It involves the use of “weapons of mass destruction.” Anything goes, couched in hi-tech politricks, intrigues and manipulations. Its motto is “Use & Destroy.”
Femi Adeoti
They started this unkind chess game in 2015 or thereabouts. That was in the acrimonious buildup to the fiercely fought general election. And since then there has been no stopping them.
We are all living witnesses to how the notorious “see and buy” phenomenon played out in Ekiti State. We saw its reckless but “smooth” operation in the bitter July 14, 2018, governorship election.
It was shamelessly flaunted. It was a marked improvement on the strategy used to win the September 28, 2016, Edo State governorship election.
Sadly, some senators are even very proud of the infamous Ekiti innovation. They beat their fleshy chests and are proud to be its undignified masterminds. The rest is gradually fading into our sad, stinking history.
But it did not just spring out from the blues. It has its precedent and predecessor. And it is called “use and destroy.” It is dominating our weird political plain during the 2015 elections. It involves the use of “weapons of mass destruction.” Anything goes, couched in hi-tech politricks, intrigues and manipulations. Its motto is “Use & Destroy.”
You heartlessly destroy the party that make you after you have benefited immensely from it. You care not whose ox is gored, wounded or injured. The ultimate is, the end justifies the means.
When it was first brandished and employed in 2015, almost all of us hailed it. Its mission was, anybody but Goodluck Jonathan. As time ticked, it was narrowed down to nobody but Muhammadu Buhari. It caught up like the ongoing wildfire along the Greek sea towns. The spearheads were erroneously labelled “heroes.”
Oh, the list? Very intimidating. It included, but was not limited to, five governors then: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
Other bigwigs: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki (now Senate President) and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who is now governor of Sokoto State.
Queuing behind them was a legion of former and serving legislators, ministers, commissioners, etc. They were principally from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Actually, seven governors did kickstart the odd crusade. But two of them, Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger), backed out. Along the line, they saw things differently and retreated.
Lamido was particularly profound. He reasoned, should a landlord allow himself to be chased out of his property, more so, by a tenant? Haba, you don’t cure headache by cutting off the head! Together with Aliyu, he decided to swim and sink with his “beloved” PDP. Today, he is better for it, comfortably calling the shots.
But that is not the case with Saraki & Co. They opted to desert and destroy the party they laboured to build. They proudly christened themselves the n-PDP. Whatever sense that makes! With that label, they moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Still in the attitude of use and destroy, they are back again, in greater dimension and with full force. This time around, they are ready to ferociously destroy and devour. And they are hyping it all over. Great tragedy!
They never got my support in the beginning (2015) and they won’t even now. They are not my type of politicians. Why did they abandon the party that made them, gave them fame, power and influence in 2015? They used their so-called largest party in Africa, destroyed and threw it to the cold. That is the height of wickedness and deceit.
The same shoddy tactics they applied in 2015 is also being applied in 2018 by the same principalities and powers. Anyway, it worked wonders for the APC then, it may work same for the PDP, who knows.
There should be equally no pity for the APC. They made a harvest of the defectors in 2015. They feasted on them, exulted and showcased them. Why is the same APC calling them unprintable names now? They have unwisely and arrogantly labelled themselves Reformed APC.
The angry outburst of Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, was laughable: “If the PDP had the same presence of mind in 2015, perhaps the calamity that befell them would have been averted. We challenge the PDP to face Nigerians on their own merit in 2019 and stop shopping around for supporters.”
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This is an indication that the APC is jittery. It did exactly the same thing in 2015. What is the big deal? In any case, in politics, you look for people (supporters). You don’t drive supporters away from your fold. That would be foolhardy.
Am I a devil’s advocate? No, not at all. Not even for PDP. All the same, Uche
Secondus, PDP’s own national chairman, stood up aptly to Oshiomhole:
“What Oshiomhole and President Buhari in their fantasy trip fail to understand is that those they seek to draw into the cave are already aware of the story of the sick lion and that all animals that went visiting never returned.” What a good take-away for Oshiomhole.
It is quite understandable. The APC is bitter about the gale of “redefection.” The party is obviously feeling the deep pains the PDP felt to the marrow in 2015.
Expectedly, APC would not agree to its huge losses. That is why it would continue to grandstand, pretending all is well. It is apparent in Oshiomhole’s unguarded and unguided actions and inactions.
Sampler: “If the President condones disrespect for his office, I will not condone disrespect for the party.” This utterance is in itself a great disrespect to Buhari; an embarrassing indictment on his person and office.
That is the obvious problem. When you talk too much, you talk recklessly. This is proof that a party’s national chairman should strive hard to walk his talk.
Now, APC is clearly shedding crocodile’s tears. But it enjoyed every bit of PDP’s crocodile’s tears in 2015. It actually reaped bountifully from the almost unsolicited bumper harvest, leaving PDP to tearfully lick its festering wounds.
Great pity. What goes around (in 2015), comes around (in 2018). It is the bitter truth, with a pinch of salt. Love it, and/or live (leave) it! The choice is theirs.
Parting shot
Did you make sense of the tragic setback at the National Assembly on Tuesday morning? It was a loose playback of the pre-2015 elections. That was the civilian implementation of the obnoxious Decree 4 of 1984 by the Buhari/Idiagbon military junta.
Are we back in the trenches?