Of sabotage, saboteurs and party failure

In a recent interview with Al Jazeera President Muhammadu Buhari accused some in his government of sabotage. Surprisingly most Nigerians were, to say the least, indifferent. We believe him quite alright, and we know sabotage is a very serious offence which, in war, could even attract a death sentence. We were simply amused that it […]

In a recent interview with Al Jazeera President Muhammadu Buhari accused some in his government of sabotage. Surprisingly most Nigerians were, to say the least, indifferent. We believe him quite alright, and we know sabotage is a very serious offence which, in war, could even attract a death sentence. We were simply amused that it took him this long to know what we have suspected all along. Most of us also believe it is a problem only he and the APC can solve.
It was never going to be an easy walk. The journey will be tough. We know the bridges we had to cross, and the rough waters we navigated to get to where we are today. His fight against insecurity and corruption is being executed with commendable efficiency and gladdening results. He is making it possible for us to wake up and go about our normal business without fear of Boko Haram. Those used to milk our commonwealth dry are now very careful, to say the least. We are standing tall again in the comity of nations, with renewed hope in our future. It is easy to forget how bad things were before Buhari assumed office, how close we were to the abyss. Without doubt he helped save our nation.
But his admissions carry some serious implications that should worry us all. As one of Nigeria’s best journalist and writers, Dan Agbese said recently, “When a president complains of sabotage of, and saboteurs in, his government, it means a) that things are not shaping up to his expectations and he is getting increasingly frustrated with his team and b) there are men and women in his team who are disconnected from its programmes and vision and are doing whatever they can to either stagnate it or pull it down.” Both are becoming clearer but are probably just symptoms of the underlining problems.
The first problem is with the vessel; the ruling APC. If care is not taken, we may end up in a major crisis because the APC if failing in it basic tasks. All political parties try to bring people together, aggregate their wishes, hopes and aspirations, and formulate appropriate public policies and programs to achieve these through laws and budgets. They fight elections to achieve their objectives, usually incorporated in political manifestos. And after the election the party forming the government seeks to formulate their administrative and political programs on the basis of promises they made, while the opposition tries to prove it can do better. Unfortunately, these ones seem to think they only need a party to win an election, and can now sleep till the next election.
The APC seems also indifferent to public opinion. It makes no effort to educate the people through regular public rallies, branch meetings, press conferences or town hall gatherings, relying instead on the Lai Mohammeds, Femi Adesinas and Garba Shehus to issue occasional press releases. It fails to formulate and organize public opinion in support of its own government, or seek to provides the common people with an opportunity to understand and analyse the strengths, weaknesses or implications of various important policy or administrative issues. The common man or woman is left to their own simplistic understandings and the prevailing rumours of the day.
The third function of a political party which the APC is failing to provide is unity through the “aggregation of expectations”. We all have our differences based on sex, age, tribe, places of natality or abode, and our occupations. These differences can prove destabilizing in the absence of a unifying party which aggregates our interests. The opposition PDP in particular has failed to even understand why it lost, nor why it cannot rehabilitate someone whose role, intentional or otherwise, in the emergence of Boko Haram remains problematic and expect him to lead it to victory again. So the APC thinks it can expect some breathing space for now. Yet its failure to concretise and domesticate its ideology of change in our hearts and minds is terribly disturbing.
Which brings us to the crux of the matter and why Buhari should change his approach if he is to have less sabotage: capable leaders. Another critical function of any political party is the selection of people to prepare for future leadership. It must recruit people of character, integrity, knowledge and leadership, imbue them with party ideology, vision and purpose and prepare them for election and public service. By organising the people, mobilising public support, discussing burning issues, shaping and propagating party ideologies and programs, such men and women are trained to be leaders who can contest and win elections, and run future governments or provide credible opposition. Such people would be true representatives of the people because they understand their aspirations.
The APC is right to differ to President Buhari. Without him it is doubtful if the PDP could have been defeated. However, without a virile and purposeful political party Buhari cannot succeed. He has tried a cabinet made up of loyalists and people he is comfortable with. About half are however not even sure why they are there in the first place, and cannot articulate any credible agenda for real change. They may have to go soon. Not all ministers could or should even have to be card carrying members of the ruling party. There are many he has brought in who, though not politicians, are still worth their weight in gold. Competence and political weight must also count, not just loyalty to the boss. Indeed, some of the politicians are better left in their villages.
Buhari’s capability, credibility, competence and charisma is not in doubt. But he cannot pick people on the basis of personal loyalty and familiarity and turn around to complain they are not capable generals. We cannot pray for a storm and then complain when it rains. Political parties must be built if we are to have modern democracies. Competent lieutenants must be nurtured even if they tell you what you may not want to hear. Loyalty and friendships does not make a competent sector commander, as he knows very well.
The other saboteurs he would have to deal with, though he never mentioned them in his interview, are the Governors, Senators and other elected representatives. Most would not have made it but for his support. While the Constitution makes them legally autonomous, but as the de facto party leader he may need to call some of them and read the riot act to them. We cannot continue to preach change at the centre and allow APC functionaries and elected representatives in the states operate in an unaccountable and lawless manner. Even corrupt judges and lawyers can be made to behave by asking where their vast wealth comes from, or if they have paid the right taxes.
Competent governments, viable institutions, strong political parties and subjecting all and sundry to the requirements of the law can end sabotage. Otherwise, for all our support, Buhari would end up fighting a very lonely fight indeed. Which will be very serious.