Political parties are owned by the people but managed by party elders and leaders. State governors are supposed to be loyal party followers, delegated by the party to administer the party policies in the states under their control, and not to dictate to the Party.
What is happening now is that party discipline and supremacy is now being painfully entrenched in APC. It had been destroyed right from the beginning when political expediency forced the party to put a weak man with zero knowledge of party administration as the Chairman.
Oyegun was a civil servant all his life before moving in very briefly as a State governor. He had nothing more than the “yes sir” mentality. So APC lacking a strong central leadership got the Party leadership fragmented. The Governors ruled supreme at their states, with each erecting personal political structures outside the party.
The NASS leadership was embarrassingly hijacked due to same weakness of the central Party structure, such that the machinery of State was perpetually in conflict with the selfish interest of the hawks, who emerged. Oyegun became a man that summoned national meetings as constitutionally stipulated and sat to watch the powerful leaders do as they liked.
**Okorocha decided to sponsor his son as governor in another party.
**”Filadephia” of Ogun supported his friend as governor in another party.
**Yari entered his bedroom and compiled those who would run elections in Zamfara.
**Saraki was leading APC members of NASS to approve policies to hurt the the Nation.
This is when the real progressive forces came in to instil party discipline and supremacy. But nothing good comes easy. These local power centres must fight back with the remnants of their supporters, but they are losing fast. Faster than they ever imagined.
Okorocha is now just a man trying to breath, while Yari is nowhere.
Amosun with his “Fila” is no more heard of, while Saraki is on compulsory retirement.
A few like Ambode that thought that they could continue the old order, now know better. Obaseki should now be begging God that no one takes him to court for Forgery and Perjury, with the substantial evidence in the public square.
From now on, those aspiring for leadership positions in APC must be disciplined and loyal party members. Let no one think that the current development in the APC will lead to an implosion. Nowhere. Even if there is an implosion, from the fragments, a Real Political Party will emerge, that will galvanize the progressives for leadership in 2022 and beyond.
That is the beauty of democracy.
Credit : Akin Omoz-Oarhe
