By Damilola Omosebi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently recounted a pivotal moment that defined his leadership philosophy: a stark choice between personal ambition and collective victory.
The scene was set in the tense political climate under President Olusegun Obasanjo, with the opposition determined to wrest control of Lagos State. Tinubu, then a formidable political figure, had already secured and filled his INEC form to run for the Senate. He had his sights set on the upper legislative chamber.
However, a critical realization struck him. He had also championed Babatunde Fashola as the party’s candidate for the crucial Lagos Governorship race. “If I go ahead [with my Senate bid],” Tinubu recalled thinking, “I will strive to win my seat while leaving Fashola to his fate.” He understood that splitting his focus and resources could jeopardize the governorship – the ultimate prize for the party in Lagos.
What followed was an act of decisive, selfless leadership. “Then one morning,” Tinubu narrated, “I called Ganiyu [Solomon] and told him to follow me to Abuja.” They landed and proceeded straight to the INEC office. There, Tinubu did the unexpected: he withdrew his own Senate nomination form. Instead, he handed a fresh form to Solomon. A shocked Solomon asked, “For what, sir?”
Tinubu’s response was simple and direct: “Fill the form.” Solomon complied. This swift, strategic move allowed Tinubu to pour all his energy and political capital into securing Fashola’s victory in the governorship race.
The outcome validated the sacrifice. Fashola won the governorship, becoming a transformative leader for Lagos. Ganiyu Solomon won the Senate seat Tinubu had stepped aside from. The party secured its key objectives.
“We must make sacrifices,” Tinubu stated, encapsulating the core lesson. This anecdote isn’t merely history; it resonates as a powerful demonstration of leadership defined – prioritizing the greater good over personal gain, making tough choices for collective success, and strategically building capacity within a team.
It is precisely this demonstrated capacity for bold, strategic, and unselfish leadership that fuels conviction in many Nigerians. They believe President Tinubu possesses the requisite qualities to tackle deep-seated national challenges. Among the most pressing is the long-standing plight of former PHCN workers. These individuals, “severely battered and bruised but remain erect and unbeaten” after the turbulent privatization process, represent unfinished national business. Their tears, borne of unmet promises and hardship, cry out for resolution.
Witnessing Tinubu’s past willingness to set aside his own ambition for a larger victory offers hope. It is this hope, grounded in demonstrated action, that convinces many he is the leader who can finally bring the necessary focus and determination to wipe the tears from the faces of these resilient ex-PHCN workers and deliver the justice they have awaited for so long. His Lagos gambit proved the power of sacrifice; the nation now watches for that same leadership principle to be applied on the grandest scale.
