The recent victory recorded by the ruling party, All Progressive Congress, in the just concluded by-elections held in some parts of the country is an indicator that, despite the challenges currently rocking the country – especially the issue of insecurity, Nigerians have decided to trust the APC with their mandate as the party that can deliver the dividends of democracy and reverse the rots created by PDP’s 16-year rule.
Six years after coming onboard, the APC has successfully transformed itself into a national party and has witnessed the defection of political heavyweights from the major opposition party to the APC. Buhari’s leadership style to accommodate both his friends, foes and political adversaries is a key factor to the party’s fortune evident by the recent cross-carpeting of Ebonyi state governor, David Umahi, Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, Senator representing Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi and most recently, Zamfara state governor – Bello Matawalle and all the federal lawmakers from the State.
The leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari has recently extended the tenure of the Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee (CECPC) and approved the timetable for the conduct of its various congresses from the ward to the state level and he reiterated in a recent interview on national television that the party convention will soon hold to elect new leaders for the party.
While the party loyalists eagerly await key stakeholders to announce a date for the national convention, the politics of who becomes the new National Chairman has continued to generate controversies within the polity.
In recent weeks, names of former governors, ex-ministers and serving senators such as Tanko Al-Makura, Danjuma Goje, George Akume, Abdulaziz Yari, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, Abdullahi Adamu and Mohammed Sani Musa have been bandied around as the likely successor to the former national chairman, Adams Oshiomole. No doubt, they are all eminently qualified and loyal to the party; one of the most unassuming contenders on everyone’s lips is Senator Mohammed Sani Musa – the Senator representing Niger east in the 9th Senate.
Young, astute, modern, team-oriented and overtly reserved, Sani Musa fits the modern-day description of a workaholic and tech-savvy generation with imbued innovative charisma to drive the affairs of the party forward.
When placed side-by-side with other contenders within the party’s fold, his level of integrity is unmatched; he’s not your regular politician – prior to his political sojourn, Sani Musa was already a successful businessman, philanthropist and a public servant per excellence.
Considering his extensive fortune and business interests; his humility and ability to translate vision into reality has endeared him to party stalwarts, leaders and supporters as the preferred talisman for the highly coveted national chairmanship position.
Being a good leader is not a cakewalk; it requires tact, ability to influence, decision-making and problem-solving skills and a dint of hard-wok. All of these have been put to test by Distinguished Senator Sani Musa on account of his two-years legislative stewardship in the red chamber.
Working with a deep sense of purpose, his legislative scorecard so far, as a Senator, has left many wondering if he had prior legislative experience. As a first-time Senator, Sani Musa has introduced well over 25 people-oriented Bills at different reading stages in the Nigerian Senate, sponsored Motions of national importance and contributed immensely to debates and intellectual considerations within the hallowed chamber. He has effectively discharged his legislative duties of lawmaking, representation and oversight.
Whatever the yardstick deployed by analysts in consideration and screening of candidates for the Chairmanship position of the All Progressives Congress, Sani Musa, ticks all the boxes. On many occasions, he has proven to be a free giver – deploying his personal resources to the party’s cause and offering himself in service whenever he’s called up. No doubt, he remains one of the most qualified for the job.
Regardless of the current challenges, APC still remain the bastion of democracy in Nigeria even though public opinion shapers have continued to express worries over the future of the party and post-convention turbulence, others have equally wondered if the APC will be able to repeat the feats achieved in the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
There’s no political party without its own challenges, internal mechanisms do exist for resolving such. This is why it is important for the party to get it right, first, on the selection of a candidate of the new breed – that can influence and serve as a bridge builder between the older and the newer generation.
