The Nation is agog with the enthronement of Muhammadu Buhari
as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic
Of Nigeria. Many congratulatory messages of well-wishers, agenda setters and
recommendations are in the media by way of editorials, press releases,view
points ,analysis and advertorials covering several issues of National
importance. My humble contribution is by way of advice to Mr. President on a
critical issue that may be the beginning of erosion of his excellent leadership
credential or reduce the momentum of his reform and restoration agenda if not carefully handled or avoided
completely.
In a democracy, political parties are the engine room for
fertilization of ideas before they are introduced to the public or implemented
by the Government. Events in a ruling party are always crucial to the success
or failure of its government. Therefore, it will be wise for Mr. President to
keep an eye on the internal politics of his party.
In doing so, it is important for the President to note that
the problems of the People’s Democratic
Party started with recklessness and we don’t- give-a-damn attitude of the party
leadership. A small seed which germinated into a big barren tree was sown as
soon as the Military handed over power to the PDP. One would easily recollect
the sad emergence of “Ghana- must -go- bags” as an instrument of money transfer
in politics and executive interference which led to the unfortunate imposition of late Chief Evans Enwerem as the
President of the Senate against the clear wishes of senators who preferred late
Dr. Chuba Okadigbo (oyi of oyi) as their leader. Initially, ex-President
Obasanjo was not willing to be drawn into the contest but when all manners of
blackmail and misinformation including alleged conspiracy by his then Vice,
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar , was applied by his associates and confidants, General
Obasanjo entered the fray to enforce the imposition of Chief Enwerem. That
singular act started the game of musical chair in the leadership of the
National Assembly for the rest of 16 years of PDP stay in power and ultimately
unleashing a chain of unpleasant events that led to the loss of power by the
party.
Today, history is about to repeat itself if lesson is not
learnt from PDP failure and warning of political pundits absorbed by APC and
its leaders. President Buhari has made it clear that he does want to be drawn
into leadership contest in the National Assembly. But no one can say how long
he will resist the machination of the “magicians” that are using all sorts of
subterfuge to draw him into the arena of conflict. The President as a
necessity, must beat off every effort aimed at pushing him into making the
mistakes of his predecessors in office because as it is, he may likely be the
only beacon of hope in moment of crisis
which looks certain to erupt in his party as time progresses. His statement
that he will stay above board in the National Assembly leadership contest like
“Caesar’s wife” is statesmanlike. It is the type of leadership that is expected
from him and such behavior explains the reason for public adoration and
respect.
However, manipulators of the system and power mongers within
his inner circle are not expected to leave him in peace. They will be
unrelenting in creating many unpleasant scenarios about some aspirants just to
suck Mr. President into the vortex of the conflict. But President Buhari should
always keep in mind his high standard and principle. These qualities are
personality profile that will be handy at critical times within the life span
of his Administration. He must continue to stand firm like the Rock of
Gibraltar to withstand the intrigues and power play in Aso villa and his party.
Like it happened in the PDP, this is a make or mar
assignment for the APC. Will the exercise be characterized by Ghana-must -go
bag and imposition of leaders thereby setting a strong foundation for the
eventual implosion of APC? How far can internal democracy and free choice be
allowed to go in the contest? Or will wheeler dealers succeed in pushing
President Buhari into abandoning his lofty pedestal by endorsing aspirants to
leadership positions in the National Assembly? What manner of National Assembly
does APC want? Is it a docile and pliable National Assembly or a vibrant and
development-oriented one? Is it a Leadership responsible to its members in
particular and Nigerians in general or a leadership responsible to Godfathers
and top party apparatchik? These questions and few others will be answered by
President Buhari and APC in few days’ time.
It is then that Nigerians will find out for themselves if hope in
President Buhari and APC is justified or misplaced. The emergence of National
Assembly leadership will clearly indicate whether it is business as usual or
whether the Nation is indeed about to experience a nice breath of fresh and
vitalizing air. There is no controversy that the greatest undoing of the PDP
was impunity characterized by power to “one strong individual “alone. Will
manipulators drag President Buhari and the APC to walk the same infamous path?
It is only time that will tell. But as an individual, I am already apprehensive
that it may not end well for the APC because some people who are expected to
show the highest moral probity in the party have started talking in riddles.
How President Buhari can withstand pressure to take side with one group against
the other is still yet to be determined. Ordinarily, his repeated statements
that he will not be involved overtly or covertly in selecting leaders for the
National Assembly should have been enough assurance for skeptics but events of
the last 16years has made one to believe that it is not over until it is over.
Nevertheless, my take is that president Buhari must have
learnt the lesson of history to try to manipulate the National Assembly like he
is being goaded by those desirous of stifling free choice and internal
democracy in the APC. The contenders of leadership in the National Assembly are
strong supporters and in local parlance, “boys” of president Buhari and it will
be impolitic for him to tilt the balance against one side thereby igniting a
dangerous political tremor within the rank and file of the party. There won’t
be any justification for president Buhari to set in motion any action that may
destroy the present solidarity in the APC.
Finally, it is not in doubt that the senators can be goaded
into supporting any person the President may choose, overtly or covertly, for
the leadership of the National Assembly but grudges from those he will move
against will be too deep to ameliorate. Besides, there is no justifiable reason
for President Muhammadu Buhari to negate his now famous inaugural speech where
he said “I belong to Everybody and I belong to Nobody”. The leadership contest
in the National Assembly is the first test of that statement and it is my hope
that he keeps to his word. In fact, the price of his intervention in the
struggle for National Assembly leadership will be too costly for President
Buhari to pay
–– Barrister Nkwocha wrote from Awka,Anambra State
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