CPC: Playing into the hands of enemies
When voters came out massively to express their choice, they have the right to know the verdict. It is curious therefore, why the leadership of the party, apparently influenced by some board of trustee members, doesn’t have the moral courage to announce the winner up to this moment. Why is the party leadership withholding the […]
When voters came out massively to express their choice, they have the right to know the verdict. It is curious therefore, why the leadership of the party, apparently influenced by some board of trustee members, doesn’t have the moral courage to announce the winner up to this moment. Why is the party leadership withholding the results of the gubernatorial primaries? Why are the voters being denied the right to know who they voted for? Does the CPC leadership realize the consequences of manipulating the results of election to favour someone other than the person voted by the people? Does the CPC leadership have any more moral right to criticize the PDP for lack of internal democracy or transparency when they themselves are now engaged in the same political gimmick?
As a beacon of hope for the people, the CPC does not deserve the current crisis where some powerful vested interests appear determined to suppress the will of the people. If the results of the CPC gubernatorial primaries were ever rigged in Kano State, let the party leadership come out and say so rather than withholding the results of the keenly contested elections. In fact, once contestants committed themselves to accept the outcome of elections, whichever way it goes, the leadership of the party has a moral duty to release the results for the sake of peace, party unity and cohesion.
It is incomprehensible why the national leadership of the CPC has refused to release the results of the gubernatorial primaries held in Kano State weeks after they were conducted. Already, there are suspicions among party supporters that certain leaders of the party are involved in a conspiracy to impose their own candidate rather than the one freely elected by the people. As Thomas Jefferson noted, “the will of the people is superior to a standing army.” In this regard, the greatest danger to democracy is the attempt to suppress the will of the people.
One feels sorry for General Muhammadu Buhari who seems to have lost control of the party and is thereby risking his integrity. His indifference or aloofness to the dirty tricks taking place in the CPC will shake the moral foundation of his entire reputation. Can General Buhari afford to remain indifferent when some leaders of the party are dragging his good name in the mud? General Buhari’s personal integrity is principally the source of CPC’S strength. Unfortunately, General Buhari is surrounded by leaders who do not share his dream for a better Nigeria. It is apparent that the PDP has infiltrated the CPC in order to cause internal division.
The delay in releasing the results of the gubernatorial primaries held in Kano State is leading to widespread suspicion that certain board of trustee members of the CPC are bent on imposing their own agenda by suppressing the will of the people. What is holding them back for the moment, however, is the likely reaction such imposition could cause. If such CPC leaders had a ready-made candidate, why did they allow election to take place? Why didn’t they go ahead to announce their candidate in the first place rather than creating the current needless tension and suspense? If the people accuse some CPC leaders of acting out a PDP script, you shouldn’t blame them. Given the level of political consciousness in Kano State, the CPC leaders are not helping the party by withholding the results for weeks and keeping everyone in the dark.
Leaders are accountable to God, the people and their conscience. Therefore, Nigerians expect the highest ethical standards from the leadership of the CPC because General Buhari’s entire political reputation rests on integrity. If you don’t like the outcome of an election because it didn’t favour your preferred candidate, is it safer to withhold the results and keep the voters in the dark about who they elected? If the elections were rigged, the CPC leadership should come out and say so, rather than keeping the voters in endless suspense. In fact, if the leaders of the CPC are convinced the election was not transparent, why didn’t they cancel the results and then order fresh election?
Leaders of the CPC are apparently out of touch with the mood of the people over the current inexplicable delay in announcing the results of the party’s gubernatorial primaries held in Kano State. Ironically, the CPC is being bedeviled by the very discreditable tendencies associated with the PDP and ANPP, which forced General Buhari to abandon his former party and form CPC. Admittedly, the mass appeal enjoyed by the CPC is making PDP and ANPP uncomfortable and it may not be surprising if Buhari’s party has been infiltrated by hired agents to destroy it. The fastest means of destroying a party is to disrespect the will of the people.
Time is not on the side of the CPC leadership; they should either come out to announce the winner of the gubernatorial primaries held in Kano State or explain convincingly why the results are being withheld for whatever valid reasons (if any). We simply cannot continue like this, leaving the voters in suspense and denying them the right to know who they voted for. The will of the people is the bulwark of democratic system and supporters of the CPC expect their leaders to set higher standards for decent political behaviour. General Buhari’s apathy to the way the CPC is run is not helping matters either. He has a duty to intervene urgently or else the current crises in the CPC may get out of hand and threaten the chances of the party at the forthcoming elections.
Bichi wrote from 127, Isa Kaita Road, Kaduna.Email:[email protected]