By; Abdull-Azeez Ahmed Kadir
azeeznews@yahoo.com
@azeeznews
When General Muhammadu Buhari said years back that politics is a dirty game, little did he know then that he would be engross in the game but try to avoid the dirt. Many who convinced or confused him to join the game thought they could teach him the rules of the game and make him their protege, but the man is proving to be a better player of the game than his “teachers”. Today the All Progressive Congress (APC) minus Buhari is everything Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The National Assembly (NASS) leadership election has come and gone, but it has left in its wake more hurdles than solutions with all carcasses of PDP clinging to it. And the blaming game continues with some placing the blame at the door steps of APC, PDP, Buhari, Tinubu, Saraki among others.
The reality is, while some are just being mischievous, others are out-rightly naïve while some live in denial of the reality on ground.
What transpired in the red chamber was constitutional and legal but highly immoral. But in politics like in war, morality is relegated to the background. Politicians in the contest for conquest are often like whores; no conscience until the fun is over or backfires. Their self interest is always the prime consideration.
What transpired was legal and constitutional as it met the laws of the land as well as the rules of the NASS. It is immoral in the sense that, like the lower chamber, the Senate should have allowed all elected Senators who wished to have participated in that elections to have been seated then slug it out. For not doing that, Saraki’s leadership lacks the moral backing it deserves unlike Speaker Yakubu Dogaras’.
But here was where APC was naïve. PDP would have gone ahead to elect within and among their sitting members both President and Deputy with little or no whimper from the 12 APC Senators present. So, why is the APC playing the weeping child when it is its own greatest villain.
Saraki remains a staunch APC member just like Dogara, and the party should be grateful that the two emerged leaders. The two are not APC Senate President or House Speaker, but the President of the Senate and the Speaker of House of Representatives both made up of individuals from different parties. The two can’t be leaders without support from other members from other political parties. Lawan and Gbajabiamila’s stand showed that they felt they could be leaders with the sole support of their party members. They were proven wrong.
For starters, both Saraki and Lawan are eminently qualified for the post. But Saraki seemed to have been better prepared for the job and went for the sit at the jugular. He was Governor for 8 years. Aspired for the number one position in the land; the presidency. Then he came to the senate during which he attempted a shot again at the presidency but made a detour at the last moment and went for re-election. Just coming to the NASS, Saraki witnessed Aminu Waziri Tambuwal went against their party and rode on the rebellious conveyor belt for years ending up a celebrated leader.
Of all the former Governors in the National Assembly and among those who cross carpeted to the APC from other parties, you may be right to say Saraki remains the closest to Buhari; at least before his election as the President. He was one of those who “guided” Buhari to United Kingdom before the general elections. Among other factors.
So, if anyone think Buhari would support anyone against the aspirations of Saraki, you have another think coming, less allowing a candidate who is seen by many as the choice of an overbearing party leader. The bravado of the APC through the statement by its spokesperson; Lai Mohammed says so much about that assertion held by many.
Of cause, Saraki has a herculean task in the days ahead considering the individuals and groups that are in the “unity group”. You don’t go to sleep with two eyes close having the Kwankwasos, Gemades, Akumes, Shehu Sanis, Hunkuyis, Tinubus et al in the opposing camp. How he weathers the storm depends on how he is able to massage the ego and interest of each in the days ahead. If he tries to align with the PDP family and play the winner takes all game, then he will have but a bumpy ride. As Shakespeare says “he who steeps his safety in blood would have but a bloody safety”. But if he reaches out to them, especially the influential members of the dominant APC unity group, with committee chairmanship and membership a la David Mark, he would succeed in dousing the tension, winning most to his camp.
Many have raised the Bola Tinubu factor. But one thing is clear, it is a contest of superiority between Tinubu and Saraki. The two men seem ready to square it up. Both are leaders in their own right. Tinubu in his Lagos fortress and Saraki in his Kwara den. But while Tinubu has been on the scene for a while, Saraki is debuting and seems filling his late father’s shoes and leveraging on the old alliances forged by the older Saraki. This seems a threat to Tinubu’s larger than life portrait within the APC and among certain political groups. The two men are going to operate in the days ahead with each watching over his shoulders for the treacherous act of the other.
The emergence of Saraki would have also thrown spanners in the political calculations and expectations of Tinubu. What with the Vice President, Senate President and Deputy Speaker from same ethnic group. Tinubu’s move to secure more strategic appointments especially within the executive must have suffered a great set back. Don’t think he will take it lying low. Neither would Saraki overlook any move of Tinubu. But Saraki with the PDP alliance may have the upper hand to perpetually check mate Tinubu.
But the reality is, Saraki with the aid of simple majority is the Senate President and getting three third members to unseat him as things stand now is almost impossible. Not with the PDP alliance he has forged.
The House of Representatives seemed to have pulled the rugs under the feet of the PDP. It ensured all members elect participated in the election process. This gave it a legitimate legal and moral backing. The Dogara group emerged victorious with a slim margin of just 8 votes. They also went ahead to drop the earlier plan and agreement with PDP to have Leo Ogah as the Deputy Speaker but rather elected Suleman Yusuf Lasu from Osun also of APC.
If the Unity Group Senators had participated in the election, they would have succeeded in doing same by ensuring either Akume or Ndume most likely emerged the Deputy Senate President as against Ekweremadu. But it may not be uhuru yet for the PDP in the Senate. Anything can happen because APC with majority Senators will not swallow the spite hook, line and sinker. Atleast not for long.
Again, Lawan’s group of judicial threat is a waste of time. He should have learn from Dogara. In 2011 Dogara was one of the greatest antagonists of Tambuwal. He even went to court to challenge Tambuwal’s election. But at the end, not just him, even PDP ate the humble pie. Today Dogara also rode the Tambuwal rebellious conveyor belt and landed on the Speakership seat. 2019 may sound and look far, but days roll into weeks, weeks into months and months into years with ease.
For those blaming Buhari for being aloof or Saraki and his camp for staging a constitutional palace coup, they forget the APC is an amalgam of CPC, ACN, ANPP, nPDP and factions of other smaller political parties. While Buhari and Osinbajo could be said to be the ambassadors of CPC and ACN, the ANPP and nPDP were out to for the battle of wit. Saraki and Lawan symbolise the two. That is why the battle to outwit each was more fierce and devoid of morality. Saraki and Dogara won the battle for the nPDP and left the ANPP bloody-nosed.
Again imagine Tinubu as the party leader, influencing the Vice President, the Senate President under Ahmed Lawan and the Speakership of the House of Representatives under Femi Gbajabiamila among others. Several other camps, among them former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former PDP governors now in the senate, some Buhari loyalists not too comfortable with Tinubu, David Mark et al would rather Saraki/Dogara NASS leadership to check mate and reduce the Jagaba’s influence.
For Buhari, he would rather some individuals and groups fight his fight without him as much as raising a finger or uttering a word. His pretense of sitting on the fence, though a political suicide for a politician, is a tactical war strategy that makes even his enemy have a sympathy for him. The APC is a father of many children with different mothers. Buhari as a good father would rather not be seen to be taking side with any of the children neither any of the mothers. Though he may have a favourite child or wife among them.
For those who feel a NASS leadership that would oppose Buhari or make things difficult for his administration is in the making, they would realised before long that majority of Nigerians would resist that and take actions making life unbearable for them in a manner unprecedented.
As it stands, though on a horn of dilemma,the party and NASS has no option than to accept what has befallen it due to its leadership naivety while it gilds it waist rope for future battles. Doing otherwise would be living in denial which may portend a great set back for it and the nation.
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