On Saturday, June 6, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) held its national convention in Awka.
Former National Working Committee (NWC) members led by Victor Umeh handed the reins of power to Victor Oye, the new National Chairman. Oye has been described as another good party man, deeply rooted in party politics.
The change of guard ended the insinuations by conspiracy theorists in and outside APGA who never saw anything good in the determination of the former NWC to hand over to another democratically elected NWC.
At the convention, which attracted party members from across the country, faces who were never expected to be on the new executive made the list in a reportedly well organised affirmation in line with the constitution of the party.
APGA Nasarawa State governorship candidate in the last general election, Labaran Maku (former Aviation Minister in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan), was elected National Secretary.
Other executive members include former Anambra Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Ivy Obi-Okoye (National Publicity Secretary); Uchenna Okafor (Deputy National Chairman, South); Mike Kwentoh (National Organising Secretary); Ifeanyi Mbaeri (Legal Adviser); P.K. Jegede (National Auditor); Amaka Ezinne (Women’s Leader); Aliyu Dogis (Deputy Women’s Leader).
Before the convention the offices were said to have been zoned and the forms dispatched to all the zones which party members filled out and returned to the national headquarters.
All the 35 NWC members emerged via consensus. The highpoint of the convention, which was rancour free, was the voice vote affirmation in accordance with the APGA constitution and the inauguration of the new executive members.
I am glad the new leadership has pledged to take APGA to another height, and more importantly, a party that will be difficult to beat at the ballot box. I am also glad that Oye has promised not to disappoint members, and that he would ensure that APGA asserts itself in Nigeria’s political space.
Recognising that there is strength in unity, one of the things which Oye promised to do is reconcile aggrieved party members, and ensure that all lovers of the party have a role to play in ensuring that the spirit of APGA is upheld.
I am encouraged by the firmness which Oye has shown early by promising not to tolerate indiscipline. And that is where I commend Umeh for the leadership qualities he demonstrated for the nearly 10 years he was in the saddle.
Umeh worked, day and night, in and out of court, and sacrificed a lot in the interest of the party. Despite the shenanigans of some individuals who were more interested in occupying party offices through blackmail, treachery, character assassination to undermine him, he held his head high until he handed over on June 6.
There probably would not have been an APGA today holding a convention where a Maku and Obi-Okoye, all known persons in the PDP of yesteryears, would have been glad to belong to the APGA family of the future.
Oye will be doing himself and the party a great disservice if he approaches the leadership with the mindset of only a good party man who may not want to hurt anyone, therefore failing to instill discipline, order, obedience to party constitution, and other things expected of a good leader.
Said Umeh: “One of the greatest problems in our party bothers on indiscipline. The unactualised political ambition of a party member should not be the basis for launching attacks on the party leadership.
“To checkmate the ugly trend we have made adequate provisions in Section 22 of the amended APGA constitution.”
Indiscipline is not peculiar to APGA. Therefore, indiscipline did not go away with Umeh era. Some party members, whom I regard as entrepreneurs of indiscipline because they eat from being indiscipline, will only change their strategy.
Oye should pray that APGA members will be loyal and patient, and cooperate with the new leadership while pursuing their aspirations through and within the party.
Those who do not want you to succeed may tell you not to seek Umeh’s advice. If there is any living APGA chieftain with experience on how to run the affairs of the party it is first and foremost Umeh.
Umeh saw it all in APGA – the intrigues, gains, losses. He is in a position to talk about the future of APGA.
Ask former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, ask his successor, Willie Obiano. They will tell you that Umeh was not a leadership push over. That is what Oye has to be in order to take APGA to the level Umeh could not.
Change becoming real
When Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu) was elected Deputy to Senate President Bukola Saraki (APC, Kwara) on June 9 to steer the ship of the eighth National Assembly (NASS) against the expectations of the new ruling party, something told me Nigerians are in for real change.
That was the first time someone from an opposition party would be elected to such a high office in the NASS in this dispensation.
Opinions have been divided as to what could have prompted the Saraki-led Senate, but Nigerians of good will and conscience locate the development at the independence of the legislature, or better still, independence of the three arms of government – which make democratic experience worth the while all over the globe, and which has been our prayer.
Those threatening fire and brimstone against the elections in the NASS do not love this country. Good days are ahead of us and the APC should see the development that way, instead of the old line of thinking that Bola Tinubu, a leader in the party, and others have been shortchanged.
Nobody has been shortchanged, including Tinubu who said he cannot recognise Saraki as Senate President.
The likes of APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, ought to rethink some of their recent comments in the light of what President Muhammadu Buhari thinks and believes; not what one individual or a group of party men think and hope to gain from sponsoring members into political offices.
Rather than march Saraki to the slaughter house, the APC should be proud of his political intelligence and find a way of warehousing him for his rare outing that beat all the masters of the game.