The Political Grandmaster: How President Tinubu’s Masterstrokes Are Redefining Nigeria’s Political Landscape

By Mazi Olisa Maduagwu Jr.
In an era where political loyalty is increasingly transactional and ideological grounding has taken a backseat, one man continues to tower above the fray, scripting a legacy that seems drawn from the playbooks of Machiavelli and Zik combined. That man is none other than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu — a name that has become synonymous with strategic brilliance, loyalty to alliances, and institution-building in contemporary Nigerian politics.
The current wave of defections from the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other sundry political platforms into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is no fluke. It is neither accidental nor coincidental. It is the calculated outcome of a seasoned political chess master moving his pieces with clinical precision — a living embodiment of the phrase “Plenty Men, No Man.” While others masquerade as political giants, Tinubu stands tall as the architect of modern politicking in Nigeria.
These defections are not just numbers on a sheet; they are symbols of a larger truth — the political ideology vacuum that exists among the so-called “new generation” politicians. While some chase self-serving ambition, building wealth for their lineage and cultivating sycophants, President Tinubu has built men, mentored institutions, and empowered a broad spectrum of Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, or background. His leadership does not only honor competence but also heritage — upholding dynasties and family names that have long served the interests of the Nigerian state.
Let’s be clear: President Tinubu is not a man without critics. But to ignore his achievements in the art of political engineering is to be deliberately blind to the obvious. His ascendancy is no accident of history; it is the product of years of strategic groundwork laid with discipline, vision, and an uncanny ability to read the political temperature with exactitude.
I speak not merely from admiration but from a place of connection. My late father served alongside him in the Third Republic Senate — an era where integrity was the currency of leadership and men of pedigree held sway. Back then, loyalty was not an auctioned commodity, and service to the nation trumped service to self.
Today’s Nigerian political scene is often a theater of mediocrity — an endless parade of political cowards hiding behind big titles and empty promises. Many of our Gen Z politicians seem to have mistaken clout for capacity, popularity for pedigree, and optics for strategy. Yet, while they trend on social media, Tinubu is trending in history books being written in real-time.
President Tinubu’s political playbook deserves a place in academic curriculums across universities in Nigeria. Political science students must not only study constitutions and institutions but must also be immersed in the strategies that make or mar political empires. And there is perhaps no better case study than that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
However, a word of caution: while the enemies without are well-known, the greatest threats often lie within. History teaches us that betrayal often wears a smile. Therefore, the President must remain discerning, for even Judas was once a disciple.
In conclusion, I call upon the political class — the fence-sitters, the saboteurs, the praise-singers, and the passive spectators — to draw a leaf from President Tinubu’s political journey. It is one defined not by happenstance, but by hard work, strategy, and an unshakeable belief in the power of human capital. Nigeria needs less noise and more nation-builders. The time to learn is now, and the teacher is already in class.
— Mazi Olisa Maduagwu Jr.
Writes from Abuja, 
Nigeria. 
24/04/2025.