By Gidado Ibrahim
As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) re-strategise on how to actualise the “Renewed Hope” promised Nigerians, one of the issues that has dominated political discourse is the resignation of the former APC national chairman and secretary, Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, respectively. This development is nothing unusual as it is part of the repositioning and realignment towards a better APC that can deliver on its manifestos to Nigerians.
However, matters arising from the foregoing development has continued to generate reactions, especially since the president and governors reportedly expressed preference for the immediate past governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as Adamu’s possible replacement, with tongues wagging from certain quarters.
It is Ill-decision to throw away the baby and bath water, hence, it must stated here that those calling for caution in the choice of Ganduje have merit in their arguments, especially in view of the fact that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas, hails from North West, same as Ganduje. They believed that settling for Ganduje, means short-changing the North Central in the APC leadership sharing formular.
One thing that can be readily deduced from the foregoing analogy is that the disquiet is a conflict of political correctness/convenience over loyalty, competence, capability, proven track records and pedigree. At a critical juncture in Nigeria’s political history when the president and his team are saddled with the onerous task of pulling the country out of the woods, we cannot be seen to be talking about political correctness.
Should we sacrifice partisan politics on the altar of the good governance? At a strategic time like this should we settle for political correctness/convenience or competence and ability to deliver? Those are difficult choices before the APC and Nigerians to make. But if you ask me, needless we dissipate energy on issues of zoning at this critical period in the life of our nation.
We’re faced with myraid of national challenges and here we are prioritising mundane issues of zoning over pedigree. Make no mistake, I’m not downplaying the importance of zoning, especially as it will foster national unity. But we must also not downplay the inevitability of competence and quality experience if Tinubu and the APC must deliver quick wins for Nigerians, a country that is gradually sliding into despair.
For the records, Ganduje has been for the APC what shock-absorber is to a car. He has been a stabilising factor in the APC. Why not, if not? Because of his background as a trained teacher, he’s wired with the patience, solicitousness and wisdom of a fox to listen. He is 73 this year; that means age has bestowed on him what it takes.
If the time-tested saying that “experience is the best teacher” is anything to go by, then Ganduje is the best man to lead the APC to collaborate effectively with the president to implement the Renewed Hope manifesto. Recall that Ganduje began his political career in the defunct Second Republic, when he joined the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN), where he held the position of the assistant secretary for Kano State from 1979 to 1980. As the saying goes, old wine tastes better. Nothing can take the place of solid experience.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that the president was at his usual best in the choice of Ganduje if reports in this regard is anything to go by. In the whole push and pull, suffice it to throw more light on the central roles of political parties in good governance and by extension, sound implementation of party manifestos. Political parties are the fortress on which every virile democracy is anchored. Political party is to democracy what engine is to a car. Without it, no democracy can be so-called. That is why in advanced democracies, everything is thrown to the works to uphold political party supremacy.
Manifestos are crafted and defended by political parties. In this connection, it is the political parties that pens manifesto and market it to the electorates. If successful at the polls, the responsibility of implementation shifts to the president, who doubles as the party leader. The foregoing has laid bare the necessity of a strong synergy and unity of purpose that should exist between the political party leadership and the president. Only by so doing can the smooth implementation of the party’s policies and programmes be guaranteed.
The foregoing demands that a chairman of any political party should be a tested and trusted politician with unparalleled hands-on experience. It becomes more imperative if it concerns continental giant of democracy like Nigeria. A party that should over see the fate of over 200 million people should not be managed by amateur or slack hands. That is why the opinion of the president on the choice of a national chairman should be embraced by all in the interest of the country. As the saying in general parlance goes, “he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches.” Since the president is the implementor of the party policies and programmes, he should be allowed a free hand to choose Adamu’s successor. This is to avoid discordant tunes or conflicting views in the direction of government.
This brings me to the much awaited ministerial list and the needles anxiety being built around it. The president is only seven weeks in office. Why the rush? Isn’t it better to be meticulous than to rush and assemble a team that cannot deliver on the expectations of Nigerians. Besides, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the sake of equity, enshrines in Chapter 6, Part 1. Section 147 that the president must appoint a minister from each state of the federation. Where you have such constitutional encumbrances, extra care must be taken not to run foul of the grand norms.
Needless to remind Nigerians that with President Tinubu, not many things can pass the scrutiny. From his track records, he is a man of excellence. Agreed that the constitution mandates him to pick a minister, each from all states of the federation. But in doing so, the president is not a man who will lose focus of the ultimate goal, which is better life for Nigerians.
I must however sound this note of caution that everybody cannot become a minister at once. There are other areas individuals can render service to fatherland apart from ministerial positions. This note of caution is imperative because of the kind of acrimony that usually trails the composition of a ministerial list. Because of the enormous task ahead of the president, he must be allowed some space to assemble a formidable team that would serve Nigeria and Nigerians better.
I want to conclude on the note of affirmation that in multiparty politics, the political party is supreme. That’s why Analysts have opined that the strength of any democracy is in the supremacy of its political parties. For instance, in September 2008, the national executive committee of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s ruling party asked a sitting president, Thabo Mbeki, to resign over alleged abuse of power, one whole year to the end of his second term.
Another clarion example of party supremacy worth mentioning is the resignation of the former British Prime minister, Liz Truss in October 2022, who resigned as an act of personal courage consistent with her country’s political party system. Truss action was for a more fundamental reason, to wit, to protect the integrity of her political party.
In the United Kingdom supremacy of the parties is absolute. As prime minister is a servant of the political party. The list of countries that practices supremacy of political parties are endless. If not so, why not? Because the supremacy of political parties is the barometer through which the health of any democracy is gauged.
It follows therefore that Nigeria, as the largest democracy on the continent of Africa, cannot be different. The principle of party supremacy should be respected. Hence, President Tinubu should be given the free hand to choose his party’s national chairman and ministers that will align with his vision and programme for Nigeria.
At this point, suffice it to say beyond all the negative commentaries, the inevitable reality is that the National Assembly, Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practice and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as well as the great mas of Nigerians are waiting in anticipation of the flawless list of Mr President’s ministerial nominees.
May Almighty God bless our beloved country!
– Ibrahim is director, Communication and Strategic Planning, of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).