With the primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC) around the corner, it is right that the Bauchi state chapter of the party is reminded of what lies before it. This is especially so given the party’s history in the state. It got power in 2015 but lost it in 2019 only to become an opposition political party in the state. Even though the APC rules at the national level, in the last three years, the party has not achieved any milestone in its journey to recover Bauchi state.
In the tripod, there is so much uncertainty as to whether or not the party is fully ready to wrest power from the incumbent. This is evident in the cracks that there are on the four walls of the Bauchi state APC. Only recently, a group of what can best be described as aggrieved party members, was led in a meeting in Abuja by former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara to express displeasure with the way things are transpiring in the party.
The highlight of the meeting was a threat to dismember if nothing is done to involve all and sundry in the scheme of things and if the party will not review its reward system with a view to improving it. But by sheer fluke, as there were little efforts to extinguish it, the fire has quenched or so it seems.
Ironically, however, most of those who expressed displeasure on the way things transpire were at one time or another guilty of the same offence. When in the past they held sway in either elective or appointive positions, most of them shied away from both party supporters and the electorate only to return to them after losing power. The manner APC faithful are held with disdain in Bauchi state suggests that the party thinks it is doing a favour to its members by giving them a political shade to stand under.
The lack of inclusiveness and the terrible reward system in the party combine to create the atmosphere of uncertainty in Bauchi state. As a result, the party is now like a scalar quantity. Because it has power at the national level, it has magnitude. And because of the lack of cohesiveness at the state level, it has no direction.
This, however, is not to suggest that the party cannot win future elections in the state. It certainly has all the prospects that are needed to guarantee electoral victory. After all, Bauchi is an APC state. With three senators out of three, eight members of the House of Representatives out of 12 and 19 members of the House of Assembly out of 31, all that the party needs to claim the other National Assembly and Bauchi State House of Assembly seats and win the governorship election is for its members to get their acts together.
The party leader in Bauchi state, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who is also the Minister of Education, can work together with the state party chairman, Babayo Aliyu, to rally round all stakeholders with a view to sitting down on the table of reconciliation. This will create the singular opportunity for talks that can lay the foundation of understanding and foster better political relationship between everyone.
As such, all grievances will be resolved, tension will douse and the party will be better prepared for the forthcoming primary elections. And at this instance, it is right to remind the Bauchi state APC that the secret to winning the next general elections lies in a free, fair and credible primary elections.
More so, party delegates must be made to recognize the fact that for the APC, the 2023 general elections are critical to its future. Therefore, while voting, they should consider certain factors. Aside the fact that only candidates who have the requisite expertise and experience in leadership and administration should be voted for, delegates must also look at the factor of electability.
It is instructive to note that not all candidates who can win primary elections are electable. Many politicians can win internal party elections but may not have the political strength, financial muscle and the requisite network to win the general elections. And since winning the 2023 legislative and governorship elections in Bauchi state is a task that must be accomplished, delegates must make informed decisions.
Mukhtar Jarmajo,
Bauchi, Bauchi state
[email protected].
