By Kennedy Peretei
Let me take reference from the lines of American Poet and Playwright, Lawrence S. Pertillar in his poem ”The beginning of the end.”
“It is the beginning of the end,
Of delusions craved with promises,
Made to fake them.
And a return of prosperity…
Shared exclusively between,
Those rich and wealthy?
Well…
Only the ones kept on knees,
Are those less fortunate,
Loving to have their dreams wished,
Continually teased”
Those familiar with the story of General Muhammadu Buhari’s journey to Aso Villa will recall that, after three previous disastrous attempts at the presidency, he wept bitterly like a baby.
The wanton destruction of lives and properties especially in North-West Nigeria, at his instigation, after the 2011 presidential election results were declared, should have been enough for him to stay the rest of his life in jail if former President Goodluck Jonathan acted like Buhari is acting now.
Just yesterday, during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, with the theme: “Consternation a Veritable Process in Deepening Democratic Norms, Values and Culture: The APC story” Gov Mai Malla Buni, represented by Senator John Akpanudoedehe gave an insight as to what his executives have in stock for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Buni, who is the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, “No man was born a slave, so resistance to oppressive tendencies is inherent in every human being…The conventional system of one strongman in politics is no longer fashionable in the APC under me”.
If one were to carefully digest the complete text of Buni’s outburst against “a strong man in politics” not strong men, the construction of his mind was already revealed in his speech. But let us leave Buni for now as he battles legitimacy issues with Hon. Ntufam Eta, estranged National Vice Chairman, South-South, who is challenging the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole’s National Executive Committee in the Law Court.
The All Progressives Congress was founded on 6th February 2013, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave official approval to the party on 31st July 2013. From the very first blast of the whistle, it was apparent that it was an assemblage of strange fellows.
The document for establishing the party was signed by Chief Tom Ikimi (represented Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN); Senator Anni Okonkwo (represented a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA); Mallam Ibrahim Shekerau (Chairman, All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP merger Committee) and Garba Shehu (Chairman, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC merger Committee).
These crop of politicians consummated the party under the Leadership of two-term Governor of Lagos State who is till today acknowledged and referred to as “Leader” of the APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
As the fireworks for the 2015 general election intensified, a breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi in league with four other Governors and National Assembly members dumped the PDP to join forces with Senator Tinubu. Amaechi and his group called themselves nPDP.
Interestingly, the signs that the Chickens will soon come home to roost were very evident, at least for keen observers.
Leader of the APC who mobilised human and financial resources for the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Presidential Candidate did not believe in Buhari’s capacity to lead Nigeria. He probably did so with the hope of personally benefitting from a fractured and dysfunctional system with collective amnesia.
Before 2015, Tinubu remarked that “Buhari is an agent of destabilisation, an ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardise national unity”
Even Nasir El-Rufai, who got elected on the platform of APC as Governor of Kaduna State in 2015 had previously lampooned Buhari as being ” perpetually unelectable”.
The APC thereafter deployed the most vicious, caustic and well-oiled propaganda machinery to market Muhammadu Buhari as the man who will “change” the poverty in the land to prosperity.
Nigerians were promised heaven on Earth. One American dollar was to exchange for one naira. In addition to the existing moribund refineries, Buhari promised to build one refinery per year. He promised to generate one million jobs per year. Fuel (PMS) was to be sold for forty naira per litre. Nigerians will be able to sleep with their two eyes closed as Boko Haram will be defeated within six weeks of his assumption of duty as President.
Indeed the list of things Buhari Southern Campaigners/Sponsors promised Nigerians were endless. Not one of these catalogue of promises has been fulfilled as we approach the midterm of Buhari’s second tenure.
In our very eyes, the dollar climbed the stairs to stay at a princely 500 naira to one dollar. From N87 per litre as of May 2015, petrol sells for N167 per litre.
Nigerians, both young and old, whether in the North or South, Traditional rulers, civilians or military personnel are murdered in cold blood every day. The entire country has become a killing field.
Now that, reality has dawned on the Spin Doctors at the Aso Villa, that Nigerians will resist their mindless and callous lies come 2023, there is a grand plan to take hold of the entire APC machinery to make it malleable for them to achieve the desired outcome.
In this new calculation, the instincts of the typical Fulani man will manifest very clearly. Those who put down their money to install this “lifeless” president (apologies to Donald Trump) will soon realise that, when it comes to the power game, the Fulanis are no pushovers.
It will be the case of a child who abused Oluwere (big Iroko tree) and looked back according to Yoruba mythology. It is not the day Oluwere is abused that repercussions follow.
From all indications, the battle for the soul of the APC will signal the very end of the party, as its foundation was insincerity and propaganda.
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, prophetically admonished Nigerians in the twilight of his Government, “I am the most abused president in the world, but when l leave office, you will all remember me for the total freedom you enjoyed under my government”. To fulfil this prophecy, Senator Dino Melaye, publicly apologised to Jonathan at a book launch in Abuja, last week. Not many will have the opportunity Melaye had. But, there are millions more in Melaye’s shoes who regretted contributing to the present situation in the country by foisting on Nigeria the man who will go into Guinness Book of Record as its most ineffective leader, in history, dead or alive.
I wish the APC, a safe journey as it begins its journey to extinction, having dissolved all its structures from Ward to the National level. But for the intervention of Prof. Yemi Osibajo, SAN, the party would have dissolved itself on 8th December 2020.
There is very little doubt that Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, is the commissioned undertaker for this very delicate assignment. And with the extension of the tenure of his Caretaker Committee, enough time has been so granted to him to wreak the necessary havoc on the APC.
Kennedy Ikantu Peretei is the State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.
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