It is evident that our politics in Nigeria is evolving: Knowledge of the meaning of politics is percolating through the maze of ignorance down through the perception of the people of Nigeria.
I have, for sometime, deliberately refrained from commenting on the aspiration by our leader HE Senator George Akume to become the national chairman of our party, maybe because of a concern that some may misconstrue my submission, and my perception that some dislike frank or straight talk. However, I have decided to unveil those thoughts in spite of the concern and perception. Why? For the desire for my party to grow into a vehicle of leadership recruitment of the highest quality possible, and for my nation to benefit thereby.
- To aspire to any position of leadership, it is not enough to cite previous positions of leadership that someone has occupied. It is required to chronicle specific accomplishments in those previous positions of responsibility. Those achievements must accord with the statutory responsibilities of the previous offices.
Where there are no relevant achievements to point to, many years in public office constitute the best evidence of abuse of trust.- In relation to (1) above, I would suggest that managers of Senator Akume’s ambition to become the National Chairman of APC should prepare an attractive dossier on his 22 years in public office since 1999 to reflect those key principles:
- P1: Peace Building: What are Senator Akume’s bona fides as a peace builder and maker?
P2: Men Building: How has HE Akume cultivated and groomed political, social and business leaders since 1999?
A clear-eyed reader of character is a desideratum for APC at this defining moment. Defining, because the post-Buhari survival of our party, to a great degree, rests on the social building skills of the next APC chairman. We need to interrogate Senator Akume on this score.
P3: Nifty Perception of Social Dynamics: The leader who can see the direction the people want to take, and be flexible enough to sacrifice his old ways, even those that have served him well in the past, is the type that APC needs. How well does Senator Akume relate to new ideas and frank counsel?
- Our reality in Nigeria tends to tempt some people to ignore principles that work and endure. What is this reality? Money is a god in Nigeria, and deliberate impoverishment of the masses makes them wait at the gates of those who have plenty of money, and are ready to give it out even in exchange for the freedoms, rights, and dignity of the receiver.
Having plenty of it gives you influence and power within a political party, your community and family.
However, this reality does not obviate the indispensability of the enduring principles that sustain societies. A time comes when gains in the season of forced stupor evaporate, and the people, coming to their senses, find convenient ways of revenge and recovery of their freedoms and rights.
Whoever wants to become the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) should take note of my submission above, even if the god of money has assured them of victory.
How different is the APC from other political parties in Nigeria? How different is APC from PDP, for instance?
To think that, while not holding political power in Nigeria, APC professed progressive ideas, but now, more that six (6) in national government, the party has become intolerant of free speech; unable to do better than PDP in reducing corruption in government agencies, ministries and departments; become weak in enforcing best financial practices in public governance; not improved on the quality of public health and education; and has done nothing to improve on the structure and management of the Nigerian union, all leave a bland taste of disappointment in my mouth.
APC, until now, has left the El-Rufai report on social re-engineering of Nigeria binned! What does the next APC chairman promise to do with this report (which was submitted to APC more than two years ago) and about the exhibits above, which dispute its claims of a progressive party?
I am a member of APC, but I am disappointed that the people running both my party and the national government headed by my party, by their actions and inactions, seem to either forget or not know what APC stands for.
The next APC national chairman must instigate a return from our backslidings; a massive exodus from the land of captivity to which APC has deliberately sold itself.
© Shilgba