When the president said some time ago that he enjoys watching the opposition in disarray, he meant it. And truthfully, many supporters of this administration feel the same way. Not necessarily out of malice, but because politics, at its core, is a game of strategy, strength, and positioning. When your opponent is struggling to stay coordinated, it naturally works in your favour. So, yes I also enjoy watching this disarray.
What surprises me, however, is the expectation from some quarters that the president, as the head of state, should step into the internal affairs of the opposition and help them resolve their disputes, as though fairness in leadership now means managing the house of your rivals.
Mr. Peter Obi once mentioned that a former president intervened in the affairs of an opposition party to settle disputes. Whether that is true or not is another matter. But even if it were, should that now become the standard? Should it be expected that a sitting president abandons political reality and begins to stabilise those actively working to unseat him?
Let’s be honest.
How do full-grown men, seasoned politicians, individuals who have held some of the highest offices in this country fail to come together and resolve their own internal party conflicts? These are people who have managed states, controlled structures, and navigated complex political landscapes. Yet, they cannot sit at a table, align their interests, and build a united front within their own party. And somehow, the expectation is that the president should step in and do it for them or at least make it easy for them to achieve? It just doesn’t add up.
At a point, when Mr. Obi stood largely alone in the Labour Party, fingers were pointed at the president for the crisis he couldn’t manage. Now you have a coalition of heavyweights, Obi, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Aregbesola, El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, all within the same space, and unity is still a struggle. If anything, this should raise serious questions about capacity, cohesion, and leadership.
And these are the same individuals some people believe should be handed the reins of this country? It is concerning. And I say “God Forbid” it.
Show me anywhere in the world where a sitting president or governor actively works to resolve the internal crises of the opposition. Politics does not work that way. Power does not operate on sentiment; it operates on interest.
Even on a personal level, no one goes out of their way to strengthen those who are actively strategizing to take what belongs to them, at least not me. That is not wickedness, it is human nature, and more importantly, political reality.
So this constant narrative that the president is somehow suppressing the opposition or does not want them to thrive needs to be put in proper context. If the roles were reversed, do you honestly believe the opposition would act differently? If any of them are given the opportunity to prevent the president from contesting, would any of them hesitate?
Let’s not pretend here my people.
The truth is simple: the opposition must take responsibility for its own structure. They must put their house in order, resolve their differences, and build a system that can stand on its own. The ruling party is under no obligation to stabilise them.
At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that the opposition is doing what it is meant to do, challenge the government, question its actions, and attempt to sway public opinion. That is their role. But in doing so, they must also be prepared for resistance. Politics is not a one-sided game.
If you are working hard to frustrate the ruling party, you should not be surprised when your own efforts are met with equal resistance.
That is the nature of politics.
This is not kindergarten.
#Tadé
#iyawooga
#refinedlady
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