By HOSEA NYAMLONG
POLITICS is an interesting game. At least, a substantial number of citizens would participate peacefully in the political process that leads to the elections of credible leaders to govern the affairs of its nations.
Therefore, Nigerian politics is no different from that practiced in other democratic climes that have been in the business of electing new crops of leader’s after the expiration of tenure of the stipulate time frame.
It would be recalled that the 2019 general elections gave President Muhammadu Buhari the second term to rule the country under the democratic dispensation since the return to democracy in 1999.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed in 2013, in anticipation of the 2015 general elections. The formation was in alliance with four opposition political parties namely, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress of Nigeria (CAN), the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
They came under one political umbrella to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) that eventually came into power in 2015 with the party slogan of change. But with the change that came with the 2015 narrative, who is going to rule Nigeria in 2023?
The trajectory of 2023 general elections, with the view of zoning system permutation which cut across a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, certainly, will be an interesting contest.
Politicking for 2023 has dominated the centre stage of politics, constituting one form or the order of rift in the leadership tussle that led to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole and the incumbent Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki who was disqualified by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Edo State chapter from seeking re-election. It was alleged it was because he submitted questionable certificates for clearance to enable him participate in the forthcoming governorship election in September, 2020.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), quickly gave Obaseki the ticket for second tenure to join the party, and he won the primary election that was conducted 25 June, 2020 under the peoples choice and the mandate of the Edo State populace.
This has generated a lot of reactions from different quarters, in the public domain that was perceived to have been a riff within the party structure. On this note, the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) moved immediately to put their house in order, although a caretaker committee was set up, headed by Yobe State Governor Mala Buni to do the needful in order to correct the abnormal processes in the party.
All Progressives Congress (APC) should be mindful of the fact that they are yet to finish their campaign promises to the Nigerian citizens on the dividends of democracy, why shifting the goal post? Instead to consolidate on how to tackle the issue of insurgency that led to the increase of more Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the county without a lasting solution to it.
In the same vein, banditry and kidnapping, forcing citizens to pay huge on their love ones to be released, has caused a serious hardship to the populace who live in fear of the unknown. The main focus must remain to deliver good governance to the people.
The Nigerian society, like many others who conflate the political sphere and its revolving cast and incredulous plots without actual governance that trailed Buhari’s presidency, from one form of economic missteps, to party rift, tone-deaf response to critical issues on the security of the nation from marauders.
Governance cannot be trivialized and the ability to govern still remains the hottest commodity in Nigerian leadership paltered.
In more democratic climes, there are other established forms of choosing caucus and party leaders in a new government, that would redraw the election map ahead of 2023 to account for the existing achievements.
However, this might be a game plan from the opposition party, People’s Democratic Party to distract the attention of the ruling party of the day, by allowing the presidential ticket for 2023 open to all zones of PDP members.
The (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said “The party is open up and gearing up to the next presidential election coming up in 2023. He stressed that their concern is about rebuilding on their weak areas and preparing for a presidential candidate that would be presented, whether from North, South, East or West to contest for the presidential ticket come 2023.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are very much optimistic of wining 2023 Presidential election, because they believe that Nigerians are disappointed with the perceived failure of the ruling APC despite their lost in 2019 general elections. But they were able to win in some states in the federation. In Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal and Zamfara State Matawali. These have given them hope to reclaim more states in the federation come 2023 general election.
Therefore, at this material time, it would not be out of place to say that, there is no better time than now to start up the process to fulfill their promises. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of the two major political parties in Nigeria, along with its main rival, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
2015 was the first time in Nigeria’s political history that an opposition party, APC unseated a ruling PDP in a general election. And consequently power was transfered peacefully from one political party to another.
Nevertheless, APC won the majority of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2015 and 2019 elections. Same pattern would want to repeat itself in 2023 general election, but the political drive of APC is taking a different direction portraying that the house is not in order.
The ruling party (APC), should look at possible ways to consolidate on how citizens of Nigeria can give them support in 2023 and (APC) leadership should reorient themselves in the direction of democratizing the party to produce the kind of leaders and leadership Nigerians want by its democratic credentials. This will ensure that all organs of the party function and accommodate all members.
APC should note that, if they allow rift to stay for a longer time within the party structure, they would witness more defection of members to other parties just the way it happened in Edo State. The incumbent governor left APC to PDP, because of their inability to settle the issue of the power of godfatherism in the state.
In politics, a healthy opposition is good for the growth of democracy. On this note, APC should look at the governance as a key factor to which APC’s ideology was established. God Bless Nigeria!
