Kola Abiola – A flawed kite

In politics, a very powerful strategy sometimes is to fly kites. Since we lack sophisticated methods of gauging public opinions through well conducted polls and other such type statistical methods, we resort to flying kites to gauge public reaction to a certain move.

Our older generation politicians are adept at this. They will send out feelers, plug in stories in certain medium and mostly print out posters proclaiming their candidacy. After getting the desired reaction, they will issue a statement denying that position if public reaction was largely negative but if it was positive they will ride it.

This is what I really want to believe is the case with this Kola-Abiola-for-Presidency thing going on. It is following the same trajectory. So, media that can be loosely traced to his circle is carrying stories and quoting inside sources close to the subject and trying ever so hard to tie him to the robust and record breaking Hope 93 campaign that threw up his dad, the great MKO Abiola.

Following through with this were the posters declaring his candidacy under APC flooding social media. This has expectedly generated a buzz especially for those who have nostalgic feelings about the freest and fairest election that ever held in this country.

But it ends there. Most conversations about this matter have situated itself at the happening during that sad episode in our nation’s history and has not expectedly given the would-be candidate the bridge he would need to walk through towards being taken as a serious candidate.

READ ALSO: So, who killed Abiola?

Just as the stories started emerging, the denial also started coming out. Same media have been carrying out statements denying his interest and claiming that this was the work of mischief makers. Till the time I am writing, I have personally not seen anything official, either for or against, from the would-be candidate or his camp.

So, this must be a kite and an unnecessary one, if you ask me. Let me seize the opportunity of the five minutes this issue would stay in national consciousness to say that a Kola Abiola candidacy would not dent public consciousness and would most likely go down in history as the most ridiculed presidential attempt after that of his friend Dele Momodu, if attempted.

He should continue to hibernate and live a private life which he has been so adept at conducting, and leave the race if it ever crossed his mind in a micro-second.

The Presidency for now should be reserved for visioners, thinkers and practical leadership because we are truly really in trouble. It is not a rehabilitation point.

Author: Joseph Edgar…

Articles published in our Graffiti section are strictly the opinion of the writers and do not represent the views of Ripples Nigeria or its editorial stand.

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