Partisanship is like a contest. Every party wants to stay on top by having more number of supporters. This support cuts across two levels. The stakeholders support and the general public support, and every one of them can influence the other. However, it is more likely for one to get public support when stakeholders support is secured, at least in the Nigerian context.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, political parties are already gearing up for the battle for the ballot. But like the saying goes, “charity begins at home”. Therefore, the two major political parties are now doing home cleaning, and the ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC) has adopted the radical approach of converting as many foes as possible into friends. It is happening so fast that it is rather disrupting the house of the major opposition party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is already in a poor state of affairs not withstanding.
While the APC itself is not free of challenges, recent event show that it is gradually building up strength that will eventually bring the party together for obvious reasons; everyone wants to be with the winning team. After all, the major difference between political parties in Nigeria is simply the fact that one is ruling and the other is an opposition. There are very few ideological and philosophical differences between them.
If it had not been for the defection of many former PDP members who joined APC IN 2015 and back to their former party PDP in 2019, a lot APC bigwigs from 2015 to 2019 were former members of the PDP.
Most of them are now back again where they feel they belong. This makes the APC a little bit different from what it was between 2015 to 2019. It is some progress in itself. The move by former PDP members was a deliberate attempt to weaken APC, but it didn’t work. As a result, new bigwigs have emerged in the APC.
After the 2019 general elections, the dissolution of the APC national working committee created fracas within the APC. This gave birth to the present caretaker committee. It was seen as the beginning of a new problem in the party, but that problem has now become a blessing in disguise. The choice of Yobe State Governor, the 53 year old Mai Mala Buni to chair the committee is without doubt, God sent for the APC.
It is the case of one meeting his or her soul mate after a long struggle of heartbreaking trial and error. And finally, it is love at first sight when you have met the one who will leave you asking “where have you been all this while”. How romantic! The APC has not been lucky to have party chairmen who appear to be as inventive and deliberate as Governor Buni . I believe it comes with the age and personality. Governor Buni is seen to be everywhere and in the news every time scoring goals. He appears youthful, charismatic and unassuming.
In a short period of time, due to his consistent efforts, he has arguably emerged as the most influential man in the party. In the past, there were too many people who have asserted claim to that position. Many have feared that after Buhari, there won’t be APC, but Governor Buni seems to challenge such assumptions. Such an inspiring figure for the APC!
He is diligently creating an image of strength for the party, and he does so without intimidation but with diplomacy and tender invitation to the members of the major opposition party. It is a humbling strategy. He seems to have mastered the art of turning opponents into friends. So far, 3 serving governors, several serving senators, former governors and other relevant stakeholders have left PDP to APC in a very short period of time.
These events tells you three things except if you’re in denials: either the APC under Buni is doing well, or the PDP is doing fantastically bad, or even both. Anyway, it is victory for the APC. There are even rumours that there are more major defection to come among serving PDP governors. Out of 36 States, PDP has only 13 governors, and these number keeps decreasing evident by the latest red carpet defection from Zamfara state government house together with a large entourage.
How much more weaker have the recent events left PDP?
My only concern with the Mai Mala defection spree is that it may leave Nigeria without any viable opposition. However, as a party man, it leaves me elated, not only because it gives me hope that the APC is winning 2023 general elections, but because while APC prepares, the opposition is becoming more weakened and disrupted. Even if they try to recover, it would be too late. This inspires confidence for the APC, and allows it to focus on fixing internal problems which are soon to be its main priority.
If APC should maintain the present momentum and solve its internal problems, the PDP should start focusing on 2027 instead. Because Governor Buni has now made it suicidal to leave the APC. There is no doubt that there could be aggrieved people in the future who would want to leave the ruling party, but how many of them would be relevant stakeholders? And how many major stakeholders does it require PDP to recruit before they could equal APC? Malcolm X once said “the future belongs to those who prepare for it today”.
Lest we forget, the only time in the history of Nigeria that the ruling party has ever lost elections was in 2015. And the major factors that led to the hard earned victory was the conspiracy of many governors who have left the party to join a gang up against the administration of the day, largely due to deteriorating security problems in the country, but time has taught us that the problem is bigger than President Jonathan. Now that we know that, could that kind of gang up ever happen again? After all, the president is not even seeking re-election.
Governor Buni is ushering in a new era for the APC. Youthful, inventive and truly progressive. The party is slowly transforming into a true national party by having its presence across every geopolitical zone in Nigeria. 2015 and 2019 are merely translational periods for a relatively new APC. However, grounds must be prepared for the younger generations to bring about the change we have been waiting for. Governors Buni’s recent transformation is a pointer to what people of younger age can achieve. Younger generation and diversity should certainly be a priority for the APC.
I would like to end with this quote from Sun Tzu in the art of war who said “Victorious warriors win first before they go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”.
Publisher: Don Martyn L.O Nwosu
Ikeduru APC Media Hub
08032950897
Ikeduruapcmediahub@gmail.com
1 Comments
Truely APC is growing day by day
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