It had looked like it would never come even after the letters had been written and the relevant documents submitted. But after months of controversy, scheming, intrigues, accusations and counter-accusations between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the promoters of the opposition merger All Progressives Congress (APC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last Wednesday, registered the new party; thus laying to rest, at least for now, speculations that the electoral umpire was out to scuttle the self-proclaimed opposition party, whose primary objective, as articulated by its promoters, is to save Nigeria from “the years of the locusts foisted on the country.”
With a slogan in place, a logo on the card and now, the registration certificate, the merger by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) into the APC has finally gone beyond mere symbolic gestures to a measure of substance. This development has ushered in a new dawn in the political landscape of the country. Certainly, a united political platform; even if only to give Nigerians a choice as an alternative to the PDP, is good news for Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
The PDP dismissed the APC as merely a change of flag by the opposition which “does not remove their dictatorial tendencies and penchant for deceit and propaganda for which Nigerians have rejected them irrespective of party name.” The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Tony Okeke, said it “will continue to maintain its pre-eminent position” and challenged the opposition to “eschew all forms of bitterness and desperation and desist from politics of propaganda which characterized their former parties…we hope to see a vibrant opposition that will constructively engage the PDP on issues of governance in a way that Nigerians will be the utmost beneficiaries instead of overheating the polity by promoting violence and hatred among the people.” These glib comments are unhelpful to the PDP.
The APC might still a work in progress, but going by the reactions that have trailed the registration from eminent Nigerians across the board, it seems Nigerians are genuinely desirous of its success. The onus is therefore on the APC leaders not to disappoint Nigerians. In truth, 14 years of PDP rule at the center has pushed the country no closer to the people’s expectation. In every area of national life – infrastructure, education, health, power, national and human security – there are only uninspiring stories of failure. Surely, Nigeria needs an alternative to the PDP and hopefully, the APC will provide such a platform that may eventually lead Nigeria unto the path of a viable two-party democratic state with politics devoid of the overbearing influences of the forces of identity, particularly ethnicity and religion.
The APC already has its work cut out with the reigning crisis in the PDP. The rancorous and highly distracting issue of 2015 has effectively divided the PDP into two camps – those in support of a second mandate for President Goodluck Jonathan and those perceived to oppose it. The fallout has been a sickening reflection of the despicable depth of politicking in the PDP and testifies to the incapacity of the governing party to even self-govern. The crisis pitting Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and known loyalists of the President is also a damning commentary on the abysmal failure of the PDP to meet the very basic requirements of unity of thought and action, discipline and coherence. This is best illustrated by the fact that the crisis is engineered by the PDP against one of their own, whose only offence is to have contested and won a free and fair election.
It is a shame indeed, that a majority of the 36 governors, who are PDP members, cannot hold a rancor-free election into their own leadership! It speaks volumes about their credentials as democrats, and further diminishes the ruling party and its leader, President Goodluck Jonathan! That the wrangling is totally unconnected with how the PDP can raise the quality of governance in the country is even more shameful. Contrary to the desire of Nigerians or the demand of these trying times, the PDP has become one more source of disturbance and distraction, turning its internal troubles, fueled by ego and vanity, into the trouble of Nigeria and its people. This is evidently a betrayal of trust.
The PDP seems to have lost its sense of direction and has become an object of ridicule in the eyes of reasonable peoples of the world. In the face of its self-inflicted disasters, the PDP has been an untold embarrassment; standing idly by and even shamelessly taking side as its governors are used against each other. The President, whose party by its conduct in office has become a big problem for this country, must recognize that he has a major blame for whatever happens to the country. But can the APC provide a viable and formidable platform of mobilization and organization towards national revival? Contemporary history of Nigerian politics shows that coalition building is not tea party. Vexatious issues such as power sharing, zoning arrangement, as well as clash of personalities and interests have always been the bane of sustainable coalition building in Nigeria. The APC leaders will have to work extra hard to avoid falling into the pitfalls of previous experiences. There is much that the APC, if it wants to be taken seriously, can and must learn from the mistakes of the PDP. Its leaders must eschew politics of pettiness and personal aggrandizement in favour of a higher goal: the public interest. The import of this is that all parties involved must be willing and able to make sacrifices where necessary, including the personal ambitions of the politicians, in the overall interest of Nigeria.
Those seeking to lead the APC must realize that any failure in leadership endangers, not just the APC, but Nigerian democracy. The point must, however, be made that just forming a united front against the PDP is certainly not a sufficient basis of optimism among Nigerians. It is, therefore, crucial to raise critical questions, as many Nigerians are already doing, about the real motivations for the APC and its prospects: Is it genuinely about the promotion of the public interest or just a desire to oust the PDP from power? Can the new opposition alliance go beyond the addiction of some of its founding members to confrontational and garrison politics of sloganeering and political propaganda? Put into context, can the APC offer alternative perspectives of politics and governance for national development?
The APC will become meaningful only if it can bring about positive change in governance. Nigerians expect a transition from the “do-or-die” elite-driven, top-down politics, characterized by systemic corruption and general underdevelopment, as has been the case under the PDP; to one where the people are not only treated as the real owners, but also the main drivers and primary stakeholders of politics, democracy and development. Attaining such a feat demands the APC to articulate an unambiguous alternative conception of power and politics that accommodate higher ideals and values of democracy and governance. This calls for a clear progressive agenda, carefully developed into a national manifesto. The APC should also extend its negotiations to all probable sources, including elements within the PDP who share their vision of a new Nigeria. In this regard, the reformist elements within the PDP should be directly targeted for the sake of Nigeria. The task of rescuing Nigeria requires a broad-based coalition that transcends current party divides. Herein lies the challenge of governance.
