There was a dose of humour, at least, for Nigerians to banter about as the inauguration event on Thursday, May 29th, rolled on. The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomole, had to be physically excused by the Commander of the Guards Brigade from the lineup of national dignitaries waiting to receive President Buhari who was being sworn in.
Many found it hilarious, but intrinsically, it should not be that funny if we are being serious as a nation. Such an obvious lapse in protocol adherence simply reflects a disease which has eaten equally deep into the fabrics of our daily lives. If we cannot handle strict adherence to following protocols at a widely televised national event, how sure are we that those who the president has appointed to surround him as aides are doing their jobs in the best way possible?
The travails of the controversial APC National Chairman would not end there with that brief embarrassing episode. It was revealed in the early hours of Monday, June 3rd, that Chief John Odigie-Oyegun criticized the way Oshiomole has been running the affairs of the ruling party. Oyegun, who hails from Edo State and also Oshiomole’s predecessor, had strong words for the embattled chairman. As he was one of those who engineered the exit of Oyegun from the top position at the National Secretariat, he himself is now being hounded in little time too.
Oshiomole’s travails did not begin today. The immediate former governor of Zamfara State, who was also a victim of the Supreme Court’s final verdict which sacked the APC from the polls, is a sworn foe of Oshiomole. Prior to the controversial APC primaries in Zamfara State last year, Abdulaziz Yari, who was also the ex-chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), was quoted to have warned Oshiomole that if he dares step into Zamfara to oversee the conduct of the primaries, he would have himself to blame. Oshiomole has not dared to step into Zamfara. Yari was never questioned by security forces for issuing an open threat to a national party official either.
To add salt to injury, a letter written by the Deputy Chairman (North) of the APC, Lawal Shuaibu, was leaked to the press where the sins of the APC chairman was tabled. Some pundits alluded to the witchhunt as an orchestrated move at the usual use-and-dump scheme which some northerners use southerners for. Others opine it is simply a series of disagreements kept volatile by the lack of emotional intelligence by the National Chairman.
It was this same vicious bile that the ex governors of Ogun and Imo states had for Oshiomole. But what could be the problem? Do they not all like Oshiomole’s balls? There is a brewing hypothesis by loyalists of the APC now that the party lost most of its governorship elections to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because of Oshiomole’s antics, strong-headedness and lack of diplomacy. Perhaps, his days as the national labour leader in the country must have rubbed badly on his lack of consensus seeking aptitude.
However, whether Oshiomole is really the devil or he is just being victimized by power-hungry brokers who want to also control the national office of the party; the fact remains that the political machinations which will ensue as the 2nd term of President Buhari unfolds will most likely not see the APC National Chairman last up to two years in office. And in all of this, it will be interesting to see where President Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and that of other party members cast their hearts, as time goes on.
References:
Sahara Reporters
Premium Times Ng
Featured image source: ThisDay