By Simon Ebegbulem

Amid the rash of distractions being sponsored by political foes, it is significant and apposite to redirect focus from the mundane and the ridiculous to the sublime that typifies the political voyage of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, especially his stewardship in the saddle as national chair in the last one year.

Adams Oshiomhole

When he assumed office on June 24, 2018 and made a commitment to lead the charge in the arduous task of cleansing the Augean stables of indiscipline and festering contempt for party supremacy that the former leadership of the party appeared too laid-back or impotent to deal with, the comrade chair was not under the illusion that it would be a jollity.

But to be sure, Oshiomhole is a good dancer were his new assignment to be a basketful of fun and dance. He would have effectively and proficiently played the role of a prima ballerina. Those who had seen him dance during electioneering would agree that he is always ready to take up the gauntlet thrown down by devotees or thespians that can mime or pantomime such dance steps as shakushaku, awilo, et al.

However, on the flip side, which exposes and expresses his somber outlook, is the true image of a committed leader that is eternally poised to put his nose to the grindstone in pursuit of excellence and success in all of his enterprises. Never afraid of taking up challenges, the comrade chair enthusiastically set out to work to rebuild and reinforce the foundations of the party that were shaky due to numerous internal crises bedeviling the party at that intersection.

He confronted the threats by prominent leaders of the party including the former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as well as some governors to dump the party. Deploying his powers of negotiation and persuasive skills as a former labour leader, he was able to mitigate the planned collateral damage that the elements wanted to inflict on the party. The number of people that eventually left the party was not up to one quarter of those that would have left had he not deployed his political legerdemain.

Therefore, upon reflections, it was providential that the former governor of Edo state became the party’s national chair by consensus about this time last year. Reputed for excelling better in crisis situations, Oshiomhole took the bull by the horns in his usual determination to bring sanity to the party. Indeed, he was only fulfilling the promise he made while accepting his nomination as national chair at the 2018 National Convention of the APC. Oshiomhole had appreciated the enormity of the problems bedeviling the party and had served notice that he would lead a National Working Committee (NWC) that would embark on far-reaching reforms. He harped on party discipline and supremacy.

According to him, “I want to state that we stand at a great threshold of history when the work already begun by our APC government can be given stronger teeth, anchored on the will of the people and a passionate commitment to the common good of all. Going that way may seem impossible to the faint-hearted but our party is not of such people. As Nelson Mandela once said, ‘It always seems impossible until it happens.’ Our goal is to mobilize our Party and the people of Nigeria, to make the dreams of the founding fathers of our country possible.

“From the time it became clear that I was going to be returned unopposed; I have received a plethora of goodwill messages. That is the easiest part of the task before me and my Exco. I accept that challenges lie ahead for the new Exco and the Party. But the good news is that where others see challenges as a setback, we see opportunities to dominate our environment, motivate our members with clarity of purpose, deploy fresh ideas, be more committed to produce results and rebuild the party.”

According to Comrade Oshiomhole, “It will no longer be business as usual in party affairs. From membership, discipline, funding, party management and respect for Party Constitution, to conduct of party members in the arms of government; working with the President, we shall reinvent the ability to reward positive conduct and sanction recalcitrant, anti-party conduct. We must agree to collectively look into ways to demonetize and democratize our primaries and manage unrealistic number of aspirants for elective positions. To be an aspirant for any office is not a rank or statement of status. Similarly, we work as quickly as possible as a Party, to develop a credible and dependable Party register as a pre-condition for strengthening our democratic practices.”

One year down the line, the Oshiomhole-led NWC had not deviated from its promise to APC members and Nigerians; and, from all indications, the APC is far more formidable than ever, especially now that it has in its kitty the 2019 presidential election victory. But then, the victory and celebrations did not come easy. Victory has been achieved on the platform of discipline, even though resistance by entrenched forces led to setback in some states. For instilling party discipline, the Oshiomhole-ed NWC had received bashing from many quarters within the party.

In the past, powerful individuals hijacked the party to the detriment of the ordinary members; but to his credit, the Oshiomhole-led NWC retrieved the party from these individuals and returned it to the people who gave President Muhammadu Buhari the overwhelming votes in 2015. To achieve that, he stepped on toes. It is thus understandable the opposition and agitation to get him out of the way. Certainly, Oshiomhole’s adversaries are not after him because he had offended them but because he is resilient in ensuring that the constitution of the party is implemented to the letter.

Nobody can deny the fact that he is blessed with oratorical prowess. He is also a powerful and very firm negotiator. He was able to maintain a balance between those who were ready to negotiate to stay back in the party and those who propped up unrealistic conditions knowing full well they had crossed the Rubicon. He was able to halt the movement of those who were reasonable and galvanised party leaders across the nation to ensure the re-election of President Buhari despite the campaign of calumny employed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In spite of the majority seats won by the APC in the National Assembly, Comrade Oshiomhole did not rest on his oars. Acting in concert with President Buhari, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders of the APC, he ensured the emergence of the party’s endorsed candidates as presiding officers of the 9th Assembly. He had vigorously campaigned for them in the progressive spirit of the APC. The mindset was democratic. Nobody was shooed out of the race. But one thing was clear; he worked hard to destabilize the plot by the PDP to reenact the 2015 tragic drama.

It is celebratory that today, Senator Ahmed Lawan is senate President; Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is his Deputy while Femi Gbajabiamila and Ahmed Idris Wase are Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. The essential motivation remains writ large: Oshiomhole’s belief that the emergence of passionate party leaders as presiding officers will pave way for a smooth and cordial relationship between the APC-led Federal Government and the National Assembly; and that to a large extent it will accelerate President Buhari’s development programmes.

Post-2019 general election victory especially at the level of the presidency is a good enough insulator for the plethora of knocks by sworn enemies and critics. The comrade chair is thus keeping his eyes on the ball: to consolidate the achievements of the last one year before the 2023 general election. Criticisms, however, strengthen him. Therefore, no matter how his adversaries may review his one year in office, the APC under Oshiomhole has remained solid and enticing for politicians seeking political positions.

The issues the APC had in some states were due to the internal political disagreements among leaders in those affected states. In some states, where the APC governors disagreed with the decisions of the NWC, Nigerians saw how the party ran into trouble in those areas. Unfortunately, those who are not conversant with the politics of those areas have placed the blame at Oshiomhole’s doorstep. That is the price to pay for leadership.

But with the re-election of President Buhari, the successful election of presiding officers of the National Assembly and the on-going reforms that are focused on party discipline, supremacy and internal democracy, it is in apple-pie order to surmise that Oshiomhole’s one year in office has been a huge success. And with the continuous support of party members and leaders, the Oshiomhole-led NWC will prep the APC for electoral victory in 2023 and beyond.

· Ebegbulem is the Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman of the APC