APC and the impending implosion

By HOSEA NYAMLONG

Political Parties internal Structure and its operations must be democratic in nature, in order to give a clear view in order to give a clear view in its processes to deliver dividends of democracy.

However, party internal structure must include party members in the discussion, decision and progress within the party structure that would reflect the interest of all party members.

The returned to Civilian rule in Nigeria in 1999, came with a new political era of politics, ideology that gave room for people to participate in the politics of the country.

More political parties were formed as well, more political parties forming a coalition, defection to another political party base on differences views, interest and opinion.

On this note, All progressives congress (APC) was formed in 2013, in anticipation of the general election in 2015 that gave victory to the party, Muhammadu Buhari became the winner of the 2015 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC), saw the mass defection movement of members decamping from other political party to join the ruling party of the day.

Barely two years when Comrade Adams Oshimohole was elected as the National Chairman of All Progressive Congressive Party (APC) to pilot the affairs of the party and to also move the party forward.

Reference must be made in the case of the All Progressive Congress (APC), when an attempt was made to remove the National Chairman, Adams  Oshiomhole by the earlier pronouncement of Justice Senchi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, which took place on March 4, 2020.

He ordered the suspension of Oshiomwhole as the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), pending the determination of a suit filed by Oluwale Afolabi who challenged the continuous stay of Oshiomwhole in office.

Further, 16 March, 2020 Justice Abubakar  Yahaya, the Chairman of a three man panel of judges ordered a stay of execution, pending the hearing of an application filed by  Oshiomhole, without delayed, hence, Abuja High court has granted an interim ordered allowing the acting  National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC), victor Gaidom to act as the party’s National  Chairman.

This has generated a lot of reaction from different quarter in the public domain,  that was perceived to have been a rift within the party structure.

Similarly, in a new development of appeal reversed the suspension and reinstated Oshiomhole, pending the hearing of his appeal.

One would believe that Oshiomhole’s  Second returned would have served a lesson to him and the party leadership of the All progressive Congress (APC) to think forward on how to put their house in order, thus Oshiomwhole embracing every member of the party to work as a family.

As a matter of fact, after his statement as the reinstated chairman, other members threw their weight strongly behind him, which his said I have been forced to agree that, I am not the best chairman in the world and I will never be. But nobody can fault my sincerity of purpose and my style can only be my style but I have recognized that, I must reconcile my style to the style of others. So that we would meet in the middle of the way to adopt a pacifist tone for the first time since I assumed the leadership of the ruling party”.

To this end, party, internal democracy is an important principle in the operation and survival of any democracy the world over, in a situation that the party lack internal democratic process of handling things, this might create serious intra-party conflict when can likely threaten stability of smooth running of government and good governance.

In addition, internal democracy should be seen as the process to consolidate wider democratic Principle and the method of instituting party discipline among its members and the party as a whole.

Unfortunately, a three-man Panel of the court of appeal has affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomole as National Chairman of (APC), this was in a judgment delivered by Mohammed  Lamido 16 June, 2020 dismissed Oshiomhole,s appeal for lacking in merit.

The Panel’s decision followed High Court in March 2020 which had ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole similarly, the Appeal Court ruling came at a time, that the National Chairman is facing serious backlash over the decision by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to suspend Godwin Obaseki, incumbent governor of Edo state from Contesting the APC governorship Primary election in the state.

The drama started when Godwin Obaseki was disqualified by the All Progressive Congress (APC) from seeking re-election, allegedly for submitting questionable certificates that Obasaki submitted to the APC Edo State for clearance to enable him participate in the forthcoming governorship election in September, 2020.

However, the (APC) National chairman, Adamu Oshiomhole, who Obaseki blames for his travails has now been suspended from the office following an appeal court ruling that removed him from the seat of power.

Therefore, Obaseki deemed it necessary not to appeal his unjust disqualification by Governorship Primary Screening Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC), looking at the whole processes as a mockery to the democratic process. Obaseki said” I have watched the mockery of democratic process been truncated by comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration dominating our great Party (APC) which is unfortunately, disheartening and dreadful spectacle”

We have decided that it would be effort infutility to appeal to whatever the unjust outcome of the  evaluation and screening Process of the (APC) that which comrade Oshiomhole has declared that he is the supreme court and also the ultimate determiner of the fate and future of our great party”.

“I wish Oshiomhole luck in his Maladministration of the party and with the trust that the Almighty God would help our country Nigeria to find the path to true liberty, freedom and justice Obaseki maintained that, all party members and the teeming supporters to remain calm and await further steps he would take.

With the massive support of the citizens of Edo state, to give Obaseki the ticket for Second tenure, mandated Obaseki to join People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on this note, the leadership of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) had met with Obaseki who is seeking a second tenure in office, Obaseki was disqualified by hid former party APC from seeking re-election allegedly, for submitting fate credentials to the screening committee of APC.

Nevertheless with duly consultation and other necessary logistics put together, Obaseki was given the green ticket to contest the governorship election under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he won the Primary election that was conducted 25 June, 2020. Now Godwin Obaseki is set for the forthcoming governorship election September, 2020 under the peoples choice and mandate of the Edo State populace

The defection of Obaseki from APC to PDP was a welcomed idea by the former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku  Abubakar, has congratulated Obaseki for joining the PDP, said that, “Edo State would be better for good”.

The PDP Presidential candicate in the 2019 election acknowledged that, Obaseki was joining the PDP when the party was poised to deliver good governance to the people of Edo and Nigeria at large.

Abubakar stated that he has no doubt that, the coming of Obaseki into PDP would further strengthen our party to mobilize the people behind the common  cause of deepening democratic governance of our country and restoring prosperity, to our great Nation and  people,

Atiku affirmed that, together we can work to extinct every form of undemocratic tendencies in our politic and realign the good people of Edo State to the moving train of Democracy and the restoration of good governance to the country.

President Buhari tried to settle quarrel between Adams Oshiomhole and Godwin Obaseki this time around, but the gap of the rift between like APC National chairman and Godwin was very wide , all effort put to settle them failed the relation coming after Obaseki announced his decision to leave the APC shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari one would believe that the decision President Muhammadu Buhari took to dissolved the National working Committee (NWC) and the APC was to the best interest of the Party and for smooth running of democratically process in the country.

Setting up a caretaker committee, headed by Yobe state governor Mai Mala Buni was to look into gray area that need to be corrected before the matter get out of hand. It was an impressive gestured by the President to made a quick decision to safe guide the party’s interest and to further strengthen democracy.

All Party members that aggrieved in one way or the other to resolved issue settle differences and withdraw all court cases.

It would not be out of place to say that, all these power tussles within the party (APC) is geared toward, the 2023 general elections. In view of the above, the All Progressive Congress (APC) members should not be in a hurry to start fighting for 2023 one would suggest that, base on the current situation in the country, they should consolidate on delivering the dividends of democracy by addressing the challenges of the country economy, health, security education, agriculture, social amenities and the dead corona virus that is within us now.

APC should learned to settle crises management, if not crises would divide the APC House, personal interest should not be above the party, sustaining democracy need a collective interest and efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy.