Democracy is beautiful but imperfect. It’s a unique system of government that is set apart by certain distinct features. Most significant of these features include but not limited to Multi party system, Regular representative elections, Majority rule. Respect for rule of law and respect for basic human rights like freedom of speech, association and assembly.
In spite of the beauty and the bouquet of freedoms that it guarantees, the history of modern democratic nations have shown that true democrats, meaning believers and advocates of democratic politics as opposed to aristocracy, rank among the rarest species among men! This is more so in emerging democratic nations such as Nigeria. It would appear that the pace, ferocity and penetration of political propaganda more often than not throw up opportunistic pretenders as democrats. Such was the frustrating predicament of Edo citizens, who for many years, phlegmatically endured the subterfuge of an incontinent leadership before the emergence of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as Governor.
All democracies must begin from the psychological realm of the individual. There should be a measure of alignment between what the individual stands for and the fundamental principles of democracy. Intellectual preparation is good and desirable but more desirable is a sound moral compass and psychological preparedness. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole rank among the few whose principled antecedent prepared him for politics. Through incremental ascendancy in the Nigerian labour movement, he imbibed democratic values and understood that democracy rested upon the principle that government exist to serve the people and not the other way round. He was heralded into the politics of Edo State like a hero and for those who took him for granted and branded him an inexperienced greenhorn, they were humbled and forced into retirement!
As Governor of Edo State, Comrade Oshiomhole firmly believed that power must be driven by a purpose and must be deployed to positively impact on the welfare of the people. Before his arrival at Osadebey Avenue, the State was held hostage by a cocoon of political godfathers who spoke with magisterial certainty but cared less about the State. But he saw Edo State as potential great state and swung into action with a view to redeeming Edo to her promise. It was public consensus that building of infrastructure was a priority and critical to the success of any other long term economic plan.
One cannot but highlight few legacy projects that speak volumes of the visionary leadership of the Comrade; when Comrade Oshiomhole announced his intention to reconstruct the popular Airport Road into six lanes, the opposition cried foul and mocked the decision as unrealizable. With courage and boldness, the Comrade went to work and delivered his promise. Today, Airport road is one of the most beautiful roads in Edo State. Not only do motorists enjoy driving on the road with ease, both day and night, but it portrays the State capital positively in the eyes of tourists.
Another legacy project was the miracle of a location in the heart of the city popularly called 5-Junction. For several decades people around and environs and motorists that ply through the junction to and from Ugbowo dreaded rainfall. Each time it rained, the junction will be so flooded and rendered impassable by human and vehicular traffic. And that also translates to the paralyses of commercial activities for the better part of the year. Adventurous motorists who dared the consequences would slowly wade through the stagnant waters testing their manipulative skills on wheel. Many got stock. 5-junction was emblematic of the degenerate state of the State political leadership. Comrade Oshiomhole frontally tackled the menace and delivered a beauty to behold. Flood is not only a thing of the past at the once notoriously dreadful 5- Junction but the picturesque of the criss cross road design is breathtaking!
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, with missionary zeal, opened up rural communities long cut off from modernity and civilization. Time was when indigenes of the boondocks of Epkeri and Okpekpe were compelled by circumstances of inaccessibility to their communities to defer the interment of their lost ones from one dry season to another. Some of the terrains were marshy and waterlogged whiles others were entrapped by slippery multiple hills and valleys, with ferocious erosion creating deep gullies and ravine paths. They were jungles that even the lion- hearted never dared! Today, the roads to Ekperi and Okpekpe communities are comparable to anyone found anywhere in the civilized world. Not only has the Okpekpe hills opened up, the area is now the epicenter of an international Marathon Race recognized by the World body in charge of athletics, the IAAF thus putting Okpekpe on the World map!
The achievement of Comrade Oshiomhole in other spheres particularly in the building of bedraggled schools infrastructure, provision of mini water schemes across the State and the repositioning of the health infrastructures is phenomena. It is beyond doubt that the superlative achievements of the Comrade and the empathy he brought to bear in governance attest to the fact that he a well motivated democrat. To him, democratic governance is all about the people, nothing else matters!
As the 2019 round of elections approaches, coupled with the recently conducted congresses across the nation, it is not uncommon for the party to be visited by an avalanche of complaints, petitions, protestations and threats. Hardly is there any human organization devoid of centripetal forces working to pull it apart. And given the peculiar circumstances that birthed the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2014, the achievement of a cohesive homogenized whole, of the national ruling party in three years, would have been tantamount to sheer miracle! So long as structures of political parties are not monolithic and composed of people from varying backgrounds and preferences, resurgence of groupings, factions and coalitions should be seen not as a threat but as manifestation of internal dynamics of the heterogeneity of the party. These groups or coalitions will always seek more political space to assert their interest and secure control of more decision making positions in government. It is healthy for democracy so long as they are not patently rebellious!
This does not detract from the fact that unity is the source of party strength. Indeed, political parties are best analyzed as unitary actors but within that unity, divergent interest must be accommodated. Party unity and cohesion must be achieved and maintained by ensuring delicate balance of interdependent forces and interest within the political matrix. That is why the party leadership must be astute and psychologically prepared for the job. That Comrade Adams Oshiomhole decided to run for the office of national Chairman of the APC should rightly be seen as an act of patriotism. As a renowned labor negotiator and a superlatively successful former Governor of Edo State, options with regard to the next level of assignment are legion. He is politically savvy, a master mobilizer and negotiator, a pragmatist who is imbued with several horse power of energy which enables him to work for long hours. That he speaks some major Nigerian languages is an added advantage which could be a game changer during national campaigns. Comrade Oshiomhole will sagaciously take advantage of group interest and coalitions to broaden the party base and diversify its appeal to a wider segment the Nigerian population. When coalitions and interest groups are creatively managed in a party, it will be a steady source of balance and equipoise. Thus, a man with sterling talents and managerial credentials like Comrade Oshiomhole will have no difficulty transforming the ruling APC into a homogenized whole as National Chairman.
Make no mistake about it; political coalitions, alliances, alignments and cooperative agreements will continue to significantly direct the politics of Nigeria. Therefore, apart from developing a culture that sustain the practice, it is important to create mechanisms for circumventing infighting and for bridging gaps which are bound to occur from time to time. Thus, the role of effective political communication for the purpose of building alignment and integration cannot be overemphasized. Other challenges confronting the APC is the urgent search for institutionalized forms of party management. This includes the development of a tradition of unfettered internal democracy and entrenchment of a political culture. Once a general way of doing things and norms are imbibed by party members, the party could be said to be stabilizing as deviations would instantly be challenged by the collective moral force of members. The moral force of the party is currently lacking thus creating ethical deficit which ought to provide a framework for evaluating choices and preventing ethical dilemmas. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has the capacity to frontally engage these issues with innovative party management techniques with a view to building a party rooted in the popular will of the people, that is not only zealous at winning elections but even more fired by the zeal to deliver on good governance.
As delegates file out to vote at the National Convention of the party scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 23, they must remember that the mechanics of the party is critical to future electoral fortunes. A weak, docile and inarticulate leadership will be blunt, unhelpful and bury its dumbness in boondoggling. But an energetic vocal mobilizer, a gifted orator and campaigner per excellence will hold the electorate spellbound anywhere. Comrade Oshiomhole enjoys personal appeal and followership akin to that of a celebrity nationwide. He will ensure that the party is rooted in the social and political fabrics and raise a generation of zealous youths, who will generate new ideas to serve as a spark for accelerated growth and development of the party. Over the years, he has acquired a wealth of practical and a priori experience to weather the storms and steer the ship of the party to safety. If he could do it in Edo State, he will do it better on the national platform! Delegates, lets embrace the political warrior with the charge of a hungry lion, let’s get the job done!