In another miss by the whiskers, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo once again escaped death in a helicopter crash just 8 months after a first helicopter near-crash experience. One could easily say it is too much coincidence for this to happen within that space of time, but considering how many times he has been flying across Nigeria since the campaign season began and since his nationwide flag-off of the TraderMoni scheme, this notion is hard to argue as well.
However, the unfortunate incident of the crash has revealed even more possible crack holes within the ranks of government and party. While several people in unsympathetic tones have commented harshly that it was good the Vice President escaped death so that he can honourably complete the unimpressive tenure he has had with President Muhammadu Buhari, others such as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have also expressed joy in the miraculous sparing of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s life.
But even more disturbing are some other insinuations, conspiracy theories and or rumours flying around concerning the crash. Some have asserted that there is a major reason behind the Vice President not using any of the military or para-military helicopters at his disposal for his frequent trips. There are insinuations that the Vice President’s camp does not trust the cabal in the presidency enough to allow them handle the his aircrafts and itinerary.
In political circles, it is public knowledge that the Tinubu/Osinbajo camp are not totally in sync with the Buhari camp which mainly comprises people like Mamman Daura, Abba Kyari and a few others who hold instruments of power around the president in a very tight leash. There has always been an ideological divide between these two faint factions within the All Progressives Party (APC) even before the coalition was merged majorly from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). The ideological, ethnic and even philosophical lines have been evident all the way from 2013 when the APC was created from these strange bedfellows.
There were times President Buhari would be out of the country on personal or national assignments and these forces in the President’s corner of the APC would not allow Prof. Osinbajo function constitutionally in the capacity of Acting Head of Government. Cases such as these are the reason why some analysts have submitted that the forces in the presidency might be working in the background to get Prof. Osinbajo out of the way, no matter how it is achieved. Too numerous are the times that Prof. Osinbajo’s name has been equally soiled with the cabal’s whenever he tries to defend an unconstitutional or inconsistent move sanctioned by the presidency. He has held too many briefs and taken several flak by the public, a number of times, for trying hard enough to defend some actions of the president’s inner circle. Yet, it took the Presidency over 24 hours to release a statement on the Vice President’s air crash. The laxity and will to not care so deeply is too glaring to ignore. It seems Prof. Osinbajo is disposable to the power brokers at any slight opportunity.
Some people say politics is dirty – while this may not be true universally, it is glaring enough for those whose are observant to notice the do-or-die formula infused into politicking in Nigeria here. While there are a few good ones, one can hardly know the full intentions of a politician in Nigeria until his/her whole selfish agenda is hatched and deployed. And so Nigerians, in a short twist of self-preservation, have also learnt how to deal with the deception of politicians by equally deceiving them with sycophancy and sudden disloyalty. This is the tale of how strange bedfellows and stark enemies could come together in a cause to defeat another enemy. It has never been anything personal.
For those of us who will continue to view the second helicopter crash-landing of the Vice President in more ordinary light, and as an act of God which could happen to anyone by chance, we are even more aware of the intricacies of the strained relationship between the factions which could spur some desperate politicians on a power-grabbing trip for their cronies, loyalists and region. We are also aware that people sometimes force the hands of fate to favour their selfishness.
Only a good discernment by the citizenry can help them in separating the seed from the chaff and be saved from the slavish hold of selfish politicians.
Featured image source: nypost.com
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