APC Party Supremacy Mantra, And Lies In Buhari’s Name

Buhari

 

There is a crisis threatening to destroy the fabrics of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). That crisis is centred on so-called party supremacy. Under the guise of party supremacy lies are told to the gullible public on President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on party supremacy.

These lies have intensified since Senator Bukola Saraki emerged the president of the Senate and Hon Yakubu Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively against the wishes of some sections of APC national leadership.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had before the inauguration of the 8^th National Assembly promised that he would not interfere in the leadership elections in the National Assembly. Uncomfortable with this promise by the president and in apparent exhibition of their fears over using the democratic process for the emergence of National Assembly leadership, the party’s national leadership allegedly instigated by APC national leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, convened the gathering of the APC lawmakers a few hours before their inauguration at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, so that President Buhari would talk to them to toe the party’s line and ensure that Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon Femi Gbalabiajamila emerged Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively. The man who emerged Senate President, Bukola Saraki has since revealed that he did not get notice of the meeting. They don’t want him present to counter their position. Unfortunately for the conveners of the meeting, President Buhari did not show up. And to add insult to injury those that the party does not want emerged the leaders in the 8^th Assembly.

Since the party’s plan had gone awry the blame games have also intensified. Tinubu has blamed the president for the crisis saying his position not to take side was not in the interest of the party, saying even though the president may not have interest on second term, he is supposed to put the party’s interest first. Buhari ignored the Jagaban Borgu.

But the party supremacists are not done yet. Last week before the National Assembly convened to select their principal officers, the APC Governors’ Forum met in the wee hours of the night with President Buhari over party supremacy and the need to enforce the party’s position on the National Assembly leadership. After the lengthy meeting the chairman of APC’s Governors’ Forum, and governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha told reporters that the governors have tabled their position before the president adding that the National Assembly APC members must obey the party. This was also reinforced by the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who stated that the governors spoken with the president and that they (governors) as loyal party members was on the side of the party. It should be noted however that at no time since then has the office of the president issued a statement through either of Buhari’s media aides, Garba Shehu or Femi Adesina that categorically stated that the president was insisting that the APC lawmakers should toe the party line in his position as the party’s leader, even though the national publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said recently that Buhari is not the leader of the party, but a product of the party.

Similarly President Buhari last week met with the ‘anointed National Assembly leaders’ led by Senator Ahmed Lawan over the Assembly’s leadership. After the meeting the lawmakers claim that the president said that he was in support of the party’s position on the National Assembly’s leadership. As at the time of writing this, the office of the president was yet to issue a statement on the president’s position.

However it is doubtful if the president would go against his promise not to interfere in lawmakers’ leadership tussle despite the pressure from the party. If he does, it would portray him as inconsistent and not the strong leader that Nigerians elected because of his legendary firmness in decision making and execution. He was not elected to be swayed by political exigency.

It would also be contradictory to observers, because Buhari himself has publicly stated that he would choose the best hands as ministers and other aides to help him run the country. He has appointed 15 special advisers, with none of them imposed by the party. He has also reportedly said that he would not accept ministerial nominees from the state governors, who were the leaders of APC in their various states. This author also gathered that the delay in choosing his ministers was caused by the president’s eye for men of impeccable characters who are not necessarily nominated by the party’s leadership and Godfathers. The president as the leader of the party cannot have a different rule while others operate on different set of rules. That is why it is inconceivable that Buhari is insisting that Saraki and Dogara must toe the line of the party. That would be unlike Buhari. APC leaders are lying in his name.