OYEGUN, TINUBU AND THEIR MAKOSSA DANCE
The
last time I checked, the pioneer cum incumbent National Chairman of the ruling
Nigerian political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a National
Leader of the party, in the persons of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Senator
Bola Ahmed Tinubu respectively, were obviously enjoying a faceoff. The two
respected politicians who are respectively the former governors of Edo and
Lagos states have lingered the altercation that it has become a major public
discourse not just in Nigeria but beyond.
The prolonged rift is not unconnected with the
primary election of the APC for the forthcoming November 2016 Ondo
gubernatorial poll that took place recently, on 3rd September 2016
precisely, in which Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu emerged as the party’s flag bearer
with 699 votes ahead of his rival, Mr. Olusegun Abraham who polled 635 votes.
It was gathered that the outcome of the said poll wasn’t in favour of Sen.
Tinubu who reportedly wanted the latter to emerge victorious.
Thereafter, Sen. Tinubu accused Chief Oyegun
of manipulating the election in his favour by ‘altering the delegates’ meant
for it. He equally frowned over Oyegun’s refusal for a fresh primary election
to be conducted as was recommended by the Appeal Committee that was set up
after the election. It would be recalled that a National Working Committee
(NWC) was inaugurated immediately after the primaries in order to address an
impasse, but Chief Odigie-Oyegun rejected the committee’s recommendation that
another primary election should be conducted, stating it was only the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that had the immunity to
upturn the results of the election.
To this end, Sen. Tinubu has called for
Chief Oyegun’s resignation as the National Chairman of the party; he has
employed every means and method, particularly the mass media, to ensure that he
actualized his aim. Chief Oyegun who has emphatically lamented over the tantrum
which he described as ‘reckless and baseless’, stated that he could not be
removed on the pages of newspapers, saying there were constitutional procedures
that could determine such intent.
On
Tuesday 4th October 2016, scores of Chief Oyegun’s loyalists under
the aegis of APC Democratic Youth Frontiers staged a protest at the national
headquarters of the APC in Abuja to let out their grievances over what they
called ‘domineering attribute’ of Sen. Tinubu. They asked the latter to limit
his ‘political empire’ to Lagos State or South-West, stating that no state or
region is greater than Nigeria; they further called on him to ‘either leave the
party or curtail his greed’. Though the supposed beneficiary has dissociated
himself from the protest, the aftermath of the august visit is still generating
fathomless ripples within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
It’s
so surprising that within a short interval the APC took the mantle of
leadership, the party has refused to convince the citizenry that it’s indeed
the ruling party. Barely a year and plus the party was given the opportunity to
lead the teeming Nigerians, its leaders have started dancing Makossa when they
are required to dance to the tune of Hi-life. The same set of individuals who
promised to safeguard national/people’s interest has chosen to protect only
their personal interests. How do you reconcile this?
If
these highly revered politicians could engage in a ‘fight’, or wash their dirty
lilies in the public, for the sake of a gubernatorial poll, one may wonder what
their personalities would entail during a presidential poll. The yet to arrive
2019 presidential election would be the first presidential poll the APC would
be witnessing while in power, and it’s pertinent to note that that would be
when the party’s maturity would be duly tested by the electorate. Hence, its
leaders need not be told that Nigerians cannot wait to embrace the aforesaid
period.
It’s even more appalling to realize that the
scenario is occurring at a time everyone is deeply concerned about how the
country would depart from the monster called recession; at a time we are
discussing how to brainstorm, towards the anticipated economic diversification;
at a period the country’s leaders are expected to think beyond politics; at a
period the country is required to jettison any act of personal aggrandizement;
and, at a moment, we strongly look up to the leaders with a view to fostering
remedy to the lingering predicaments.
The conflicting leaders ought to
acknowledge that suchlike attributes bring enormous distraction to leadership.
We are not unaware that people, leaders in particular, need to disagree to
agree, but the way and manner in which this one is being paraded is truly
baffling. Thus, they must note when and how best to think, talk, act, strike,
or fight, as the case may be. They shouldn’t be doing things at the awkward
time; such manner of attitude is an aberration, thus unacceptable. That’s time
for everything.
At
the moment, Sen. Bola Tinubu is arguably reckoned to be the most celebrated and
influential politician in Nigeria. However, the political juggernaut needs to
equally note that a slight mistake from his person might reduce him to the
least celebrated Nigerian politician unannounced. In view of this assertion, I
would advise he continues playing the role of a grandfather rather than just a
father. It’s time he understood that millions of people are really under his
watch. Same is applicable to those who see themselves as his rival.
If care isn’t taken, the next news we
will hear is that someone has gone to court over the call for Chief Oyegun’s
removal, as if the judiciary was established for the purpose of settling mere
family disputes. Think about it!
Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor
(TheMediaAmbassador)
-Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights
activist-
Chief Executive
Director, Centre for Counselling, Research
& Career
Development - Owerri
_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Twitter:
@mediambassador
No comments:
Post a Comment