JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA writes that where old heads are gathered, headaches are guaranteed
This week has seen expected alignments in the political firmament. The sort to excite those who said they were afraid the governing APC was on a homestretch towards making Nigeria a one-party state. With this African Democratic Congress (ADC) party, Nigeria went from the supposed prospects of a one-party state to the APC being on its way out of power, all in one day. The interesting bit about these contrasting views is that they are held by the same people. You’d have thought a person who sees a party to be strong enough to be accused of making the country a one-party state cannot in the same breath think that all that was needed was a day, to have that reversed. Exciting as they can be to write about, biases and conflicting thoughts aren’t the point today.
During an interview on a popular TV programme, one of the members of the then burgeoning coalition had said that they decided to set up a new platform in order to avoid the issues around adopting an existing platform. He said they wanted to avoid the legacy issues associated with such platforms. That appears to be exactly where they are now. They decided for an existing platform and it didn’t take longer than the same day for the intra-party issues to arise, on television.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, at least the ADC as it was, Dr Musa Isa Matara did not mince words when he said that, “Let it be known to those who are trooping into our party under this chaotic coalition arrangement that the ADC has been battling unresolved legal crises since the 2023 general elections. These matters remain in court and unresolved. Any coalition attempt built on such shaky legal ground is irresponsible and potentially self-destructive”. He went on to issue a warning that the excitement of the new found coalition helped to douse on the day. He said, “we warn those coming into the ADC as part of this imposed arrangement to tread carefully. Be mindful that some few individuals are attempting to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers”. These are strong words, but they probably aren’t the strongest spoken by an old ADC member.
The presidential candidate of the party at the 2023 elections, Dumebi Kachikwu, had harsher words for members of the coalition. “They are enemies of Nigeria. They are enemies of progress. Nigerians can no longer be fooled. Nigerians from all walks of life watched the video. I just saw it today, and what you saw in that hall were, ‘former’ this and ‘former’ that: former Vice President, former governors, former ministers. All these ‘formers’ are taking Nigeria back to its former glory. They’ve never taken us forward.” Kachikwu believed that his party was being hijacked, saying, ““The manner in which they came—through the back door—shows you who they are. They are back-door people. I’m opposed to viruses and bacteria entering my party. People who destroyed Nigeria cannot claim to be the ones to fix it”. Did the members of the coalition see this coming?
You can bet they did. They must have decided that forming a new party was rife with many pitfalls, the least being the scarcity of time. When time came to jettison that plan, they must have known, as already insinuated by some of them, that in using an existing platform, they needed to prepare for what came with it. There was no path forward that promised ease and smoothness. Even at that, what they were going to inherit was only going to be a start. A party of strange bed fellows meant that they were going to come into the coalition with old wounds to either resolve or leave in the room whilst hoping it stays ignored. When there is a social media audience to be pleased, you’d be expecting too much of politicians that insist on being seen as activists to not at least play for their social media audience.
One of those tweeted, “We are not friends. We do not share the same values but we have a common enemy and your vindictiveness, anger, etc., will come useful. On the fight for a better Nigeria, it cannot unfortunately be a buffet! I do not kid myself that you have changed but on my watch I will defend Nigeria and Nigerians”. That is a tweet posted by one of the new ADC members intended for another new ADC member. I guess the thinking here is that one will use the other to ride their way to power, then remember their differences once power is secured. Naivete? On this one, you’d have to just wait for the expected lessons to be learnt.
The assurance of a playing a game you believe you are better than everyone at is, in not being curious enough about other people’s strenght, you assume some divine power upon yourself, whilst being judgmental of others. This shouldn’t be my business, but the reward for paying attention to our country’s politics has to include the ability to enjoy the drama. If not, it’d be a tough one to endure at times.
Now, we have a group of people who swore everyday for the last three years that a new Nigeria was possible. A promise suggesting that the Nigeria we exist in is old and should be bequeathed to the past. The new Nigeria promising herd has now found itself in bed with the same old heads many of them have cursed and insulted for being responsible for this Nigeria as it is. What the new takers must quickly learn is, where old heads are gathered, headaches are guaranteed. Old heads are used to these headaches, the problem is those who must now get used to the fresh headaches that’d bring them closer to the political game at this level; assuming newbies are allowed to even play in the room.
Omojuwa is chief strategist, Alpha Reach/BGX Publishing
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