In the lead up to the crucial All Progressives Congress (APC)
National Caucus, BoT and NEC meetings, the squabbles within the party is fueled
by a supremacy battle among some political power blocs angling to shape the
workings of the present administration vis-Ã -vis political posturing towards
2019.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) has approved March 21, 2016 for the National Caucus meeting,
while the Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Council (NEC) would
take place on March 22 and 24 respectively.
After winning the last presidential election, the tussle within
the APC was expected because it was a coalition of several other parties with
sundry interests. Again, the events leading to and after the defeats suffered
by APC ‘anointed’ candidates in the June 9, 2015 National Assembly elections
further highlighted the supremacy battle among the political party coalition
that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power in March, 2015.
As it stands, the struggle for power within the party is being
fought by different political power blocs within the party.
Meanwhile, the tussle is not unconnected to the different
political power blocs posturing towards the 2019 elections. Series of realignments
within the party in recent times has shown.
Should President Muhammadu Buhari signal his intention to
contest the 2019 presidency, it’ll largely lay to rest the political schemings
by the Tinubu and Atiku camps. As a matter of fact, the APC administration
requires more than a four year term to repair the damage caused by the 16-year
misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The inability of the various caucus to rise above personal
interest which has been characterised by the contending camp’s imposition of
candidates and a “survival of the fittest” mentality has triggered the costly
divisions the party grapples with lately.
National Assembly
After the presidential election, the APC through its National
Working Committee (NWC) announced that the party would zone vacant political
positions. Led by the former chairman of the defunct ACN, Bisi Akande, some APC
governors led by Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state and other supporters in the
party, the NWC’s zoning directive was overruled. This was all in the group’s
bid to install their preferred candidates. The APC went ahead to conduct a
contentious mock election to “select” its candidates for Senate President and
House Speaker. What played out did not go down well with some.
Since then, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led APC leadership, has
been hounded to sanction the ‘rebel’ incumbent Senate President and House of
Representatives Speaker, but Chief John Odigie-Oyegun advised the line of
caution and decided to carefully manage the situation so as not to bungle the
APC’s political and numerical grip of the National Assembly, a situation which
if not well handled can pave way for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to cash in on the situation and possibly take over the leadership of the
National Assembly.
Recall that the incumbent Senate President and House of
Representatives (both APC members) emerged after getting bloc votes from the
opposition PDP caucus in the National Assembly.
The establishments had also kicked against the APC’s decision to
field Yahaya Bello as Kogi state governorship flagbearer in the December 5,
2015 supplementary election in the state. Instead James Faleke, a member of the
House of Representatives representing Ikeja federal constituency in Lagos
state, running mate to the late Abubakar Audu to replace the deceased as the
APC flagbearer.
Chairmanship squabbles
Some have accused Odigie-Oyegun of not doing enough for their
cause while others accuse Oyegun of acting Tinubu a script. So far, President
Muhammadu Buhari has been disengaged from the APC squabbles, a move that is
politically-unwise and could prove very costly in the politics leading to the
2019 elections.
Series of events show that the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led APC
has had to align party decisions and actions with the “body language” of
President Muhammadu Buhari, a decision which is healthy for the party and good
administration of the country. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s independent
mindedness and neutrality has been the sole unifier in the APC. It is in President
Muhammadu Buhari’s strategic interest to back and strengthen Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun to counter the political machinations of the contending camps.
Any attempt to weaken Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as APC National Chairman will
ultimately rub off negatively on President Muhammadu Buhari and lead to a
possible breakup of the party before 2019.
The March 24, 2016 APC National Executive Council (NEC) would be
a perfect time for the President to openly reaffirm a vote of confidence on the
APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
The sponsored and syndicated media campaign suggesting moves to
“ease out” the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun before the
completion of his four-year term guaranteed by the APC Constitution is a veiled
plot by the contending APC political camps to install their stooges as the APC
National Chairman and hjack the APC political machinery in the leadup to 2019.
They consider Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to be too independent-minded.
The foregoing is a red flag that President Muhammadu Buhari must
not ignore considering the political interest and machinations of the listed
camps.
The APC must not copy the politically wayward ways of the PDP
that led to the ouster of PDP from power. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is about the
best the party can have for now as his track record of public service is
outstanding. He is a seasoned technocrat; incorruptible progressive politician
and knowledgeable administrator.
The forthrightness, flexibility and independent-mindedness of
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun should be considered as a plus to the APC, a party
built on the firm foundation of justice, peace and unity. Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun is reputed for his honesty, exemplary patriotism, selflessness
and dedication to the progress and well-being of Nigeria which he demonstrated
throughout his long and very successful career as a top civil servant and
political leader. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s integrity, wisdom, hard-work and
visionary leadership contributed in no small measure, to the successful
formation of the APC and the party’s historic victory in the last general
elections.
It is important to recognize that if not for personal integrity,
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun could have sold out to the ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan-led PDP in view of the enormous pressure piled on him as a fellow
South Southerner in the leadup to the 2015 presidential elections. Indeed,
monetary inducements were made to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun which he rejected.
President Muhammadu Buhari should pursue a closer working
relationship and strengthen the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun
to check the political scheming of the contending camps.
President Muhammadu Buhari has kept a distance in the APC
squabbles but he must keep in mind the political drawbacks that could follow.
Political appointments.
An aggregate feeling among the APC national hierarchy is that
President Muhammadu Buhari has sidelined the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led APC
in appointments into positions in government. The slow pace of appointments and
removal of PDP appointees in government positions, all to the detriment of APC
members on the long waiting list has angered the APC hierarchy. The
distribution of political patronage should have strong inputs from the party as
a strategy for strengthening party loyalty and motivation of party faithful.
Source: The Leadership
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