022.

Okupe steadily clashed with Tinubu throughout his time as Jonathan’s spokesperson. On June 13, 2013, Okupe suggested Tinubu to undertake greater requirements of integrity as a former governor and political chief. He additionally described Tinubu as “a person dwelling previously.”

After leaving the PDP in 2021, Okupe criticised each the PDP and APC, describing them as “birds of a feather.” Nonetheless, in March 2021, Okupe declared Tinubu as essentially the most certified to change into Nigeria’s president.

In a collection of tweets, he mentioned, “Tinubu is essentially the most sagacious and competent to vie for the presidential seat come 2023. Asiwaju is likely one of the most politically sagacious politicians of this period. His acumen and administrative competence are commendable. In abstract, Asiwaju will likely be president.”

Okupe later supported Peter Obi for the presidency, describing him as “the candidate to beat.”

After Obi’s defeat, nevertheless, Okupe made a U-turn, declaring his assist for Tinubu and retracting his earlier statements. He attributed Obi’s loss to the Labour Party’s poor construction and insufficient nationwide attain, saying: “We ran a improbable marketing campaign, however the celebration lacked what it took to win a nationwide election.” Okupe has taken enjoyment of defending Tinubu on each situation raised towards the president.

RENO OMOKRI

Reno Omokri is a prolific author whose presence on social media, particularly X, instructions consideration. He served as Particular Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media from August 17, 2011, to Could 29, 2015.

Omokri was a sworn enemy of Tinubu on social media, ceaselessly attacking the APC presidential candidate whereas supporting the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar. On June 22, 2022, Omokri portrayed Tinubu as a person with a black file. “What’s flawed with the APC? How can they ask us to vote for a person with a heroin forfeiture case? This isn’t a cost, or an accusation, or a hearsay. It’s an precise judicial forfeiture of drug-linked funds. How can a person linked with the drug commerce be our President? A person who has a drug-linked case within the US will likely be weak to blackmail if elected as our President. He will likely be weak to each governments and organised crime. And might he even move a drug check? These are critical points that Tinubu should reply to!”

Omokri continued his barrage on June 24, 2022, saying, “The drug cartel behaviour that led Tinubu into hassle in Chicago, resulting in his court docket case with the US Authorities, continues to be in him. He has cornered the wealth of Lagos for his bullion van type of politics, leaving little for the event of the metropolis!”

He didn’t cease there. On June 25, 2022, Omokri queried Tinubu’s {qualifications}. “Emilokan, the place are your certificates? The one motive Tinubu is now claiming that he didn’t attend any major or secondary faculty is as a result of if he comes clear about his early training, it can expose different lies he has instructed Nigerians about his true age and title. Tinubu, what’s your actual title and age?”

The detractions continued till after the 2023 presidential election, when Omokri began singing Tinubu’s praises. His sudden U-turn was met with outrage from netizens, forcing him to make a video on October 16, 2023. Within the video, Omokri defined that he stopped criticising Tinubu, particularly on his certificates, as a result of he confirmed that the president truly attended Chicago College. Ever since, Omokri has been a powerful supporter of Tinubu on social media.

On January 26, 2024, Omokri described Tinubu because the grasp of the sport (politics). “A person with the flexibility to resist public opprobrium to do what he thinks is true for the nation. I pray to your success between now and Could 29, 2027. Could God bless you, sir,” he tweeted.

FEMI FANI-KAYODE

Identified for his eloquence, former Minister of Tradition and Tourism, Femi Fani-Kayode, additionally falls into the class of vocal politicians who later supported and defended what they’d earlier condemned. As a member of the PDP, Fani-Kayode was a recognized critic of former President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC.

On March 20, 2019, Fani-Kayode described Buhari’s administration as that of Pharaoh, who subjected his folks to struggling, accusing him of not doing sufficient to unravel the nation’s issues. He expressed his disdain for the APC, declaring that he would slightly die than be part of the celebration.

“I’m dedicated to opposing the APC and people which might be of their ranks for the remainder of my pure life, and I’ll NEVER be part of them it doesn’t matter what! They’re nothing however darkness while I stand for the sunshine of God and fact: there could be NO fellowship between mild and darkness,” he tweeted on December 15, 2019.

Fani-Kayode didn’t restrict his verbal assaults to the APC. He additionally attacked the chief of the celebration, Tinubu. He described Tinubu as a person with “unhealthy well being and at all times on medicine” on his Fb web page on March 4, 2015.

“It’s not Femi Fani-Kayode however slightly Bola Tinubu that slurs when he speaks. It’s not Femi Fani-Kayode however slightly Bola Tinubu that has to take 20 capsules earlier than he can exit. It’s not Femi Fani-Kayode however Bola Tinubu that his arms shake when he tries to raise his fork and knife and eat,” he posted.

He additionally described Tinubu as the largest traitor ever recognized in Nigeria. In an announcement on March 18, 2015, Fani-Kayode mentioned, “He (Tinubu) has betrayed each single individual that he has labored with and he has thrown them to the canines on the final minute for a worth. In the course of the days of NADECO, he betrayed the trigger by colluding with the federal government of the day secretly whereas pretending to be a NADECO chief.

“The reality is that this man has not solely offered his soul to the satan however he has additionally offered his followers for a pittance and he’s main them into perdition. He needs to purchase and promote Nigeria too, and it’s time for anyone to inform him that Nigeria just isn’t on the market. That is what Chief Fani-Kayode and others are within the technique of doing.”

The politician became comedian materials for content material creators when, in a sudden twist, he joined the APC in September 2021. He mentioned “the Spirit of God” led him to affix the celebration. When requested in regards to the insults he hurled at Buhari and the APC, Fani-Kayode, who appeared on Channels TV on September 16, 2021, mentioned, “I spoke towards Buhari from the skin, now I do know him from the within. I’m not saying he’s an angel or a demon. The APC I used to be speaking about at the moment just isn’t the identical right this moment. Let’s deal with unity, peace, and togetherness. There’s a time to sentence and criticise folks. There’s additionally a time to return collectively, work collectively to realize unity.”

In 2023, Fani-Kayode was made Director of the New Media sub-committee of the APC Presidential Marketing campaign Council. Defending himself over the collection of assaults on Tinubu, the previous minister declared that he was with ‘pigs’ when he was attacking Tinubu.

In a tweet on his X on February 2, he mentioned, “Circulating essays I wrote years in the past towards @officialABAT adjustments nothing. I used to be in Folks’s Pigs Party then however noticed the sunshine and left the swine. Been in APC since & have fought for Asiwaju to win with each fibre of my being. These which might be sad with that may drop useless.”

He campaigned for Tinubu and has since been defending him. Commenting on political inconsistency, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Motion Congress, Omoyele Sowore, mentioned politicians and people who change allegiances weren’t disciplined.

“I feel this has at all times been their modus operandi. These usually are not people who find themselves principled of their dealings, ever!” he acknowledged.

Additionally commenting, the Convener of CountryFirst Motion, Prof. Chris Nwaokobia, attributed the inconsistency to a scarcity of values, stating that some people have been prepared to dwell for something that provides them cash and to die for nothing.

“To them, title means nothing. Preventing, albeit pretentiously, for rights and good governance is a way to an finish; ditto criticising the federal government, getting seen, abandoning that place, and getting settled. All that issues to them is more cash of their pockets,” he added.