APC, PDP: Averting self-liquidation

The cloud of anxiety has not fizzled out. The handwriting is bold on the wall. But, All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders are pretending as if the danger is not imminent. Its albatross is its own making; the politics of caretaker, which is gradually becoming an undertaker.

Can the party still retrace its steps from avoidable liquidation? Except wisdom and reason prevail.

The predicament of APC should, ordinarily, be the joy of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But, the party is locked in internal strife over its leadership. As its chieftains gaze at 2023, there is battle for the control of the party machinery and structures.

It would therefore, appear that both parties, in certain respects, are same of the same. They are not ideological platforms, but mere vehicles for taking power.

African ruling parties are usually pompous. They often dream about power in perpetuity, oblivious of its dynamics. The power of incumbency often draws a wool across the eyes of their arrogant leaders. While they seek to entrench themselves in power, suddenly, the rug is pulled off their feet, with reality dawning on them that, in the final analysis, power is transient and no condition, either misfortune or fortune, is absolutely permanent.

PDP’s dream of a 60 year rule never materialised. Will APC’s boasting that it will be in power for decades come to reality?

Political pride goes before destruction. At a time the APC should show remorse, accept its mistakes and strive to correct them, its leaders are footdragging as if the awesome presidential power can save the platform from electoral doom in the nearest future, unless the party puts its house in order.

Read Also: PDP struggling to stay afloat ahead of 2023

At the height of its glory, as it were, APC decided to flout its constitution and the 1999 Constitution. It was the height of impunity. Faced with a burden of internal contradictions, repressed clevages re-emerged and conflicts blossomed as gladiators begun scheming ahead of 2023. Those who wrote the script never consulted the law books. The sole agenda is to cripple the presidential ambition of a targeted stalwart, who is yet to declare intention.

The former chairman of the divided party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was booted out by a bloc in the party in a curious war. He suddenly became a liability. His past contributions to the victory of the party were forgotten. Only the dark sides of his leadership became a bone of contention.

Succession  became problematic. APC was short of ideas. It has no Board of Trustees(BoTs). It’s National Caucus is dormant. The dominant bloc of influence revolves around the Presidency. Therefore, the power-loaded president, typical of the military era, presided over the party meeting where it was resolved that  a new party leadership was urgently required to fill the vacuum.

Up came the National Caretaker Committee, led by Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe State. The intervention was expected to be shortlived. The terms of reference were reconciliation and conduct of the national convention.

Almost a year after, the two tasks have not been accomplished. Crises continue to fester in the ruling party. Also, the National Caretaker Committee turned itself into a sit-tight leadership, to the consternation of the generality of party members.

The caretaker committee, from the onset, regressed into dictatorial tendencies. It is un-elected. But, ironically, it also attempted to dissolve the elected ward, local government and state executive committees. The meeting where the idea was mooted was about to turn rancourous. Reason prevailed, but not completely. An eminent lawyer, who is a chieftain, warned about the dire consequences. His advise was partly taken and partly ignored.

The Buni Committee converted democratically elected ward, council and state executive committees into caretaker committees. The transformation into temporary or interim structures was confounding. Across board, chieftains differed to the president. They held him in reverence. But, the rot in the party persisted.

Some commentators called attention to the inexplicable rationale behind the appointment of a sitting governor as national caretaker committee chairman. The party turned a deaf ear.

Today, it is being said that all the actions purportedly taken by the committe are null and void.

The caretaker committee converted the lower executive committees at the ward, council and state levels into caretaker committees. The committe embarked on party re-registration and validation. It also organised governorship nomination  in Ondo State. According to legal experts, these actions are a nullity because the composition of the caretaker committe has no locus standi. It has no basis in law. It is devoid of logic. No basis can be found for it in the constitution. It is devoid of legitimacy.

The Ondo governorship litigation was the eye opener. The judgment of the apex court boxed the APC into panic. The disaster was avoidable. It was a narrow escape for Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN). His opponent, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), who never contested the results, but the legality of the APC leadership, would have smiled away with the crown.

Read Also: Caretaker committee chairmen, two others suspended as A’Ibom APC crisis worsens

The Supreme Court panel was split. According to the minority judgment by Justice Mary Odili, the governor’s foundation as a candidate was porous. The primary that produced him was supervised by a caretaker committee that was unknown to law.

The majority panel’s verdict was not significantly different. The law, as it is said, is an ass. The majority panel only upheld Akeredolu’s victory due to Eyitayo’s omission or negligence in not joining Buni in the suit.

The verdict has implication. According to lawyers, it is doubtful if APC now has a valid candidate for the Anambra State governorship election holding on November 6. If APC wins, and the opponents of Andy Uba go to court, and Buni is joined in the suit, what will be the fate of the flag bearer?

If a party chieftain goes to court to challenge the recent ward congresses and he joins the caretaker chairman, would the exercise stand? Now, Ekiti and Osun APC are apprehensive ahead of next year’s governorship polls.

Swimming in the pool of ignorance,  some party leaders are validating Buni’s membership of the caretaker committee as a sitting governor,  claiming that he does not draw salary as party chairman. Is being a governor and party chairman not the main issue, whether he draws salary or not?

It is easy for APC to retrace its steps to the constitutional path. But, it may be difficult because of it harbours many armchair interpreters of the constitution. The closest route to normalcy is for the party to seek the face of the law.

The law should decide whether the caretaker committee can be made purer, if governor-members step aside, or if the reminants of the disbanded NEC/NWC, as suggested by its former legal adviser, can be assembled to act as legal and legitimate leadership structure that will organise a democratic convention where a new NEC/NWC would emerge through popular will.

The PDP should also reposition itself. Curiously, PDP had demanded for the resignation of Buni as if it was its own business. There are better ways of playing the role of an opposition.  It is by offering constructive criticism to government and charting the alternative route to good governance.

The opposition party, apart from resolving crises that have engulfed many state chapters,shoukd try to forge cohesion among its governors and national leaders. Dialogue should be the watchword. It should investigate why its chieftains are defecting to the APC, despite its apparent diminishing popularity rating.