In Nigerian politics, the victors are not always the loudest fighters often, they are the quiet strategists who wait, conserve strength and strike only when advantage tilts. That is the essence of Fabian politics.
In an environment where political combat is usually loud, confrontational and theatrical, the real winners of Nigeria’s biggest political battles have succeeded with a different playbook: restraint, delay and timing. This mirrors the ancient strategy of Quintus Fabius Maximus, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal not by courage in battle, but by patience in avoidance.
Call it whatever you like calculation, survival, or quiet cunning — Fabian tactics now define much of Nigeria’s high-stakes power play.
Tinubu And The Power Of Delay
Before 2023, Bola Ahmed Tinubu avoided open confrontation with the Muhammadu Buhari establishment despite internal friction. He absorbed the silence, built alliances, preserved machinery and when he finally declared ambition, he met a weakened field. That is textbook Fabianism: win by waiting, not by wrestling.
Jonathan’s Silent Rehabilitation
Goodluck Jonathan lost power in 2015 and chose silence instead of counter-attack. He rebuilt credibility abroad, allowed time to soften public memory and re-entered national relevance without a fight. In politics, withdrawal is sometimes the strongest statement.
Atiku’s Long Game
Atiku Abubakar is not a sprinter — he is a political marathoner. He leverages courts, coalitions and longevity instead of immediate confrontation. That durability — often mistaken for hesitation — is a Fabian asset: outlast your challengers even if you never out-shout them.
Obi’s Post-election Restraint
After 2023, Peter Obi opted for litigation and persuasion over mobilising streets. He guarded moral capital and preserved structure for future cycles rather than waste them in unrewarded confrontation. Fabian strategy is not passivity — it is strategic patience.
Does Fabianism Serve The People?
Fabian strategy clearly works for politicians. The harder question is whether it works for the country. Democracy thrives on engagement, transparency and accountability not just endurance and timing. Fabianism produces survivors, not necessarily reformers.
Nigeria must decide whether it wants leaders skilled at waiting or leaders capable of transforming.
Lawrence is a broadcast journalist and political affairs commentator.
