The handshake between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which took place at Owerri during Governor Hope Uzodinma’s swearing-in ceremony for a second term, has sparked discussions and raised the question of whether the war between both parties is over.
Pictures circulating on social media show both former and present presidents meeting for the first time after the general election and having a warm handshake during the event. However, could this handshake be a result of the “spirit of sportsmanship” or the popular saying that “no permanent friend or enemy in politics?”
Looking at their past relationships, one could say that they may not have taken the handshake in the “spirit of sportsmanship,” but did so based on the fact that there is indeed “no permanent friend or enemy in politics,” as Nigerian politics have shown us over the years.
According to a report by The Cable newspaper, Tinubu, the then-presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), had met with Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, in August 2022, on what was seen as part of Tinubu’s presidential campaign move. Despite that, the former president still did not support the presidential candidate but instead supported Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
The leaders have had several disagreements over the years and dissed each other whenever they had the opportunity to do so. One such incident was when Tinubu, during his campaign in Edo State, stated that Obasanjo was a failed president and, as such, was in no position to recommend a leader for Nigeria.
“Can Obasanjo recommend a leader for anyone in Nigeria? A man who does not know the way cannot show the way,” he was quoted to have said.
All the ‘bitterness’ seems to have been forgotten, but time will tell whether indeed they have made peace.
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