By Ubong David
One would've thought that for the new ruling party APC to win the presidential election and majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, that the party should've put its house in order but that was not forthcoming. After the general election, the APC national leadership has been perambulating around and not settle and prepare for the real issue of governance. The infighting that has been going on in the party though not brought to public glaring since they are in control of the media is very worrisome.
Barely few days after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, his first assignment was a tour of some West African countries to look for lasting solutions to crush the insurgent Boko Haram that has dared him by striking over times within his few days in office. While the president was away, the business of governance was in the hands of APC national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu who singlehandedly nominated both the president and vice president slot of the party. As at today, the appointment of some key aides has been pending including media aides of the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to facilitate governance and bring about the much expected change which the party campaign was anchored on. There are unconfirmed report that the vice president was shut out from attending a meeting with service chiefs where decision to relocate defence headquarter to the war zone was decided.
The event of the last few days has really proved that APC as a party was not ready to take over power from the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party but it came to them on a platter of gold. The election of principal officers at both chambers of the National Assembly has really exposed APC inability to manage their ''success'' at the last election. After conducting the mock election for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions for House of Representatives which was rejected by some members of the party, the national leadership of APC still went ahead with the same process which was earlier rejected at the House to the Senate. Knowing fully well that the bastion of democracy is the legislature and that it is the prerogative of the legislature to elect their leaders, the Tinubu led APC leadership ignored all plea and press statements by the aggrieved parties to resign from the mock election and allow other interested parties to contest. All these failed on deaf ears. The Tinubu APC led leadership has forgotten so soon that ignoring such wise counsel was one of the major reasons that caused PDP mass failure at the last poll but as an emperor, his decision which was forced on the party remain final. Of course he knew the implication of such action. Thank God that President Muhammadu Buhari has in his inauguration speech submitted that he belong not to anyone but for everyone and therefore did not see any reason to interfere with the election at the national assembly.
I have read reports that Sen. Bola Tinubu has rejected the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as Senate President and that of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and vowed never to recognize Bukola Saraki as Senate President. He didnt stop at that but also vowed to pursue the issue with all constitutional and legal means. Nothing is far from the truth and I am with him on such moves but how can he explain to the world that while the inauguration of the National Assembly was already fixed, he misled some legislature loyal to him away from the chamber to hold a meeting that did not has any effect to the inauguration of national assembly members? That was a legislative blunders championed by Tinubu who forgot that there is a distinction between Lagos State and Nigeria. Of course he paid duly for it by suffering the highest defeat by a presumed ruling party. His decision to challenge the election of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara legally is a misplaced priority.
The APC leadership should swallow their pride and accept defeat for once. It is an eye opener for President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow the business of governance in the hands of his party leaders but he should take charge or will regret like the outcome of National Assembly election of principal officers. He need to sit down and start work so as to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. He must have total control as the president and should not be teleguided by few individuals who are pursuing their interest against the interest of the larger populace. When he succeed, Nigerians will celebrate him and when he fails, the blame will go to him and nobody else. He must act his statement that he belong to nobody but to everybody. Above all, he must remember that there is a difference between khaki and agbada especially in a national assembly that he is not in charge. Do not allow power to slip off your hand. Four years is not far from today as your time start since May 29, 2015. Learn from the experience of others.
One would've thought that for the new ruling party APC to win the presidential election and majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, that the party should've put its house in order but that was not forthcoming. After the general election, the APC national leadership has been perambulating around and not settle and prepare for the real issue of governance. The infighting that has been going on in the party though not brought to public glaring since they are in control of the media is very worrisome.
Barely few days after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, his first assignment was a tour of some West African countries to look for lasting solutions to crush the insurgent Boko Haram that has dared him by striking over times within his few days in office. While the president was away, the business of governance was in the hands of APC national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu who singlehandedly nominated both the president and vice president slot of the party. As at today, the appointment of some key aides has been pending including media aides of the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to facilitate governance and bring about the much expected change which the party campaign was anchored on. There are unconfirmed report that the vice president was shut out from attending a meeting with service chiefs where decision to relocate defence headquarter to the war zone was decided.
The event of the last few days has really proved that APC as a party was not ready to take over power from the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party but it came to them on a platter of gold. The election of principal officers at both chambers of the National Assembly has really exposed APC inability to manage their ''success'' at the last election. After conducting the mock election for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions for House of Representatives which was rejected by some members of the party, the national leadership of APC still went ahead with the same process which was earlier rejected at the House to the Senate. Knowing fully well that the bastion of democracy is the legislature and that it is the prerogative of the legislature to elect their leaders, the Tinubu led APC leadership ignored all plea and press statements by the aggrieved parties to resign from the mock election and allow other interested parties to contest. All these failed on deaf ears. The Tinubu APC led leadership has forgotten so soon that ignoring such wise counsel was one of the major reasons that caused PDP mass failure at the last poll but as an emperor, his decision which was forced on the party remain final. Of course he knew the implication of such action. Thank God that President Muhammadu Buhari has in his inauguration speech submitted that he belong not to anyone but for everyone and therefore did not see any reason to interfere with the election at the national assembly.
I have read reports that Sen. Bola Tinubu has rejected the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as Senate President and that of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and vowed never to recognize Bukola Saraki as Senate President. He didnt stop at that but also vowed to pursue the issue with all constitutional and legal means. Nothing is far from the truth and I am with him on such moves but how can he explain to the world that while the inauguration of the National Assembly was already fixed, he misled some legislature loyal to him away from the chamber to hold a meeting that did not has any effect to the inauguration of national assembly members? That was a legislative blunders championed by Tinubu who forgot that there is a distinction between Lagos State and Nigeria. Of course he paid duly for it by suffering the highest defeat by a presumed ruling party. His decision to challenge the election of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara legally is a misplaced priority.
The APC leadership should swallow their pride and accept defeat for once. It is an eye opener for President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow the business of governance in the hands of his party leaders but he should take charge or will regret like the outcome of National Assembly election of principal officers. He need to sit down and start work so as to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. He must have total control as the president and should not be teleguided by few individuals who are pursuing their interest against the interest of the larger populace. When he succeed, Nigerians will celebrate him and when he fails, the blame will go to him and nobody else. He must act his statement that he belong to nobody but to everybody. Above all, he must remember that there is a difference between khaki and agbada especially in a national assembly that he is not in charge. Do not allow power to slip off your hand. Four years is not far from today as your time start since May 29, 2015. Learn from the experience of others.
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