If leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were to make a choice, and just one choice, between a successful national convention and a victorious 2023 general election, I am sure both sides would be voted for. Some will on one hand vote for personal and selfish reasons to become party executives even if the party would not make it in 2023, while others wouldn’t mind having a party without elected leadership but having APC victorious to remain Nigeria’s leading political party in 2023, which will certainly be in the majority.
The battle for the soul of the party is on the heat with a combination of the old and the new, the tested and not tested, and the tested but not so trusted. To add this to the problems of the party, is the fact that the proposed new National Working Committee of the party is expected to organise primary to elect flagbearers for the party for the 2023 election in the next six months.
Some concerned stakeholders have raised questions to the preparedness of a new leadership to produce competent, popular and acceptable candidates that truly reflects the peoples’ choice to avoid inviting a self-inflicted anarchy to approach the general elections in disarray. Such an action would only give PDP that is keenly watching like a patient Vulture, an unwarranted advantage to pick the victory on a platter of gold with utmost ease.
While inaugurating APC Contact Committee ahead of the 2023 election last year, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, the Yobe state governor and chairman, APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, said the ambition of the party is to go beyond the President Muhammadu Buhari’s two terms of office. “Our vision is to drive the party to go beyond 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th or even 10th term of office to effectively implement the party manifesto, improve the lives of Nigerians and to remain Nigeria’s leading political party”.
If this assertion is to be actualised in 2023 and beyond, APC must as a matter of policy sieve the grains from the chaff and differentiate between platform seekers and committed party faithful.
The efforts put in rescuing the party from the jaws of death can equally be channeled and redirected into the 2023 project to extricate the party from a possible disaster. The gains made by the party under the MaBuni led committee were indeed exceptional and extraordinary. The committee inherited a party that was infested with internal squabbles, maladministration, high handedness, disharmony, lack of internal democracy and was nearing annihilation. The new approach exhibited by the Buni committee gave aggrieved members a new hope and sense of belonging. Suddenly, those who left the party returned back while those contemplating to leave willingly dropped the idea.
For founding members of the party like Chief Bisi Akande, it was a time to sigh relief seeing APC resurrecting back to life while, President Buhari simply described the party under the caretaker committee as bouncing back to life.
It was therefore not surprising that the effort of the committee was crowned with the defection of three serving state governors namely: Engr. Dave Umuahi of Ebonyi state, Dr. Ben Ayade of Cross River state and Alh. Bello Mutawalle of Zamfara state who defected from PDP along with millions of their supporters into the APC. These defections have no doubt added to the strength, vigour and colour of the ruling party.
Again, the membership registration and revalidation exercise carried out by the party had not only established the numerical strength of the party which now stands at over 41 million membership but, promoted internal democracy and handed over the party to the members.
Although there were complaints that followed the exercise, the advantages clearly and squarely outweigh the complaints and challenges. In the principle of fairness and fair play, Governor Buni constituted Appeal committees to listen to genuine cases and give them fairness. He described the process and the complaints as a political growth and an improvement in internal democracy with an increased freedom of expression. “I am happy that the ownership of the party has been transferred to the people, they freely made observations, contribute and challenge some decisions and that is the beauty of democracy which made the APC different from others” he was quoted as saying.
In addition to the achievements recorded, the party also has the advantage of women and youth followership. The Caretaker committee had consistently included women and youth in all its programmes. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state chaired the women and youth committee during the membership registration and revalidation exercise. Similarly, two separate workshops on women and youth inclusiveness were organised to keep them on board and to give them a sense of belonging.
However, the widespread complaint of poor reward system by the APC government is another major case of concern for the party. The Buhari regime is seen to have failed to appreciate those who laboured for the party with juicy contracts or appointments. Such gold diggers have found the party as very unaccommodating. The just concluded FCT council election where logistics were provided but supporters were not mobilised is a case in point.
Therefore, there are fears that such characters if given the opportunity to run the party may dispose the primary election to the highest bidders.
In any case, what laws of the party prevents the caretaker committee from conducting the primary simultaneously with the convention for a better tomorrow? The fate of the party is much safer in the hands of the caretaker committee than risking it to some political merchants who would mortgage it for personal gains.
As a card-carrying member of the party, I have strong faith in APC making a difference in the lives of Nigerians and would jealously protect the party than promote selfish interests that would sell off our future.
The National Executive Committee of the party must as a matter of priority and importance consider conducting the convention alongside the party primary to save our chances in 2023.
Aishatu writes via [email protected]
