No one was born with power: Lessons from Bill Clinton-George Bush transition, by Bolaji Okusaga

On Election Day in November 1992, President George H.W. Bush faced off against Democratic challenger Bill Clinton and Independent candidate Ross Perot in a historic race.

By late evening, the results made it clear that Clinton would win. Perot garnered nearly 20 million votes, securing 19% of the total, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. As the night progressed, Bush realised his re-election bid had fallen short.

Shortly after the final polls closed, Bush called Clinton to concede the election, offering his congratulations. Early the next morning, he held a nationally televised press conference, where he formally acknowledged Clinton’s victory and pledged his full support for a smooth transition of power.

Later that day, Bush reached out to Clinton again, inviting him to the White House to begin the transition. He even arranged for a plane to bring the Clintons from Little Rock to Washington. On November 18, the Clintons visited the White House, where Bush personally gave Clinton a tour and reiterated his commitment to facilitating the handover.

On his first day in the Oval Office, he found a letter from President Bush telling him to push forward even amid criticism, because his success in office will be America’s success. NIGERIAN POLITICIANS NEED TO LEARN FROM THIS.

–Okusaga is Chief Executive of Precise, a PR, Business Consulting and Communication firm in Lagos