Is Dogara APC or PDP?

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was in power for sixteen years. But in the last four years it evolved into a party against itself and at the end, then Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal considered it propitious to anoint Yakubu Dogara, his chairman of House Services Committee, as Speaker of the […]

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was in power for sixteen years. But in the last four years it evolved into a party against itself and at the end, then Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal considered it propitious to anoint Yakubu Dogara, his chairman of House Services Committee, as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria’s eighth assembly.
One recalls that the leading reason for this coronation was that, as a young man, Dogara’s time had come. And it was in fact time for youthful leadership to emerge at the highest echelons of the House of Reps. Older members of APC, who had borne the heat, lost because the younger elements had jolted everybody in power since the days of Jonathan. Some old politicians felt belittled and their anger spilled over to the leadership contest that emerged between Gbajabiamila and Dogara.
In their traditional way, the older men wanted Gbajabiamila but the younger elements had found their voice. No one with even a passing acquaintance with the troubles in the APC would vouch that the party is in fact ready for a bruising electoral contest with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). It is true that democracy has caught up with the PDP and that the party now finds itself more beleaguered than ever. But even the APC isn’t all calm. Just when you think one fire is doused, another fire starts.
Today Dogara is on the brink because of the distribution of chairmanships of committees in the House, for which he is currently praying in Jerusalem. But how much tears he sheds at the Wailing Wall will determine the peace he finds at home. Before he departed, several untoward things had taken place under his nose. His Chief of Staff, Jerry Manvwe, was physically assaulted by a close pal of the speaker; two committee chairmen couldn’t be announced because of insidious discontent; a rep from Bayelsa had even allegedly threatened, in Dogara’s own office, to harm or even kill the Speaker should his name be associated with a given committee; another, Aminu Datti from Kano, had publicly declined chairmanship of the Solid Minerals Committee citing personal claims.
The fires never cease. However, all do not point to, as they want us to believe, an unhealthy working relationship with the president. Rather, most veer towards a tendency to the former way of doing things, where the settlement culture had been ingrained. Business as usual. Those who insist that getting juicy portfolios enhance the success of the president are economical with the truth. The idea of oversight functions of the House is to boost the check-and-balance mechanism of democracy. Giving juicy chairmanships to the opposition does more good than harm. It is more like asking the executive to put its best foot forward, against the culture where representatives extorted money in exchange for approvals.
In my view, the action of Speaker Dogara even though perceived to be a settlement for those who do his bidding in the opposition party, could bring out the best in the executive where the opposition would be compelled to return a positive verdict of good governance or forever keep their peace.
But trust members; they come across as solely mercantilist, when common sense dictates that they do their utmost for the fatherland. It is easy to surreptitiously accuse someone of disloyalty to the party. A case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. One cannot vouch for the state of readiness of the APC members to shed the culture of bribery that used to be associated with the PDP. It is true that many diehard APC members are faithful to the party of yesterday but there are others who will vote for a chicken so long as it has a broom around its neck. But they do so for self-aggrandizement and not for Nigeria.
For this, Dogara is faced with a dilemma that has to do with his leadership style. To say that he did an injustice by placing PDP in juicy portfolios is utter bunkum because, except for mutterings over posts, you will hardly hear much from the APC. However, his many errors since he took over the House have portrayed him as unprepared for the battle that is afoot; he probably misreads the fractious House. Though he had won the day, he is yet to clear the mess. So far, he spends a great deal of time issuing patronage and aggravating a vexatious spirit in those who disagreed with him. Yet, he refuses to show magnanimity. He sees his opponents as enemies of the party while they paint him as enemy of the president.
I don’t know who has been advising Dogara but if he had moderated somewhat, or had wise counsel, he would have, before sharing committees, consulted Gbajabiamila, the House leader. Not that he has to agree with everything Gbaja says, but he should not forget that it was just a few months ago that there were plans to unseat him. He should not be fooled by the tenuous truce that suggests that all is well because to hold this irritable House together is as difficult as sticking water to oil.
Therefore, even if Dogara prides himself as a transformational leader, or hopes to be one, so far, there has not been anything transformational in the way he has led his colleagues. The House is back to the past; to the suspicions and distrust that characterized the PDP which resulted in its own demise. His leadership style has given birth to the question, is Dogara APC or PDP which answer cannot lie in numbers, but in work. Hard work. Dogara must explore a new strategy to prove his loyalty to his party. He must advocate social change. He must use the media with which his opponents are so adept, and which has made them feistily and irreverently independent, to clamor for their set of principles for social change. Essentially Dogara’s agenda for change must make Nigerians and not House of reps men only, trust him. That will disrupt the present tribal organization of politicians in the House, and spread the message that every single Nigerian, no matter their social standing or status, is putting his fate in the Speaker.
It is a transformation that Dogara must make happen. This was the hope that many had in Tambuwal. That made Tambuwal a leader. But this kind of positive leadership calls for a nobility of spirit which is yet to be demonstrated by the youthful Dogara. So, can he meet up? The logical part of my brain says maybe not, but my gut, mindful of retort, thinks maybe.