“The overwhelming majority of members of the APC in Ogun State remain unshaken in their rejection of the gangsterism that has been visited on them in the conduct of the primaries.
“They remain resolved that the attempt to hand over their state and their patrimony to a rapacious gang of expansionists in the South West will be resisted, not only by members of the APC but by the entire people of Ogun State who are too enlightened to tolerate such abomination.”
This is an excerpt from Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, on the rift in the All Progressive Congress (APC) as a result of the primaries that produced its candidates for this election except that of the president.
Amosun made the statement in November 2018, and three months down the road, the import is the most canvassed narrative in the APC in particular and the country at large.
Former United States President, Bill Clinton, on Monday cancelled his planned and highly publicised trip to Nigeria ahead of the vote on February 16.
Clinton, alongside Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, were scheduled to visit Abuja this week on the fulcrum of the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF) and National Peace Committee (NPC) in ensuring a peaceful and credible election in Africa’s most populous nation.
The NPC had contacted Clinton and other world leaders to contribute to a peaceful election and transfer of power in Nigeria.
The NPC and KAF recall what befell Nigeria in 2011 when President Muhamadu Buhari was defeated by then President Goodluck Jonathan, and the killing of more than 200 Nigerians with about 40,000 others displaced when Buhari lost that election.
Clinton was scheduled as the keynote speaker at a ceremony where all the presidential candidates in this year’s election would sign a peace accord.
He called off the trip after seeing through the hearts of the Nigerian politicians, particularly, the leaders of the two main political parties – APC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – who are threatening Armageddon if they can’t get their way.
CNN reported that Clinton felt his visit could be “politicised”.
His spokesman, Angel Urena, said: “Over the course of the last several days, and after various conversations with the different stakeholders, it has become apparent that … Clinton’s visit to Nigeria has the potential to be politicised in a way that is not in line with the goals of the Committee.
“Therefore, he will not be traveling to Abuja.”
Urena explained that Clinton would continue to support the NPC‘s work toward peaceful and fair elections in Nigeria and would speak later this week with Buhari, of the APC, and his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP candidate.
“This is a crucial time in Nigeria, and … Clinton is hopeful that the election’s outcome reflects the will of the Nigerian people,” Urena added.
The cancellation of trip underscores the selfishness that is the other name of politicians in Nigeria.
When juxtaposed with the violence in Buhari’s rally in Abeokuta on Monday you understand why Nigerian politicians do not care a hoot about the electorate despite all the pretence.
Politicians and selfishness are inseparable. They are like conjoin babies. Whether they are presidents, governors, legislators or leaders of political parties (regardless of party affiliation), personal aggrandizement is the first rule for them.
When they want to romanticise their selfish interest they say politics is all about personal interest.
Violence broke out at the APC presidential rally at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.
While the huge crowd awaited Buhari’s arrival from Kwara State, alleged members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) chased away supporters of Ogun APC governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, from their seats.
APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, former Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, former APC interim National Chairman, Bisi Akande, were among APC chieftains awaiting the arrival of Buhari and his team.
Hoodlums from God knows where, attacked with stones, sticks, clubs, charms, and pounded on anyone wearing yellow attire, the colour of Abiodun’s campaign.
Some of his supporters hurriedly removed the clothes and caps bearing his insignia and vacated their seats.
Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; Tinubu; Minister of Transportation and Director General of Buhari Campaign Council, Rotimi Amaechi; Aregbesola; Akande; were among dignitaries who escaped the assault.
I prefer to say they escaped being killed instead of “being stoned” because if security operatives had not risen to the challenge the hoodlums would have embarrassed everyone in sight. And did they not?
Violence erupted when Oshiomhole was invited to the podium for his speech. He had hardly started speaking when the hoodlums began to hurl stones at him.
One of the pebbles landed in the direction where Buhari was seated.
Amosun’s repeated appeals to Area Boys (urchins) to respect the presence of Mr. President and save him from disgrace were not heeded.
But for a security operative who took the hit for Buhari, he would have been hit and possibly injured from the “weapon” fired by the hoodlums.
APC leaders were very angry. Tinubu, who was caught on camera flinging away the APC flag fuming, left the podium while Buhari was still making his remarks.
Different narratives have been adduced over what actually happened and who played what role, with some looking at immediate and remote causes.
But for now, we may deduce that the immediate cause is the fallout of the APC primaries that produced Abiodun, who is not in the good books of Amosun.
Amosun and his camp support Adekunle Akinlade, now governorship candidate of APM, who was rejected by APC National Working Committee (NWC), led by Oshiomhole.
The APC chose Abiodun, an oil magnet and associate of Tinubu.
For some time now, Tinubu and Amosun have been locked in egocentric politics while using innocent supporters or even associates like Abiodun and Akinlade as shield.
Amosun believes Tinubu and Oshiomhole conspired to deny his preferred candidate, Akinlade, the APC governorship ticket.
He said in a statement signed by his former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adedayo Adeneye: “We state without any fear of equivocation that no one, at least not on the side of … Amosun, has requested or expected Oshiomole to sell his conscience.
“The least we expect of him is to abide by the rules and guidelines of the APC. Oshiomhole knows, as we know, that in the instance of the last primaries in Ogun State, he has fallen short of the minimum standards of justice, equity and fairness.
“The resort to hiding under the false claims about ‘conscience and integrity’ is cheap.
“Oshiomhole knows that there were no other gubernatorial primaries in Ogun State than the one that produced … Akinlade as candidate.
“He knows that the primaries into national and legislative offices were won hundred per cent by those declared winner by the panel he sent to Ogun State to oversee the exercise.
“He knows that the shenanigan of unknown court injunctions, unknown appeal panels and all sorts unleashed on the process by him and his cohorts are premeditated schemes executed to deny the members of the APC their true choice of candidates in the elections.
“Our consolation lies in the fact that in the fullness of time, what remains unknown to the public will become bare and everyone will see Oshiomhole and his co-travellers for who they are.
“In his conduct, Oshiomhole has exhibited disdain for the interest of the APC and that of the national leader of the party, … Buhari.
“Amosun remains committed to his convictions about … Buhari and nothing in the shenanigan of the primaries will change that.
“Finally, Oshiomhole’s claim that only three state governors are aggrieved about the conduct of the primaries flies in the face of the nation-wide outcry that remains loud, trailing the exercise several weeks after.
“We remind him that in any case, justice is not dependent on the number of whom it has been denied. Injustice to one is injustice to all.
“The overwhelming majority of members of the APC in Ogun State remain unshaken in their rejection of the gangsterism that has been visited on them in the conduct of the primaries.
“They remain resolved that the attempt to hand over their state and their patrimony to a rapacious gang of expansionists in the South West will be resisted, not only by members of the APC but by the entire people of Ogun State who are too enlightened to tolerate such abomination.”
The violence unleashed on APC leaders in Ogun was premeditated as the party’s NWC said. The APC believes that Amosun designed and executed it.
However, if we must interrogate the selfish tendencies of our political leaders, including Buhari, Amosun, Tinubu, Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Abiodun, Akinlade and others, they are as culpable as the hoodlums who attacked them.
I have heard people accuse Amosun of anti-party activities and even ask that he be expelled from the APC.
The body language of the APC NWC underlined Amosun’s alleged culpability hence the promise that the sponsors of the violence will be sanctioned.
APC spokesman, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said: “This is one act of indiscipline too many. The APC will not condone acts of indiscipline, indiscretion and anti-party activities from any party member, no matter how highly placed.
“The party will review this gross misconduct of deliberately positioning thugs to attack and embarrass the president and the party’s leadership.
“The party will take a decision on this matter immediately after the elections.”
What hypocrisy?
Much as Buhari deserves respect and support from the people he leads, he as leader of the APC has not conducted himself to be seen to be above board in party matters, like those that set the APC on edge during and after the primaries.
What a leader of a party will tell his supporters (members) to vote the candidate of their choice in the governorship and other elections and vote for him in the presidential?
What other thing constitutes anti-party or indiscretion if the president sponsored by a party could tell his supporters to vote anybody outside their party’s candidate just because he wants to satisfy some interests?
The mother of APC anti-party activity is Buhari, hence I am not surprised over the outing in Ogun. He sowed the seed of what germinated in Ogun without knowing it by letting Amosun think he can get away with anything because of their closeness.
When Amosun visited Buhari in Aso Rock with Akinlade to advance their own political selfishness and anti-party activities in the name of supporting the president, I had expected Buhari to tell them outright that it is either they are with him in his party or not.
Buhari prefers to play selfish politics with Amosun, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, among other governors, whenever they pledge loyalty to him or show willingness to deliver for him during his own election and allow them cast their net elsewhere.
Where then lies the discipline, justice, fairness and equality that Buhari preaches in his party if he cannot demonstrate it regardless of whose ox is gored?
Perhaps what happened in Ogun would have first happened in Imo if the stakeholders had not agreed mutual respect for everyone, including Buhari when he visited Owerri.
May be again, Imo youth are not given to thuggery and vandalism.
Tinubu, Oshiomhole and other APC leaders know that Buhari has been playing anti-party, but for their own selfish interest as well they were tallying along.
Tinubu’s selfishness that made him work against former APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, in preference for Oshiohmole, another selfish party man who thinks he can dance away every problem of the APC on the podium with all manner of drumbeat.
APC appears more divided than ever and many people think Buhari may be working towards the party’s requiem.
A president or leader who cares only for his interest and papers over the interest of the majority on party matters is not worth the name. Or he is dangerous.
Even if you juxtapose the position of the NWC that, “No single person will be allowed to put his personal and selfish interests ahead of the wishes of the people of Ogun State and elsewhere,” you wonder if it was not the convergence of selfish interests that set the Ogun rally on edge.
Clinton must have seen through the depth of the selfishness of Nigerian politicians that will not allow them to heed wise counsel, more so when the APC has accused the international community of supporting the PDP.
As for APC leaders, who eats his cake and keeps it?