Opinion

APC (A party confused)?

apc-234-jam

From the archives.

I wrote this article exactly one year ago but lo and behold, it is much more relevant with what is going on today in our body politics

I share it with you my followers

I was hesitant to write about the political intrigue and manoeuvrings going on in the ruling party, APC. With the interplay going on right now, it will be uncharitable to keep silence.
APC rode to power due to the failings of PDP to correct the anomalies the nation was facing. Many reasons were adduced to the defeat of PDP at the recently concluded general elections
Ordinary people were tired of PDP because of its inability to fight corruption and enhance standard of living.

To politicians, there was lack of internal discipline, inability to curb ambitious politicians, that is obviously at variance with the interest of the party. Some alleged that there was no internal democracy. While these were going on masses bore the brunt of mis governance and the political adventures.

When APC came with the change mantra, Nigerians quickly embraced it, hoping that this party will bring freshness of ideas to governance.
But what we are witnessing seems to be the contrary. It seems this change mantra is sliding away, bringing back political bickering at the expense of good governance.
The Saraki saga has dominated the political space in recent times.

Senator Bukola Saraki emerged as the senate President against the expectations and permutations of the party. I need not bore you with the details. The party was aggrieved and wanted to ensure party discipline and supremacy. This is in order because it ensures party discipline. Many meetings have been held and compromises have been made, up to the point that the appointment of principal officers were channelled through the party structures.
Unless we want to deceive ourselves, the recent trial of Saraki through the code of conduct of bureau is political and not to fight corruption as we were made to believe.
The allegations of false declaration is criminal in nature. This error was committed 12 years ago. Although one may argue that an infraction can still be prosecuted any time it deems fit. One thought that the rational thing is to charge him in a regular court like a federal high court. CCB has been stated repeatedly that it can only bark but cannot bite. Before the build up to this CCB issue, Saraki’s wife had been invited by EFCC but nothing substantial to nail him. I bet if Saraki resigns now, this case will die naturally.

In my own opinion, this saraki debacle needs political solutions since it is a political problem. The hawks in the APC should sheath their swords and embrace dialogue. I have heard some political commentators saying that saraki is a nobody or a political neophyte. I beg to disagree. As a reminder, Saraki was a former chairman of Nigerian governor’s forum. He handed over to Rotimi Chibuike, former governor of Rivers state. A former governor of kwara for 8years. He inherited his father’s political empire thereby becoming the god father of kwaran politics. His candidate defeated his father’s choice in the gubernatorial election. He along with other five former governors of PDP decamped to APC to give the needed filip to APC in winning the election.

Without the five governors, it would have been practically impossible for APC to win. It is on record that the governor of sokoto and zamfara States and others that belonged to the same political family are solidly in support of him. The fate of the speaker, Hon Dogara are intertwined, so tacitly they are behind him.
Let us come to the Senate, the PDP senators gave him the backing to become senate President with the understanding that senator Ekweremadu will emerge as the deputy SP. Another thinking is that some of the national assembly members feel that the attack on the senate President is an attack and affront on the institutions of the senate. This might be true if one considers the doctrine of separation of powers.
Furthermore, it is important to note that the PDP has 49 senators while the APC has 59. We have 109 senators in the upper chamber but a senator elect representing borno central district, senator elect Ahmed Zana died before inauguration on may 16th 2015. He was yet to be replaced.
While it takes 1/3rd of the senate to elect the SP, 2/3rd is needed to impeach him. In this scenario, does APC think it can get 72 senators to remove him. PDP is steadily and carefully warming its way back into reckoning.
I pray that APC will put their house in order because it is facing a major implosion if care is not taken. It is fighting many political battles it may not able to handle. The BOT crisis is still there, it has pitted Atiku, Tinubu and Akande against each other. The Sylva/ Oshiomole over the botched primary in Bayelsa is there. The el rufai/ Osibajo is lingering so we heard. It will be disastrous for APC to crumble less than 6 months. It is obvious that the party is just an assembly of strange bedfellows united to wrestle reins of government from PDP. I hope they will be able to manage this contraption and contradiction s so that the change they promised will be felt by the electorates and masses. They should save us this distraction to arrest the slide of economic problems staring and haunting us as a nation.

Epilogue

1. Saraki still remains the Senate President after 16 months.

2. Coincidentally his forgey case with his deputy came up for hearing today and it has been adjourned.

3. Saraki is still waxing stronger.

4.Implosion stares APC nakedly because the national leader BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu is asking the national chairman of the party to resign.

5.Many state chapters like Ondo, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Kano to mention a few have cracks within its fold.

Things have fallen apart within the party and the center could not hold.

Nigerians are groaning under the weight of recession, our currency naira having a free fall against dollars, jobs and wages cuts.

Nigerians where lies your redemption?

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