The 71 years old journey to the coveted Aso rock started started in 1991 when we left his plush job at Mobil Nigeria as their Accountant to throw his hat in the ring of politics by joining the then Social Democratic Party ( SDP). He was elected into the national assembly as the senator representing the good people of Lagos West Senatorial District of Lagos State in 1992 but his term there was abruptly cut short by the truncating of the then nascent democracy by the late dictator Gen. Sani Abacha in 1993.
He and some of the few vocal democrats formed a coalition front called National Democratic Coalition ( NADECO) to pressure the then Military Junta to return the country back to its former democratic tragectory. He and most of the NADECO members was forced to flee the country into exile for safety from where they continued the push for the return of democracy till the agitation paid off in May ,29, 1999.
Jagaban returned back to Nigeria, formed an opposition party, Alliance for Democracy ( AD) and used it to win the Governorship of Lagos State with a very wide margin. His party was able to win all Governorship seats in the South West Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria with his influence, 2003 under the presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, his party,PDP instigated a political tsunami of the states of south west that swept the whole south west except Lagos the state being controlled by Jagaban. The Father of new Lagos, the man with the eye of eagle of spotting talents , a true democrat, a progressive to the core , one of the most detribalized Nigerian, the maker of men and leader of warriors, " Jagaban" is indeed a political enigma.
As one of the lone voices of opposition in the country he suffered all manner of carrot and stick measures to capture the last stronghold of the opposition but Jagaban withstood the flurry and barrage of incursion attempts. Like the proverbial cat with nine lives,he even took it a notch higher by metamorphosing his party AD into Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN) ...and using the platform to get back all the states of South west that was lost to PDP in 2003. A political master stroke.
In 2013, Jagaban led the mega party coalition of ACN ,CPC, ANPP and Part of APGA to birth All Progressive Congress ( APC) . Jagaban spearheading the newly formed APC as its national leader projected Gen Muhamadu Buhari as its flagbearer...did the unthinkable...ousted the PDP government that have been in power for 16 years!...in 2015. A feat that befuddles ones imagination till date.
Gen.Muhamadu Buhari won re - election in 2019 with the strategic support of Jagaban with APC consolidating with more states and national assembly seats to the chagrin of many election pundits
Then comes this year, 2023, the year of baton change, with virtually all the odds against him, the maker of men and leader of warriors, " Jagaban" triumphed in his party primary and more remarkably so, pulled a "Harry Houdini"...in the general election...where the vast majority has written him off.
Love him or hate him, the man, the myth , the legend called "Jagaban" will forever hold the vast majority past ,present and future in awe.
Just like every human being he has his own shortcomings but his political prowess and sagacity will always blunt those perceived rough edges.
As the clock ticks down to the hour ascension of Jagaban into political immortality , the era of " renewed hope" beckons...if his time as the Governor of Lagos and Father of modern day Lagos is anything to go by....one can really say that Nigeria is on the threshold of exciting times.
"Tick, tock" .....
Jagaban O' Clock is Now!
~ Dawodud.
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