Party chair focused on rebranding APC and not responding to wailers
Only mischief makers in the opposition PDP who are marauding as APC members will be faulting the sincere efforts being made by the new National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to reconcile aggrieved members.
The crisis in the APC started long before now. It started with the way and manner the current leadership of the National Assembly emerged in 2015. So, it is no longer news to say Oshiomhole inherited a divided house. However, he did not wait to lament; he moved swiftly to tackle the problems and weather mischief makers. Like it or not, he is succeeding.
People like SKC Ogbonnia and his cohorts were on this earth when the crisis were brewing and they never said a word to those saddled with the responsibilities of finding solution to the problem.
And, on assumption of office, there was no aggrieved party member who the national chairman has not met to appeal to. Some of these PDP sponsored writers went to town that he was begging. Ironically, these same people who are afraid of his ability to further demystify the dieing PDP are saying he has not done enough in reconciling the party, and as a result, have made all sorts of unguarded statements.
Oshiomhole is a humble man who will go to any length to bring unity to the party. But, he does not tolerate saboteurs. He is very passionate in ensuring victory for his party come 2019, and he intends to achieve that by ensuring that party loyalists are given the sense of belonging in their own government. That brings us to the issue of the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, who he urged to swear-in board members assigned to his ministry by President Muhammadu Buhari. Pray, why the innate justness of his position does not resonate in right thinking people.
Apart from mischief makers and those who are praying for the downfall of the ruling APC, genuine party loyalists are aware that one of the genesis of the crisis in the APC was complains by members that they have not been given what is due them after they worked hard to ensure victory for the party. This and others are the problems the new national chairman is tackling to change the narratives.
But as usual, those who are afraid that his reforms will further strengthen the APC and possibly make the nation a one party state after the expected victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019; these agents of darkness have gone on social media to create the impression that he is at war with Dr Ngige. Oshiomhole is not at war with Dr Ngige or any genuine APC faithful, but he is speaking the minds of APC supporters who have continued to hail his actions.
Finally, only haters will feign blindness to Oshiomhole’s achievements so far. Let me remind them that in just one month in office, the party won the Ekiti State governorship election. An election which many had earlier predicted doom for the APC.
Secondly, under his leadership, the party held a successful governorship primaries in Osun State through direct voting. Our members today in Osun State are happy that for the first time, they were all availed of the opportunity to elect a governorship candidate that will fly the party’s flag in the forthcoming governorship election in that state.
Thirdly, we have observed that synergy between the party, its governors and the Federal Government, in the running of the affairs of the nation. This has further boosted the popularity of the APC not only in Nigeria but in the world.
We are beginning to see constant engagements, debates and discussions as to how to move the party forward. Party members who have been isolated are beginning to have faith in the party and are today participating in the running of its affairs.
It is pertinent to note that defectors from the party did so not because the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has not performed or that the Oshiomhole-led APC did not make effort to assuage their grouse, but because they lost out in the internal politics of their respective states. Going into the general elections, these people are still going to lose out and APC will consolidate its majority in the National Assembly, and of course Nigerians will re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term.
The PDP should not rejoice yet, because very soon the APC will be receiving some of their big shots from Benue, Taraba, Delta and Ebonyi states. Besides those who defected have been executing the PDP script in the National Assembly all these while so there is nothing new about their recent action. Oshiomhole is a long distance runner and when he says he does not lose sleep over the defection of his members to PDP he meant it. He has what it takes to break the heart of PDP. He did it as governor of Edo State where he brought the PDP godfathers to their kneels. He will do it again.
By Simon Ebegbulem
Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman of the APC