Ahamba’s bombshell and its fall-out
It is then curious to most Nigerians why Mike Ahamba opted to leave the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). In fact, even General Buhari, in widely published personal letter to Ahamba, passionately appealed to the distinguished lawyer to return to the fold. In a recent no-holds-barred interview he granted a weekly newspaper, Chief Ahamba said […]
It is then curious to most Nigerians why Mike Ahamba opted to leave the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). In fact, even General Buhari, in widely published personal letter to Ahamba, passionately appealed to the distinguished lawyer to return to the fold. In a recent no-holds-barred interview he granted a weekly newspaper, Chief Ahamba said the very principle that made him to stick with General Buhari is the same reason he had to leave the CPC because of the opportunists that have surrounded the General and hijacked his mind to their own advantage but at the expense of the CPC Presidential candidate.
According to Ahamba, there are essentially four men who are holding the party and General Buhari at their mercy. Describing them as the “we” clique, the senior advocate revealed how these powerful but selfish men have arrogated themselves above the party constitution so much that they can take unilateral decisions and impose them on the party. He said no one dares subject their decisions to rational evaluation. Worst of all, Ahamba declared, this clique has contempt for consensus in decision making, regretting that General Buhari always uncritically endorses their decisions, even if they are strategically and potentially disastrous to the interest of the party.
Even before Mike Ahamba’s bombshell, a former National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr. Dennis Aghanya had recently alleged that certain opportunities in the national leadership of the party were making personal deals over the policy of substitution and imposition of candidates. In fact, another former national officer of the party also alleged that one of the key members of the national leadership was diverting donations to the party into his company accounts. This officer has already forwarded a petition to the EFCC over the allegation.
What is shocking to most Nigerians, however, is that General Buhari seemingly allows the unwholesome activities of the opportunists around him who have undermined the larger interest of the party in no small measure. Shocking, since it is without doubt that the steadfast General is the moral force that holds the CPC together.
Unfortunately, he left the initiative to them and they took advantage of the trust to harm his political interest. Many CPC supporters are privately convinced that Buhari is morally timid to confront the alleged misbehaviour of those he trusts so much. One not suggesting that he shouldn’t trust anyone, but he must be vigilant to ensure such confidence is not abused by his loyalists. Flatterers are the worst enemies of leaders; they praise you in order to use you; they exaggerate reality to impress you and make leaders fall into their own manipulative trap.
The opinion of critics is sometimes closer to the truth than the best compliments praise singers can ever pay to a leader. Sadly, General Buhari has found themselves in an intricate cobweb of manipulators, posing as his friends. In fact, General Buhari should be courageous enough to open his ears to honest criticism from men such as Chief Mike Ahamba. If Ahamba was looking for money, he wouldn’t have pitched his tent with General Buhari. He is a principled friend of General Buhari. Yet, the opportunists around Buhari had no stomach for honest criticisms in order to make things better and consequently they frustrated Ahamba out of the CPC.
Who can pretend that the CPC didn’t make serious mistakes that cost it dearly in the recent elections? Which political party that calls itself democratic should deny the voters the right to choose their own candidates? Which party that understands strategic thinking can deliberately frustrate formidably popular grassroots politicians? Which party should suppress the collective will of the people in order to please the whims and caprices of an un-elected despotic clique? Should a political party that criticizes other parties of lacking internal democracy be found wanting in that regard? Should a political party impose candidates who cannot deliver the votes or lack popularity of their own? How long can that strategy be sustainable?
These were the fatal errors of commission committed by the national leaders of the CPC. While they ordered primaries to be held, they were not ready to respect the outcome, provided their own anointed candidates lost the votes. Why then conduct the primaries in the first place? Why allow voters to waste their time when you had no intention to respect the outcome of the primaries? The CPC national leaders should have gone ahead to select candidates for elective offices instead of conducting primaries whose outcome they never intended to respect.
No political party that understands strategy should treat the will of the people with contempt. Consumed by a mentality of self-righteousness, the CPC national leaders dared the voters and the backlash was devastating. As Mike Ahamba pointed out, the people were voting for General Buhari and not the CPC, especially in the Presidential election. It was not surprising, therefore, why the pattern of voting changed suddenly during the governorship and House of Assembly elections. The implication is that the voters have no loyalty to the national leaders of the party, except General Buhari, the party’s Presidential candidate.
Why create scapegoats when the real culprits behind the party’s woeful performance are still shamelessly holding office in Abuja? General Buhari has to look at the future of the CPC without him. Leaving them in office out of personal loyalty with the hope that things will improve themselves automatically is like putting a bandage on a cancer.
Zagga, an Abuja-based journalist, can be reached on [email protected]