APC battle shifts to Anambra, Ekiti, Osun KUNLE ODEREMI writes on another major hurdle that the All Progressive Congress (APC) has to scale after securing an official nod as a new party in the country. OBI FAYEMI AREGBESOLATHREE states appear to be the veritable ground for supremacy battle with the successful berthing of APC, the acronym for the All Progressive Congress. Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states constitute the battle ground, where governorship polls have been lined up by the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC]. The performance of the new party in those polls could go a long way in determining the chances and public rating of the party ahead of the 2015 elections. In effect, the elections constitute an acid test for the political alignment, which has been a subject of public debate and scrutiny since it was conceptualised, coupled with the fact that a similar effort by the APC partners to build a grain coalition crumbled like the proverbial pack of cars in the past. The governorship elections, which will begin in Anambra State in November 16, 2013, will be the real test of the goodwill and integrity of the individual political players and their parties. It will also underscore what the parties represent in terms of manifesto and agenda for general development and wellbeing of the citizenry that APC claims it makes it different from PDP. The election will also establish the reality and myth about the perceived political influence of the so-called big wigs in the parties. Above all, the titanic battle will be another test of the degree of money politics in the country, which some observers believe has denied Nigerians true and quality representation at the different levels of government. Since Thursday, it has been celebration galore in the camps of the major parties that midwived APC. There were spontaneous euphoria in some states in the North, South-West and South-East, even from unlikely quarters such as the ruling PDP and the unrepentant establishment politicians like Alhaji Tanko Yakassai. The icing on the cake was a rally in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to welcome the party, which its interim National Secretary, Alhaji Tijani Tumsah, claimed “has the human resource to turn Nigeria’s economy around through the provision of regular power supply, creation of jobs, promotion of investment and industrialisation.’’ The air of ecstasy was also evident in the North-East, where APC interim National Vice Chairman,, Alhaji Umar Duhu, said the challenge now is how the party will live to the promise of its leaders to create a new vista in the political arena. “We have to match our words with actions by reaching out to them. We want to establish structures across the country beyond ward level. We want to be the first party to have structures at unit level.” Even such leaders like former military President General Ibrahim Babangida are optimistic that the development holds some promises for the Nigerian democracy. “We will now see more vibrant activities of political parties in the country. Every political party will now have to work harder to sell their candidates to the people.” The rally by APC members in Osogbo, attracted the state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori and other leaders such as Mr. Adebiyi Adelowo; Attorney General Wale Afolabi, former Secretary to the Osun State Government Sola Akinwumi teamed up with Mrs. Laoye-Tomori to rally support for the new party. An elated Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, who was of the now defunct ANPP, said “We have highly respectable people and this is why Nigerians have very high expectations from the APC we must then get to work immediately as a family, to think out of the box, to bring something new and concrete that is capable of making the difference.“ On the other hand, Yobe State Deputy Governor Abubakar Aliyu praised the commitment of the media to the cause of the APC registration. Aliyu, who spoke in Damaturu, equllay said the leaders had shown their commitment to making sacrifices in their quest to “save’ Nigeria.” The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who also played a key role in the making of APC, observed that with INEC giving the green light, “The Goliath now has a stone to contend with,” adding, “We will provide opportunities for change and choice.” In Benin, the flag of the defunct ACN State Chairman in Edo State, Thomas Okosun said APC’s registration marked the dawn of true democracy that is about to take place in this country because we are about to rescue Nigeria from the hands of those who have mismanaged our collective resources,” adding “We have a party determined to rescue this country from self inflicting damage.” Also basking in the euphoria of the development, the presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Alhaji Bashir Tofa, said after scaling the INEC hurdle, said, “Sacrifices have to be made, both personal and sectional, if we are to achieve the victories that are glaringly promised to us by the Nigerian electorate. Internal democracy and good, competent and acceptable candidates are the recipe for the successes we all hope for. But a sure way to failure is to do the opposite of these.” Second Republic presidential adviser Tanko Yakassai said: “Getting an opposition party that would attract the support from all parts of Nigeria is a positive development for our nascent democracy, as that will go a long way in promoting National Unity and Integration.” A Second Republic Deputy Senate President Alhaji Abubakar Dan-Musa said: “INEC has done the right thing; it is now left for the managers to also do what is right. The ball is now in their own court as the destiny of this party is in their hands.” But can APC leaders actually start singing hosanna, given the pattern and history of elections in the country since 1999? Is APC another fly in the pan? Are the leaders overrating their clout and influence? Or is the party a collection of aggrieved members of the political elite, who believe that they are being sidelined in mainstreem politics in the country? For instance, is it yet Uhuru for APC after scaling INEC’s hurdle, given the tantrums within ACN over the governorship ticket in Ekiti in particular, just as there is air of suspense and suspicion within the APC ranks over the governorship ticket in Osun. Tragically, neither can PDP assert that its house is in order in Osun, Ekit and Anambra States where the players are at one another’s jugular over wide-ranging issues, especially the consensus arrangement that led to bloodletting in a few places. Anambra PDP is still enmeshed in a crisis of supremacy, even with less than a year to the March 10 2014 end of Governor Peter Obi’s tenure. The party is split down the line, a party that ruled the state from 1999 to 2003 with Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju as governor. Meanwhile, PDP has fixed its state primaries for August 24, even as the leaders try to work out the possibility of producing a consensus candidate. Some PDP big wigs in the state include Senator Andy Uba; former minister of women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih; a former member of the House of Representatives, Nicholas Ukachukwu; PDP chairman in the state, Tony Nwoye; a former Senator, Emmanuel Anosike; Chairman, Gocuz Group of Companies, Obinna Uzor and an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Akachukwu Nwankpo. Others are Okeke Ugochukwu; Michael Okoye; Sylvester Okonkwo; Alexander Obiogbolu; Jerry Ugokwe; Walter Okeke; Charles Odunukwe; Chuba Ikpeazu, Eucharia Azodo; Donatus Okonkwo; Chuwuka Onyema; Onyenisi Obianuju; Kramer Agape Ifunayachukwu; Adimachukwu Calista and Chinyere Udemba. The ruling party, APGA, Governor Obi’s party, has Professor Dora Akunyili and Professor Chukwuma Soludo, as well as a number of political office holders who are in Obi’s faction of APGA. They include Senator Chris Anyanwu, representing Imo Central, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, Nigerian Ambassador to Spain; Eddie Mbadiwe- APGA Leader, House of Representatives (Imo State); Chris Azubogu, Emeke Nwogbo and Victor Ogene, members of the House of Representatives; Chief Chris Uche, Deputy National Chairman, South-East; Odi Nwosu, Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi; Professor Akunyili and a former member of the House of Representatives, Chuma Nzeribe. However, one of the major pillars of APC in the state and indeed at the national level is a former governor of the state and now a senator, Dr Chris Ngige. He was instrumental to the transformation of ACN, and other parties into APC, and since his controversial exit from the government house in Awka, his political stature and clout still loom large on the politics of Anambra. Ekiti Interestingly, until the registration of APC, it had been ACN all the way in Ekiti. The ACN could afford to ignore the cries of CPC members in the state during the negotiations because, and truly so, they were not many. Leading the pack in ACN is the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Chief Jide Awe, Chief Yemi Adaramodu, Chief Ibidapo Awojolu, Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua; Alhaji Azeez Awolokun and Mr Babatunde Ajayi. The PDP parades a number of politicians with intimidating presence and influence in the political circle even beyond Ekiti. They include Engineer Segun Oni, Chief Reuben Famuyibo, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Navy Captain. Caleb Olubolade, Mr Adebisi Omoyeni, Senator Clement Awoyelu, Dr. Dele Afolabi, Mr. Ayo Fayose, Abiodun Aluko, Second Republic Minister, Chief Bode Olowoporoku, Tope Ademuluyi and Makanjuola Ogundipe. Osun As of now, the dominant parties in the state are APC and PDP. Apart from the incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, the APC can boast of its national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and Chief Peter Babalola. On the PDP side are names like Prince Olagunsoye Oyinloa, Chief Iyiola Omisore, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Chief Layi Ogunrinade, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Dr. Olu Alabi, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chief Francis Fadahunsi, and Senator Felix Kolawole Ogunwale, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke [first executive governor and the former Senate Committee chairman on INEC (2007 – 2011. Others include Hon. Wale Oke, Rt. Hon. Patricia Etteh, Chief Adejare Bello, Senator Rasheed Akinlabi, Papa Yinka Omilani, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, Engineer Olajide Adeniyi, Hon.Ganiyu Ola-Oluwa and Erelu Olusola Obada, the Minister of State for Defence. NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 09:58:24 +0000
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