He smiled gleefully like a teenager meeting their life-long celebrity crush. His denture, sparkling and ordered, was on full display. He made no effort to hide his obvious excitement. It was the morning after President Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the 2019 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after three tense days of collating and counting votes. Though inches shorter, Wale Tinubu, chief executive officer, OANDO, stood almost shoulder to shoulder with the president inside Aso Rock. He was among the early callers to congratulate the president and his team.
The pictures were sent to all media houses for optimum amplification. The accompanying message, also posted on his Twitter handle read; “Congratulations PMB! Looking forward to (four) more years of the Common Sense Revolution- fighting corruption, improving security and recharging the economy.” Tinubu had no choice. By virtue of their long-standing business relationship, the lawyer turned business mogul is one of the anonymous supporters of the opposition candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The former Vice President is regarded as one of the largest shareholders of OANDO. When the federal government clandestinely clamped down on suspected financiers of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s presidential candidate, with the accounts of many of the party’s leaders and associates frozen, it was to local and international businessmen that Atiku turned to. The Adamawa-born perennial presidential loser is an accomplished businessman with interests in the most lucrative sectors.
But money was hard to come by for electioneering. Tinubu was said to have corralled other businessmen to support Atiku and they funnelled millions of dollars into the campaign but he eventually lost. So much money that can perhaps not be quantified has gone down the drain, so have promises of surreal political patronage had Atiku won. For now, Tinubu has wound his way back into President Buhari’s circle to reaffirm his loyalty perhaps while mourning in the closet of his home.
