Former Osun State governor and close ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, has claimed that the #EndSARS protests were orchestrated to derail Tinubu’s political career and prevent his rise to the presidency.
Akande made the revelation during an interview on State Affairs with Edmund Obilo, published on YouTube on Wednesday. He alleged that the protests, which erupted in 2020 against police brutality, were used as a political weapon to tarnish Tinubu’s image.
“#EndSARS was designed to be the end of Tinubu,” Akande stated. When pressed on who was behind the movement, he pointed at the Obidient movement, a political group linked to supporters of Peter Obi, though he clarified he was not directly accusing Obi himself.
Tinubu’s Initial Reluctance to Run
Akande also disclosed that Tinubu was initially hesitant to contest for the presidency due to financial concerns and self-doubt.
“When I met him, he said, ‘Baba, do you have money? If I had the kind of money people have to be president, I would rank with Dangote,’” Akande recalled.
According to him, Tinubu actively resisted discussions about his candidacy and even quarreled with those who suggested it. However, Akande convinced him by presenting the presidency as a duty to the Yoruba people rather than a personal ambition.
“I told him, ‘You are unimportant in this matter. Yoruba wants to be president, and you are the one we have now. It is to sacrifice you so that we can have a president,’” he said.
Did Buhari Oppose Tinubu?
Addressing speculations that former President Muhammadu Buhari opposed Tinubu’s candidacy, Akande dismissed the claims.
“He didn’t tell me so. I asked him many questions, including whether he instigated Osinbajo to contest against Tinubu. He said no and explained that, in his culture, when your mentor is interested in a position, you don’t contest with him,” Akande revealed.
Tinubu’s Political Growth
Despite Tinubu’s long political career, Akande suggested that the former Lagos governor lacked a deep understanding of national politics before assuming the presidency.
“He may have known a lot about the politics of Lagos and America, but he was very ignorant about the politics of Nigeria. Now that he is president, I don’t know how much he has learned,” he said.
Akande’s comments have stirred reactions, reigniting debates on the role of #EndSARS in Nigeria’s political landscape and the forces that shaped Tinubu’s path to the presidency.