In speaking to the youths at the Progressive Youth Congress you gave what could be said to be an honest appraisal of your political party, APC’s time in power; the past, the present and even more interesting, the future.
Part of the lessons from your speech was to wake the youths to action, prepare them for the future (a future that keeps dragging) and offer hope. As regards hope, the hope is currently with the elites, of which you are part of. Let’s say you are trying already, but more can be done. You all can offer back to the nation half of what the nation has given to you without ever suffering poverty yourselves.
Sir, you gave reasons why the first APC-led administration failed, a statement which some opposition elements have pounced upon to make political gains. You wouldn’t blame them either, it is a game you all play, that’s why it’s called politics. It is not as if the present one has even succeeded. But we pray earnestly that it succeeds.
Speaking of what will become of the party after president Buhari’s tenure, you opined that it may face serious challenges. You were making a point of the possibility of retaining power after Buhari, I think it should also include the question of the party sustaining itself even if it loses power after Buhari.
In your words “Whether we like it or not, the truth is, President Muhammadu Buhari remains the person with the bulk of the support we get across this country in APC, when Buhari leaves, he will still have some roles, but I dare say that it is after he leaves office that APC will face its challenge.
“Yes, we have to know our value then, and the value of APC presently is APC minus President Muhammadu Buhari. Whatever it is, that is the value of APC”.
I want to believe that whatever happens, win or lose, APC will be fine. Let’s look at the two case scenarios.
If it Loses
We will have to consider some points.
How was APC formed?
Who are its real members if it has any?
What was its statement of purpose, its manifesto? Does it have a concrete workable nation-building ideology?
What was the Nigerian and even global situation before it came into power?
How does it intend to play opposition?
About APC’S formation, a lot has happened since 2013 when it came into being through the alliance of 3 main political parties and other minor groups. There have been major defections in and out of the party; it has also gathered huge new followership, so the possibility of dissolving is a very thin one but cannot be completely ruled out.
Whether it has fulfilled its promises or not, whether it has any active coordinated plan, in short, whether it has done well for itself and the people or not, APC will be forgiven, due to the Nigerian factor which forgives and hyper forget.
In playing opposition, will it say “everyone to your tent” or will it begin a series of defections, sabotage, conspiracies, accusations and counter-accusations with the ruling party then?
Buhari remains an enigma, but as you rightly pointed out, there will be limits.
Will he be required to attend every press conference to criticize or participate in a government he just left?
If it wins
As it is now, there seems not to be a person in the party with the kind of followership that Buhari has. This will not even be a question of strength or weakness, of being shrewd or being soft. Former president Jonathan and currently Buhari could be said to have almost opposite styles of administration, but you will observe that party politics across board still has similarities.
So APC will face the challenge of loyalty and Self-control in the face of an open cheque (business).
In the case of loyalty, just as APC had issues of synergy between the national assembly and the executive in the first administration of Buhari, of which you pointed out, the issue might likely repeat itself again, this time to a greater proportion, from the local government to the federal level.
There will be in-house chaos. there will be mammoth looting, as those who have been hindered hitherto by the person of the respected president will want to recover all that they think they might have lost.
Whatever happens, APC will be fine. it will either dissolve into the people, or the people dissolve into it.
