The Chairman, Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspaper,
Olusegun Adeniyi, on Thursday received accolades from a cross section of the
academia, public analysts, media and students as varsity professors reviewed
his book ‘Against the Run of Play’ at a special book reading of the Ibadan School
of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP).
Adeniyi who was also Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity to late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was the guest of the ISGPP
where varsity dons and other stakeholders at the session dissected the book and
commended the renowned journalist for providing insights into many untold
stories in the corridor of powers.
Speaking at the occasion, Adeniyi argued that the
2019 presidential race was presently in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari in
view of the lack of cohesion and formidable opposition to produce a likely
challenger to the incumbent as witnessed in 2012, three years to the 2015 race.
Warning that the opposition political parties risk
biting their fingers at the end of the forthcoming election, Adeniyi said the
scenario was more favourable to Buhari because till date, there was yet to
emerge a consensus figure to give the All Progressives Congress (APC) a run for
their money and popularity.
He identified fragmented opposition as the most
important factor that makes incumbent candidates win elections all over the
world, just as he recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) lost in the 2015 election because the opposition parties
came together to form a strong force against him and his party.
Adeniyi said such development is rare in other
countries of the world but is required to defeat any incumbent.
According to him, “I don't expect anything
different in the 2019 elections. I expect that the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) will perform better than it did in 2015. I also
expect that whoever wants to be president, either the incumbent or challenger,
should challenge the process and at the end of the day, we'll see what happens.
“The challenge for the opposition is that they have
to get their acts together. I keep saying that by the end of 2012 for instance,
we already knew who was going to challenge Jonathan in 2015. You can't say the
same thing today. And you need a cohesive opposition to defeat an incumbent.
Right now, if you are asked who would be the next candidate, you can tout many
names but you are not sure. And for me, there are only two political parties
right now; there may be others in the future, but now, it's either APC or PDP.
All these Red Card, Third Force, and all those things... are helping the
incumbent because the incumbent has the support base. It is the opposition that
is being divided along all these lines.”
When asked if the massive campaign for Nigerians to
get their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) can help the opposition in the election,
Adeniyi said: “Yes, it can play a part, but what I think basically is that
Buhari's biggest challenger today, is "go and get your PVC. That is not a
candidate. Yes, the people will get their PVC but who are they voting for? It’s
also important. I like the awareness, I like the consciousness, people are
really ready to go out and vote, but it also matters who they are voting for
and the platform and what those people are bringing to the table. I know that
in 2015, there are people who voted, not for Buhari but just against Jonathan.
We may end up with the same situation.”
Earlier, the book reviewer, Prof. Ayo Olukotun, and
other co-reviewers and participants commended Adeniyi for the thorough research
he did on the book as well as the insights he offers readers on what went on in
the corridors of power around the last election.
Welcoming participants earlier, the Executive Vice
Chairman, ISGPP, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, appreciated book lovers and readers whose
passion and commitment he said had given ISGPP Book Readers Club its
uniqueness.
He said Adeniyi’s contributions to the literature
on Nigerian politics and governance have come to assume unique seminal
character.
Olaopa said: “That the masterly manner that his
insightful bestselling titles, '100 Last Days of Abacha', 'Power, Politics and
Death' and now 'Against the Run of Play', has done deep scrutiny of the
intricacies of power play and behind the scenes high politics in the Nigerian
corridors of power made them classic in the manner that recommends them as
veritable references to serious-minded students of politics and society as well
as historians.
“Indeed, the seminal relevance of 'Against the Run
of Play' is palpable and made us to carefully select the high calibre reviewers
participating in today's discourse.
“That the need for a better governed Nigeria
propelled by evidence-based policy making is administered by much more capable
and knowledgeable professional managers remains the driving force behind ISGPP
work and interventions.”
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