By Levinus Nwabughiogu
The controversy tailing the election of leaders of the 8th National Assembly may have been consequent upon the mistakes made by the national leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC.

This sounds incredible. It was unexpected. Was it a coup, a broad day light robbery or just a fate? What fate? Why would the party suffer to wash its hands clean only to crack the palm kernel for its “enemy?”

APC MEMBERS Photo: Sunday Aghaeze.

Complacency: that is the party’s funeral. The APC returned from a war called election. Yes, it recorded a landslide victory but later went to sleep. The worst was that the party thought that having produced the president, General Mohammadu Buhari who was successfully sworn in on May 29, every other thing would be given for the asking of it.

But that was a lie, a huge one at that. Before now, there were other hurdles to cross. The Senate presidency and the Speakership of the House of Representatives were the hurdles. Those offices needed to be filled and it would naturally take the form of an election, any kind of election to fill them. And APC knew that. They also knew that they had the out-gone ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, their “enemy” to contend with. But it is either they were completely oblivious of this fact or that they took things for granted.

Yes, they did. That was why the party that should have continued to square up against a common enemy until victory was finally achieved completely threw caution to the winds and and started an all out, in-house war with itself, refusing to learn from the terrible mistakes of the PDP.

Internal partisanship, subtle discrimination, individual superiority, skewed political idiosyncrasies; these are some of the mistakes. Otherwise, how can anyone justify the unprecedented level of intrigues, horse-trading and mudslinging that played out amongst members of the party, just because there was an upcoming election into the offices of senate president and House Speaker of the 8th National Assembly?

That someone so high in the party had a tenacious interest in the offices doesn’t mean that everyone else’s interest should not be given even the minutest consideration. That someone so mighty had interest in one or two persons, positioning them for  the offices should not have caused a sharp division and hatred among party members, senators-elect and members-elect (as they were then called). That meetings after meetings were summoned by the party leadership should not have being to take sides with some preferred choices and jettison the others with perhaps, less vocal prowess in the party affairs. That some one so powerful helped to install a president shouldn’t have made him the lord of the manor.

In democracy, you don’t foist or impose your unilateral decisions on others and damn them. You make seek opinions in the consideration of the atmospherics. Politics is about give and take. It is about compromises. Sometimes, you can even forgo their ambitions especially when they run at variance with popular but to you unpopular views.

But that wasn’t the case in APC as far as the National Assembly leadership election was concerned. Anyone who says it was, is being economical with the truth.

At a time in APC, both Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara who are now Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively were seen in most quarters of party as enemies just because they were “stubborn”, yes, positively stubborn with their ambitions.

Now, the picture is even clearer. In case you do not know, they are not only recalcitrant but rebels, the black sheep of the family. You can bet this to emanate from the mouths of most party members who have chosen to be lackeys and also subservient of the powers-that-be in the party.

How it all started

April 22, 2015 proved a troubled day for APC hierarchy. President Mohammadu Buhari, and his vice Professor Yemi Osibanjo, both in their former garb of president and Vice President-elect together with a horde of other party national leaders had some difficulty in taking a decision on which geopolitical zones that would produce the senate president and the speaker of the House. They were louder on the senate president and the party subtly zoned it to the North central. No one had qualms with that. It was voted and immediately Senator Bukola Saraki, former Governor of Kwara State and his colleague senate who was also a two term governor of Benue State and in fact, the minority leader of the 7th Senate, George Akume declared their ambition.

What came as a rude shock however was the sudden interest of the south west in the speakership of the House after the meeting had shown predilection for north east.Then, the horse-trading began. Dogara, a Minority Christain from Bauchi State was massively favored for the position of the speaker was almost written off at the beginning.

But when it became obvious that his candidacy was gathering momentum and that some artificial issues were working against the preferred choice of the big people in APC, they shifted their interest to north east. Destination: Yobe State and Senator Ahmed Lawan was picked. But that was apparently not in good faith. It was seen by many people as a move to dislodge Dogara since it was not possible for the senate presidency and speakership to be given to one particular zone.

Already, the south west, particularly Lagos state through the instrumentality of a powerful party  leader had thrown up Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for the great contest for the office of Speaker.

Indeed, everything was put into  project just as Lawan also had everything from his paymasters to secure the seat of senate president.

Retreats as campaign grounds

For one, no one expected the pre-inauguration retreats organized by the APC leadership for the senators-elect to turn to campaign grounds. Held at Ibeto Hotels in Abuja, the event was well attended. But the hall became empty mid way into paper presentation when Senator Banabas Gemade, leader of Unity Forum alongside senators of like minds called for a press conference and endorsed Lawan and Akume as their choices for senate presidency and deputy respectively.

The development rattled Saraki’s camp and within hours, the camp organized theirs and got over 30 signatures for Saraki.

The same scenario also played out at Rockview Hotel, venue for House Members-Elect retreat. Even before the meeting started, Hon. Mohammed Monguno from Borno had called a press conference and announced his withdrawal from the speakership race for Gbajabiamila. He however pitched tent with the office of the deputy Speaker. And you can bet that fliers and all sorts of campaign items for Gbajabiamila were handy. Later that day, Gbajagbiamila accepted Monguno’s withdrawal.

But in all these, Dogara’s supporters were firm and resisted every overtures made to them. This placed the party on tenterhooks, knowing that Gbajabiamila’s candidacy was not “marketable”.

Yet, the party was not done in its desperation to produce a Gbajabiamila as speaker and a Lawan as senate president.

Again, they scheduled for an emergency meeting all of members-elect of the National Assembly on June 4 at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja. But it failed. The party was to later say it was put off due to the valedictory session of the 7th Senate and rescheduled it for Saturday Saturday, June 6.

The rescheduled meeting eventually held, but not without a provocation to many members of the House who staged a walk out. Dogara and his supporters left the hall and the meeting eventually produced Gbajabimila and Lawan as APC official candidates for the offices through a mock or straw poll.

But that was to the dissatisfaction of Dogara’s camp who felt “ambushed” as they were not told an election would hold to mobilize their supporters. Despite the “defeat”, they trudged on.

Meetings with Buhari, Osibanjo—the last straw

On Monday, the eve of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, also the day of the election of the leadership, another meeting was also summoned apparently to tame the recalcitrant Dogara, Saraki and co. This time, with the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo but no one showed up.

Apparently perturbed by Dogara and Saraki’s resilience and alliance with the opposition PDP lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly, another meeting was scheduled with the all APC senators and members-elect.

This time, the organizers went a little further in their craftiness. They cleverly involved President Mohammadu  Buhari, the man who had just arrived the country barley 5 hours after an exhaustive session with the G7 in Berlin, Germany.

But then, they were in for the worst shocker. Unknowingly.

The coronation day

In a warfare, surprise can beat even the strongest. And this, exactly, was what played out at the National Assembly on Tuesday. Clearly, both the gods and the people rejected senators Lawan and Akume. Otherwise, how can anyone believe that on the coronation day, both men were not anywhere around the palace? They clearly behaved like the foolish 5 virgins who went to search for oil at night after they had waited patiently for the celebrant. Just when they stepped out, the ceremony started and the doors were shot. And that was it.

Lawan and Akume who had campaigned so vigorously for the offices were not even around on the Election Day. Where were they? At the ICC with their masters as loyal party men waiting for the arrival of president Buhari when elections were going on at the senate.

In fact, anyone who saw the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu immediately words reached them that Saraki and senator Ike Ekwerenmadu had been elected senate president and deputy senate president would agree that the blood of an old man can be so hot when he is angry.

Upon hearing the news, Tinubu up mechanically began to pace about in fury, clearly avoiding some Journalists who rushed to him to ascertain what the next move would be. It took the blockage, nay human shield immediately formed around him by papa Bisi Akande to stop Journalists.

But the Saraki had already become the president. Unbelievable!!!

Meanwhile, even if Buhari was there at the time, his presence would not have limited the speed with which the members-elect who were at the meeting ran back to the House. Indeed, both Gbajabiamila and Dogara got lucky that the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa started with the senate election first. Otherwise, that same fate would have befallen one of them.

Our party should accept their mistake—Hon. Philips

Hon. Shuaibu Philips, a first timer on the Inauguration Day made history by seconding the motion that nominated Gbajabiamila.

But later in a reaction, he told Vanguard that APC made a mistake and should accept their mistakes.

He said: “The reaction is positive because members spoke in a loud voice though the contest was very close. For the the closeness also showed that APC has men of integrity and honour that the 8th assembly members can rally round. For Femi and him to have that close contest, 8 votes separating them shows that two of them are men of integrity and since one of the two won, it is left for all of us to support Dogara to make sure that he succeeds because if Dogara succeeds, APC succeeds. For me, I feel that what has happened is democracy at play. May be, APC members that conducted the polls that brought in Femi did not see what other members saw. May be that was why the poll went that way and for me, it is accepted and we should all rally round Dogara and I am he will do well.

“I agreed with that. I participated in the poll because the party wanted us to do that. For me, at the time it came it was not necessary. That’s my candidate opinion but I have to respect the wish if the party doing.

But in my personal opinion, if something should have happened, it should have happened earlier. For me, our leadership should take responsibility first. We should remember now that we are no longer an opposition. We are now the ruling party and we should act like one. I think we are still behaving like the opposition party and that also played out in the whole thing. But I am sure we will learn by this experience.

“The party has not declared it unacceptable. I am part of the party. I am a member of the party. The party has not called us to a meeting to discuss it yet. I am sure that when the party calls us to discuss it, this issue will be settled without any major rancour. It is obvious that one or two persons may not have done the wish of the party but at the sane thing, the party should a,so look at from the point of a learning process. The blame should be thrown to both sides. The party on its own side did not provide enough leadership. That’s the way I feel and with due respect to my party, since we didn’t show enough leadership, I think we should all embrace that there were leadership and talk to ourselves and at the end of the day correct all those mistakes. Th truth is that what Nigerians expect from us is not leadership tussle. What they expect from us is that change they voted for and what is that change: that from darkness, they now want light. And that from unemployment, they now want employment; that from no water to availability of water; from an economy that has dwindled to a better economy. That is what Nigerians are waiting for. And I think the earlier we cut down on who is the Speaker, who is the Senate president, better for us.

Was the election an attempt to whittle Tinubu’s power?

This is the question on the lips of most keen observers. For sure, Tinubu possess enormous power in APC. The Vice President was his candidate. To many people, allowing him to produce the speaker of the House and senate president would make him more powerful. With that he could do anything.

Court action

Meanwhile, Lawan and Akume’s group on Wednesday threatened court action against Saraki. But Would that play out? The days ahead hold the answer.

Gbajabiamila, Mongonu accept defea, pledge support to Dogara’s speakership

While the senators who lost power in the power game are threatening a court action, the duo of Gbajabiamila and Mongonu who were roundly beaten have accepted their fate with equanimity and pledged to work with Dogara for the interest of the nation. Both made the pledged on Thursday when they led their supporters to the APC national secretariat.

Gbajabiamila:said: “We have just gone through an election in the House, so we came to meet with the party regarding the election and how the party is going to remain strong and united and move forward so that we can deliver the deliverables and programme of the party through the House.

“Go to court for what? I don’t know about the senate. I can only speak about the House. Nothing happened in the House.

“We will work with the leadership of the House and the speaker, for long that the party’s programme are properly articulated and pursued on the floor of the House. We will work with the leader of the House. He is an APC member. He is not the Speaker of the APC. He is the speaker of the whole House.”

Asked if he was in support of the party’s position to take disciplinary action against the erring members, the former Minority leader of 7th House of Representatives said “That is the prerogative of the party. All I know is that in every association, there must be discipline. Whatever the party decides to do, that is for the party. It is not for me.”

Similarly, Hon. Mohammed Monguno who ran for the office of the House deputy speaker from Gbajabiamila’s camp but lost to Yusuf also told Journalists they would allow peace to reign in the interest of the nation.

He however regretted that some members of the party ignored APC’s decision.

“Some members refused to respect the decision of the party and went to the floor of the House to conduct an election where with the support of majority of PDP members, some people emerged as Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives. As it is now, that is a reality that is on ground and we have to deal with it.

“We will not take any step that is going to affect the interest, peace, order and good governance of this country. The emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly is a reality on ground and far as the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria is concerned, we have to deal with the reality on ground particularly the leadership of the House of Representatives”, he said.

President Buhari’s disturbing silence

Meanwhile, not a few party men and women are currently disturbed by the silence of president Mohammadu Buhari on the matter. Many had expected that he, being the leader of the party, could influence party’s choice. Even before the election Buhari made it he would not interfere in the National Assembly elections.

He kept his words. And this has elicited several subtle feelings in many people who are persuaded to think that a conspiracy of some sort may have occurred. But to be fair to Buhari, anyone who reasons this way is yet to understand the president when he repeatedly said he had no candidate for the National Assembly top jobs and was not not backing anyone. The person may not have also understood Buhari when during his inauguration he echoed that he belonged to no one but everyone. For him, he would work with any one who emerged. And it is assumed he would have no problems working with the leaders that have emerged irrespective of party affiliations.

Last line

From all indications, it appears that though “change” is APC’s motto, the party is yet to fully grasp the meaning. For Buhari, the repented soldier turned democrat, change has come and never would things be done as usual again. The earlier the party understands this, the better for them and Nigerians. APC should accept what has happened and provide governance for the country.