Saturday, February 8, 2020
Unkind Things US Diplomatic Cables Reported Tinubu to Have Said About Buhari
By Farooq A. Kperogi, Ph.D.
Twitter: @farooqkperogi

On Friday, February 7, Bola Tinubu’s media adviser by the name of Tunde Rahman issued a press release that attempted to impeach the credibility of a viral, reputationally injurious, pre-2015, anti-Buhari quote attributed to Bola Tinubu.

The quote, which has been making the social media rounds in the past few weeks, goes thus: “Muhammadu Buhari is an agent of destabilization, [ an] ethnic bigot, and [a] religious fanatic who if given the chance would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardize Nigeria’s national unity.” I have seen slightly different lexical variations of this quote, but the essential sentiment is unchanged.


Nigerian newspapers reported Rahman to have insisted that “the quote is fictitious, describing it as ‘the handiwork of merchants of hate and fake news.’” So what is the truth? The short answer is that the quote is largely accurate.

I’ve never shared the quote even though I’ve been familiar with it since 2011, but since Rahman was bold enough to “challenge those behind it to mention where Tinubu made the remark,” let me offer some help.

Tinubu didn’t say those words at a news conference, as some people have inaccurately claimed. He was quoted to have said them in a confidential diplomatic cable that the United States Consul General to Nigeria sent to his bosses back home on Friday February 21, 2003.

We got to know this because, in September 2011, WikiLeaks—the insurgent, whistle-blowing, official-secret-spewing site—dumped a trove of 251,000 such confidential, unredacted cables that US embassy officials sent to the US State Department in Washington D.C. from all over the world.

In the February 21, 2003 confidential cable, which can be found here, the US Consul General to Nigeria reported Tinubu to have said Buhari was an ethnocentric agent of destabilization who would strain Nigeria’s unity if he became president. He also said the Southwest would support Obasanjo against Buhari—which it did—because Tinubu and his group didn’t want the spread of Sharia, which Buhari supported and which Obasanjo countered, and because even though Obasanjo was unlikeable, he was Yoruba and Buhari wasn’t. Looks to me like Tinubu was guilty of the same crime of “ethnocentrism” he accused Buhari of.

The cable reads: “Turning to the presidential contest, Tinubu disclosed that he does not like President Obasanjo because he contributed to the end of democracy in Nigeria during his tenure as a military president and is now benefiting from that history.

“That said, Tinubu admitted that he and his party, the Alliance for Democracy, must support Obasanjo. Southwest Nigeria is Yoruba land and the President is Yoruba. Tinubu"s [sic] party had no choice since it has not fielded a presidential candidate. Moreover, Obasanjo is the only candidate who stands a chance of blocking his rival, General Muhammadu Buhari, whose ethnocentrism would jeopardize Nigeria"s [sic] national unity. Buhari and his ilk are agents of destabilization who would be far worse than Obasanjo.

“Tinubu and many other governors are therefore implementing a strategy to re-elect Obasanjo, partly in an effort to prevent Sharia from spreading. Tinubu predicted that the President will follow his own course, if re-elected, since he will not need as many friends the second time around.”

Incidentally, Tinubu had really kind words to say about Atiku Abubakar throughout his interactions with the Consul General. “Tinubu praised Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he has known for many years,” the Consul General wrote. “Elaborating on his knowledge of the VP, Tinubu said he has known and understood the VP even before his entry into politics. Atiku is a detribalized politician who knows where he is going and how to build bridges to get there.”

The Consul General also wrote that, “Tinubu credits his going into politics to Atiku's personal encouragement.” You won’t guess that going by the way they and their agents tore at each other—or pretended to— in the last presidential election.

Anyway, my search of WikiLeaks’ archive with the keyword “Bola Tinubu” turned up several other unflattering characterizations Tinubu made of Buhari to Americans.

For instance, in a September 14, 2005 “secret” cable, US Consul General Brian L. Browne wrote that Tinubu wanted to be vice president to either Atiku Abubakar or Muhammadu Buhari but was self-conscious of the perception that either option would present the country with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, and reiterated the sentiment that Buhari’s perception as “religious zealot” made teaming with him unviable.

“While Tinubu did not see this [i.e. being vice presidential candidate] as a big problem with Atiku (due to Atiku's noted religious laxity and his pro-Western outlook), it would be a heavy cross to bear for a Buhari-Tinubu ticket because of the perception in many southern Nigerian minds that Buhari is a religious zealot,” Browne wrote. “Because of this factor, Tinubu asserted he had begun to shift his focus, which had been exclusively on the vice presidency, to see the Senate as a nice place to land upon exiting the governor's mansion.”

Again, in a confidential cable sent on Thursday April 12, 2007, the Consul General reported Tinubu to have described Buhari as a “fascist” during an April 9, 2007 meeting. “Tinubu stressed he had no qualms about PDP presidential candidate Umaru Yar'Adua winning the election,” the Consul General wrote. “Yet, Tinubu was adamantly opposed to ANPP presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari. In a recent news story, Buhari called the PDP government 'fascist'. Tinubu sarcastically mentioned that he would take Buhari's ephitet [sic] as being accurate, for who better to identify a fascist than another one.”

As I wrote in my September 24, 2011 column titled “What the WikiLeaks Controversy Says about Nigeria’s Leaky-mouthed Elite” in the aftermath of WikiLeaks exposes of the diplomatic cables, the willingness of our elites to divulge unsolicited information about the nation to U.S. officials “betrays an infantile thirst for a paternal dictatorship.”

“The United States is seen as that all-knowing, all-sufficient father-figure to whom our elites run when they have troubles. We have learned from the US embassy cables that our Supreme Court judges, Central Bank governors, even vice presidents and governors routinely run to the American embassy like terrified little kids when they have quarrels with each other.”

“What I’ve found particularly instructive,” I added, “is that our perpetually lying politicians suddenly become truthful, honest, and straight-talking people when they talk to Americans. You would think they were standing before their Creator—or at least before a stern, omniscient, no-nonsense dad who severely punishes his kids for the minutest lie they tell.”

After the revelations became public knowledge in 2011— and the embarrassment that attended this— Nigerian politicians dismissed them as "WikiLeaks’ beer parlor gossip." Of course, that’s intentionally misleading flapdoodle.

As I pointed out at the time, WikiLeaks was not the author of the embarrassing information about them; the uncomfortable bits of information about them, which isn’t exclusive to Nigerian politicians, were contained in U.S. diplomats' dispatches, which were intended ONLY for the consumption of the US president, the US Secretary of State, and other high-profile government officials but which WikiLeaks exposed to the rest of the world at the cost of tremendous discomfort and embarrassment to the US government and embassy officials.

I don’t know what exactly Tinubu’s media adviser is denying. The truth is that Buhari’s people are already acutely aware of Tinubu’s honest opinions of Buhari and find his latter-day pandering to them, in a bid to earn their support for his 2023 presidential ambition, both theatrical and entertaining.

For the rest of us, though, his media aide’s forceful denial of that which is already archived in the public domain proves English journalist Francis Claud Cockburn’s famous quip that you should “Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.”

https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2020/02/unkind-things-us-diplomatic-cables.html?m=1#.Xj44tBVS56s.twitter

It is a known fact that Bola Tinubu has made a lot of derogatory remarks against Buhari, so he can't deny those facts!

It's game over for Tinubu and his ilks, the internet never forgets!

Cc; Lalasticlala, Mynd44. Please take this to the permanent site, so the World know Tinubu for who he is.

They formed a party and government based on lies, deceit and propaganda.Hence it's just logical that they continue to sustain both on same defective foundation.

I don’t know what exactly Tinubu’s media adviser is denying. The truth is that Buhari’s people are already acutely aware of Tinubu’s honest opinions of Buhari and find his latter-day pandering to them, in a bid to earn their support for his 2023 presidential ambition, both theatrical and entertaining.

“It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently.” -Anthony Robbins

If falsehood climbs up,the truth always remains at the bottom waiting for it to climb down However, in self inflicted Blindness, those who choose to be blind to the truth would never see the truth even if it stands right on their nose.

Lol

Another Tinubu thread.

I have said it, Tinubu is the official god of ipob miscreants and they can't breath without him.

The day they miss the ritual of talking Tinubu will mark the end of their existence on earth.

Meanwhile, as we all know, any Nigerian politician supported by ipob miscreants is doomed.

With this, Tinubu should start preparing his taking over speech as a duly elected president of the fed rep of Nigeria effective 29 May 2023.

Elrufai should also start discussing with Osinbajo in earnest.

Stamped, signed and sealed.

snowwhyte607:
It is a known fact that Bola Tinubu has made a lot of derogatory remarks against Buhari, so he can't deny those facts!

It's game over for Tinubu and his ilks, the internet never forgets!

Cc; Lalasticlala, Mynd44. Please take this to the permanent site, so the World know Tinubu for who he is.

in your mind you think Buhari doesnt know what Tinubu said or what El-Rufai and even what Femi Adesina as a newspaper edittor and Garba Shehu Atiku's most loyal media said prior to CPC ACN merger? look politics is beyond all that .. Yinka Odumakin was Buhari's media assistant for many years while buba galadima was his party chair in CPC, both the trio of buba buhari and odumakin criticised and insulted anyone and everyone, they threatened baboon and monkeys they humiliated government but in the end they all left their union, Yinka now works with Afenifere to lambast Buhari, Buba is with Atiku while Garba Shehu is with Buhari against Atiku


.

Racoon:
They formed a party and government based on lies, deceit and propaganda.Hence it's just logical that they continue to sustain both on same defective foundation.

its called politics... Do you think Buhari doesnt read all what Femi Adesina and Garba shehu prevously wrote about him? or is Buhari also now same when it comes to lambasting opponents through his spokes person Yinka Odumakin the new Afenifere spokes man.. its all a game

Wike , Peterside and Ameachi are also playing similar games

Tinubu can never be the president until we in the north are tired of ruling

Simplyleo:
Lol

Another Tinubu thread.

I have said it, Tinubu is the official god of ipob miscreants and they can't breath without him.

The day they miss the ritual of talking Tinubu will mark the end of their existence on earth.

Meanwhile, as we all know, any Nigerian politician supported by ipob miscreants is doomed.

With this, Tinubu should start preparing his taking over speech as a duly elected president of the fed rep of Nigeria effective 29 May 2023.

Elrufai should also start discussing with Osinbajo in earnest.

Stamped, signed and sealed. I

Too much smoke is bad. Avoid it now....,or else you will join your brothers in Oshodi under bridge,

AlhajiImam:
Tinubu can never be the president until we in the north are tired of ruling

Afonja people will tag you IPOB

solmus:
In your mind you think Buhari doesnt know what Tinubu said or what El-Rufai & even what Femi Adesina as a newspaper editor & Garba Shehu Atiku's most loyal media said prior to CPC ACN merger?

Look, politics is beyond all that.Yinka Odumakin was Buhari's media assistant for many years while buba galadima was his party chair in CPC.

Both the trio of buba buhari and odumakin criticised, insulted anyone & everyone, they threatened baboon & monkeys.They humiliated government but in the end they all left their union.Yinka now works with Afenifere to lambast Buhari, Buba is with Atiku while Garba Shehu is with Buhari against Atiku.

So true sir.Politics is indeed a dirty game.No permanent friends or foes but permanent egocentric interests.

Everything Tinubu said is like a prophecy
But his ambition totally clouded his senses

Racoon:
So true sir.Politics is indeed a dirty game.No permanent friends or foes but permanent egocentric interests.

I really look forward to two groups, Wike , Ameachi , Magnus Abe, Peterside and Gbenga Daniels , Dapo Abiodun and Ibukunle Amosun... this men are holding their state down in rivalry that are merely surface deep, they still secretly share information

Villagemeat:
Afonja people will tag you IPOB

That's their business

Simplyleo:
Lol

Another Tinubu thread.

I have said it, Tinubu is the official god of ipob miscreants and they can't breath without him.

The day they miss the ritual of talking Tinubu will mark the end of their existence on earth.

Meanwhile, as we all know, any Nigerian politician supported by ipob miscreants is doomed.

With this, Tinubu should start preparing his taking over speech as a duly elected president of the fed rep of Nigeria effective 29 May 2023.

Elrufai should also start discussing with Osinbajo in earnest.

Stamped, signed and sealed.

I guess Igbos re official judge of afonja sufferiscated morronnss. Judging by the number of Igbo threads daily

Who are agrees with this man below?

AlhajiImam:
Tinubu can never be the president until we in the north are tired of ruling

Power is coming down south in 2023 unless you want to break the country.

Villagemeat:
Afonja people will tag you IPOB

Almajiri has now become your god because he is against afonja. Such a feeble minded snowflakes. Your almajiri friend knows nothing about politics. He will do what his imams tells him to do. Watch as the game is played in 2023 slave.

Obdk:


I guess Igbos re official judge of afonja sufferiscated morronnss. Judging by the number of Igbo threads daily

This junk is for nyamuri consumption. We know who it’s meant for.

NigeriaIsDoomed:
Who are agrees with this man below?

We do not worry about the ibos for they can be bought and resold. Ibb.

Seems only the Yorubas are in support of one Nigeria, yet they keep chanting Oduduwa Republic. Fear God o!!!!

Zooposki:
Seems only the Yorubas are in support of one Nigeria, yet they keep pretending by chanting Oduduwa Republic.

Confused lot.

But I admit there are those who know exactly what will make their territory blossom and I give kudos to them.

Simplyleo:
Lol

Another Tinubu thread.

I have said it, Tinubu is the official god of ipob miscreants and they can't breath without him.

The day they miss the ritual of talking Tinubu will mark the end of their existence on earth.

Meanwhile, as we all know, any Nigerian politician supported by ipob miscreants is doomed.

With this, Tinubu should start preparing his taking over speech as a duly elected president of the fed rep of Nigeria effective 29 May 2023.

Elrufai should also start discussing with Osinbajo in earnest.

Stamped, signed and sealed.

Chai

Hands down a strong early contender for dumbest Nairaland mention of the year.

Makes no attempt to either deny or affirm the factual or objective truthfulness of Farouk Kperogi's claims, but childishly resorts to the sort of school yard insults one would expect from a 10 year old.

I mean, imagine calling Farouk Kperogi of all people an IPOB member! That has got to be a manifestation of a defective and dysfunctional brain.

You BMC guys never disappoint. When I'm looking for stupidity on this forum I always know where to find it.

Simplyleo:
Lol

Another Tinubu thread.

I have said it, Tinubu is the official god of ipob miscreants and they can't breath without him.

The day they miss the ritual of talking Tinubu will mark the end of their existence on earth.

Meanwhile, as we all know, any Nigerian politician supported by ipob miscreants is doomed.

With this, Tinubu should start preparing his taking over speech as a duly elected president of the fed rep of Nigeria effective 29 May 2023.

Elrufai should also start discussing with Osinbajo in earnest.

Stamped, signed and sealed.

Why is everyone suddenly interested in what Tinubu said many many years ago?

Something is fishy.

FrLukas:
Why is everyone suddenly interested in what Tinubu said many many years ago?

Something is fishy.

It’s all propaganda. They want to pitch him against buhari. Atiku and el rufai said worse against buhari. It is left for buhari to either support Tinubu or Atiku or even el rufai in 2023. In any case, Tinubu will play his game.

codedguy1:


Confused lot.

But I admit there are those who know exactly what will make their territory blossom and I give kudos to them.

Igbos are more than confused.

We love Nigeria more than everyone by living in every part of Nigeria.

We want Biafra.

Give us presidency.

We give up on Biafra for atiku.

What do you really want.

Zooposki:
Seems only the Yorubas are in support of one Nigeria, yet they keep pretending by chanting Oduduwa Republic.

Yorubas support a restructured Nigeria. This has been our position since independence. But we don’t mind Odiduwa if other Nigerians don’t want to be reasonable. You must be a kid to say such nonsense.

Perkins2018:


Yorubas support a restructured Nigeria. This has been our position since independence. But we don’t mind Odiduwa if other Nigerians don’t want to be reasonable. You must be a kid to say such nonsense.