Tinubu’s victory, lesson for S’South, S’East, M’Belt, says Princewill

Former governorship aspirant for the 2023 election in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, has said the emergence  of  Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the All Progressives Congress  (APC) presidential  candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the Peoples  Democratic Party  (PDP) flag bearer should  teach  Southern geo-political zone a lesson  in unity.

“I, for one, diligently took notes. So now, we will see two professors of Nigerian politics going up against one another.  Two people cut from the same PDM (Peoples Democratic Movement) cloth; two allies, now opponents, will square off, while the rest of us will be asked to take a side.” 

Princewill noted that southern Nigeria geo-political zones of “South-South, South East and the Middle Belt have been taught a good lesson. So, a dark horse, or better still a light-complexioned horse, like Peter Obi provides an alternative, mainly in the South, while Kwankwaso of Kano provides an alternative in the North.” 

He noted that the constituency he belongs to wanted a different kind of country with a clear separation from the past, saying: “It was my view that Rotimi Amaechi could have been the one to provide it. The delegates in their number, however, disagreed with me. 

“What I can say is Asiwaju and Atiku are no pushovers. They are both very cerebral and know what it takes to turn a country’s fortunes around. I’m a student of their politics and a fan of their stubbornness. They handed me over to Amaechi in 2007 and then promptly denied it later, my very first lesson in media damage control.” 

The former governorship candidate in the state said he would wait for what Amaechi, who came second with 316 votes at the convention, would say to his political family now that the convention has come and gone, before he takes a position.

“2023 is too important to be observing it slowly approaching from a distance. Politics, as we know, is far too important to be just left to our politicians; likewise presidential campaigns are far too important to be left to presidential candidates. 

“I would like to congratulate both Atiku and Asiwaju, without forgetting Peter Obi. May the best dad win,” he said in a statement.