Success deserves applause; history is many times a recognition of the works and sacrifices of great men, impacting a people for improved life realities. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is an indelible story in the history of Nigeria Democracy, either you are a fan, like most of us or the politically indifferent. Success is led by great men but participation is mostly by a convinced majority humans, without which, success will remain in the realm of wishes. These majority humans are the army that give life to the guns and target the enemies, contributing numerous bits in delicate times to bring to reality the Historical success. While success must be credited to the leader, it is constantly necessary to accommodate the views of these individual protégés, even at specific times that they may hold different perception on the same issue with the Hero.
As a young Nigerian who is concerned about the place Nigeria holds in the world, with respect to National development. I have been convinced over the years that the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, which later became the All Progressives Congress APC, is the most reliable political platform to drive the nation, Nigeria, to expected realities of Economic and Social progress. This has driven my commitment to party works in the party over the years. I write my view publicly, not to seek the favour of whom the views may perhaps benefit, or displeasure of whom my position may not soothe.
I am jealous of the progress of the APC and it will be a sore to my expectation and most young Nigerians too, if we keep looking at the only respite ship of progress as it continues lately on the path of crash, albeit because it habours a “coronavirus” or better put, it is driven by the Coronavirus.
The steady progress of the party from inception has continued to encourage party members in their local daily commitments to building and sustaining the party all across the nation. The Victory at the 2015 Presidential election capped it all, what was needed further was to take the gospel of progressive development to states that had not believed in the APC enough to give us majority vote, and to ensure that those who voted for the APC see results of good governance, enough to give us their votes again. Doing this, demands a good, dedicated and dexterous leadership. We hoped we had this in Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, but evolving realities have proven otherwise. Party members have been working for the success of the party, only for the Party National Chairman, out of wanton laxity, which is obviously beyond average human errors to keep wasting and forfeiting the energy and efforts of the party members, and the trust of the average Nigerian citizens who vote for the party.
The Scenario of Zamfara state was unimaginable. The party had won elections massively, garnering votes, trusts and supports of majority of the people of Zamfara. Only for all of these to be forfeited surprisingly, due to administrative ineptitude of Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the Party who lack the required skill to harmonize the party in Zamfara state.
Similarly, was the embarrasing outing of the party in Bayelsa State. The party had worked assiduously to win the majority vote, thereby declared winner of the election. Party members fulfilled their expected obligations, only for the Party National Chairman, who was the chairman of the appeal screening committee of the party, also doubled as the chairman of the appeal body of the party for the complaints from primaries; in all of this, it was the responsibility of Adams Oshiomhole to check and discover irregularities within the procedures of the party, rather than throwing the party to embarrassment at the Supreme court.
Adam Oshiomhole’s inability to work in a team, has been costing the party, both in elections and administrative works. He cannot carry even his own National Secretariat along, how much more the entire party across the nation. His isolated practices has made him resort to using personally engaged lawyers for party cases, even when the party has a functional legal unit, with well-respected lawyers in the society, who are already catered for by the party. He determines who handles party cases WITHOUT RECOURSE TO THE LEGAL UNIT OF THE PARTY.
The National Executive Committee, NEC is the highest decision making organ of the party, which takes critical decisions that matter for the party. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole devised a personal strategy of taking decisions for the party without engaging the National Working Committee (NWC) nor making recourse to the NEC, as expressly stated in the constitution of the party. Consciously harbouring this attitude of Adams Oshiomhole, within the party, is in itself, aiding and abetting anti-democratic practices, which is clearly opposite of the ideal and ethos of the All Progressives Congress, regardless of the timing, 2020 0r 2023. With this his isolated strategy, he unilaterally determined a purported suspension of Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Akeredolu, Ibikunle Amosun and other high profile members of the party.
On Charade-Direct Primaries. Even when the constitution of the party makes provision for direct primaries, in determining the candidates of the party. It is ordinarily expected that an administrator puts in place the mechanisms for the direct primaries before embarking on its usage. The structures should be open, transparent and foreclosing all forms of manipulations, so that it can reflect the true choice of party members. It should be ensured that Party members all across the wards and units are allowed to have a traceable membership card to avoid duplication. Oshiomhole simply set the jet in the air without a provision for landing runway. He lacks required administrative dexterity for party management, and his activities in leadership is ruinous to the party, just as the Coronavirus has proven ruinous to the Global economy. The earlier we get rid of both viruses the better for all concerned in both cases. Pampering a virus till 2023 under the guise of human fallibility will leave too many party members “dead” much before 2023.
In all of these, I appreciate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a most revered leader of the ideals of progressivism, one who had stood tall through all trying times, a worthy mentor to young democrats in the country. However, it is also part of mentorship and democracy,that protégés are allowed to bear their voice even in dissenting times.
PS: This is the personal opinion of the writer, and not of the office he holds.
Ayodele Gbenga Oladimeji BLACKEY is the State Assistant Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ondo State, he writes from Akure. Contact via comradeblackey@gmail.com
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