Anti-Tinubu Protester: 5 Times Nigeria’s President-Elect Faced Opposition 

As the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu prepares himself for the presidency ahead of the 29th of May Swearing in Ceremony, protests have erupted in various parts of the country, with many Nigerians expressing their opposition to his presidency. 

Recently, an unidentified passenger stood in between the passengers’ seats on an Ibom Air flight threatening that Tinubu must not be sworn in as Nigerian president next month.

He said, “You all are sitting here, and Tinubu is about to be sworn in as President. Tinubu must never be sworn in. He must never be President, I am a PhD holder in law and I’ll keep saying what I am saying.”

However, this is not the first time Tinubu has faced opposition in his political career. He has weathered several storms over the years, facing intense scrutiny and criticism from various quarters. Here are five instances where Tinubu faced opposition and managed to overcome them.

When he wanted to become governor in 1999

Tinubu served as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999-2007. His emergence under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), was not a smooth ride despite his financial, moral, and physical support for the pro-democracy coalition, National Democratic Coalition(NADECO). Reports say Tinubu fought a serious battle against Engineer Funsho Williams to become the AD governorship flag bearer. This was because Funsho was billed to be Governor due to his group, Network Alliance which had a strong grassroots in the state.

When he supported Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy for the presidency in the 2007 elections 

Tinubu supported Atiku’s candidacy for the presidency in the 2007 elections. However, Atiku lost to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Tinubu was criticized by some of his political associates for supporting Atiku, but he defended his decision, stating that it was in the best interest of the country. Reports say Tinubu offered Abubakar the chance to join his party, Action Congress (AC) offering him his party’s presidential candidacy, with the condition that he, Tinubu, would be Atiku Abubakar’s running mate. 

When he wanted to be Buhari’s running mate in 2015

Tinubu was a key figure in the APC’s campaign to oust the PDP from power during the 2015 presidential elections. His influence in the party made them victorious at the polls. Tinubu anticipated the Vice President slot as a reward for his notable contributions to the party. However, reports say some top APC politicians in the southwest were already unhappy with Tinubu because of the VP issue, a situation that has generated tension in the party.

Tinubu later dropped his ambition to be VP, as picking an all-Muslim ticket will be playing into the hands of PDP which has been trying to portray APC as an Islamic party. 

When he bought the ticket for the 2023 presidency 

Tinubu’s candidacy for the presidency in 2023  sparked protests in various parts of the country, with some Nigerians expressing their opposition to his candidacy. The protests are fueled by allegations of corruption, drug dealings, and abuse of power against Tinubu, as well as concerns that he may not be the best candidate to lead the country. Also, he faced opposition from his party men as some politicians and businessmen close to President Muhammadu Buhari, also known as the ‘Aso Rock cabal,’  almost made him lose his aspiration.

Moreso, his ambition also received opposition from some of his erstwhile associates including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who polled 235 votes at the APC primaries.

When he won the 2023 election

Recently, Tinubu has faced a lot of opposition from opposition parties and their supporters since he was announced the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the 1st of March 2023. The opposition parties, the People’s Democratic Party and the Labour Party have called for the cancellation of the elections which were reportedly marred by electoral malpractice.