Even at the risk of sounding trivial, or branded an enemy of his progress, this author will not shy away from drawing timely attention to contemporary developments and historical premises which dictate that the best gift at this time for Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi is prayers. With an impressive political career run that is studded with intimidating credentials, he ordinarily remains a good export from Rivers State to the nation. A two time Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and Chairman of Nigeria’s Speakers Forum, two time governor of Rivers State as well as sometime Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, he is now Minister of Transportation. Rotimi Amaechi can not only be said to have paid his dues in the country’s political terrain, but hardly can many Nigerians match his political credentials.
Yet it is easy for anybody in his shoes to face a political end game that may not conduce to finishing strong. This is especially so if he fails to place in full focus the effervescence of Nigerian politics that easily manifests the here-today gone-tomorrow syndrome. Even as he may be making waves on the national scene as Minister of Transportation, the politics of his home front, Rivers State, is one dispensation he also needs to reconcile with its rhythm, having played a most significant role there at least in the past 18 years. And that is why he needs all the discretion at his disposal to consolidate on his legacy in a sustainable manner.
Of immediate concern is a development that points to another round of political upheaval in the state and may deepen the loss of democracy dividends in the state. Democracy dividends under consideration go beyond the siting of projects and facilities in communities but more importantly the liberties associated with a peoples’ exercise of their rights to determine their destinies. The denial of Nigerians of this fundamental right to engage in the conversation over their destinies at the grassroots and state level, has remained the bane of the present political dispensation. Its immediate consequence is to deny the society the appropriate traction towards meaningful development outside the self serving limitations imposed by hijackers of the popular will.
In a development which many now see as an effort by Amaechi to test his control of the affairs of the APC in the state and thereby play god, Amaechi is reported to have dismantled its structure in the state. According to the report, the bone of contention remains Amaechi’s discomfort over the ambition of Senator Magnus Abe to run for governorship of the state on the platform of the party, come 2019. In specific terms Amaechi is believed to desire his unchallenged power to nominate a candidate of his choice for the exercise and thereby continue his unchallenged sway over the party. It is believed that in order to forestall his loss of grip on the party he dislodged even his traditional party faithful on the grounds of their suspected shift of loyalty away from his direction. However a party spokesman and former Commissioner under Amaechi and ex Member of the House of Representatives Ogbonna Nwuke has spiritedly debunked any such insinuation, citing that all Amaechi intends is to instil order in the party. By his intervention Nwuke has elegantly deepened a welcome conversation on the fortunes of the Rivers State chapter of the APC.
Yet the issue at stake is less about the proclivities of any individual including Amaechi or Abe to ride rough-shod on the party but getting things right this time around. The question here is whether the APC in Rivers State is disposed to do things differently and better this time around and allow their members enjoy the constitutionally guaranteed liberties without being limited by the vaunting ambition of any individual acting alone or in cahoots with others. To put it succinctly, will impunity return to rule the political turf in the state as the build up to 2019 progresses?
In the light of recent developments, it has become imperative for Nigerians to visit the role of opposition politics it the context of meaningful national development. If in the regular run of politics in Nigeria whereby only the ruling parties enjoy mainstream of public attention, there is also a strong reason why the opposition parties need to assert themselves, even if it is only to checkmate the ruling party. For until such a revival of opposition politics commences in full panoply so long shall Nigeria’s democracy remain in the doldrums. The issue therefore goes beyond any individual potentate in any party, but on the entire operatives of the respective political structure.
A typical example is the series of flip flops in the country’s national political terrain following the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to get its act together and provide credible opposition. In fact the primary concern by Nigerians over the fortunes of the PDP was driven by the need for it to recover and assume its role as the shadow government and avail the country options in governance. With the recent Supreme Court ruling on the leadership crisis it is hoped that the party will quickly restore its internal rhythm and live up to expectation in its engagement with the nation’s political narrative.
However for the Rivers APC it is hoped that Nwuke’s defence remains the direction the party is towing as their leader Amaechi has a history in the state that may matter. This is praying that the situation whereby he is at loggerheads with many the significant political big weights in the state who had enjoyed cosy relations with him in the past, does not rub off the new ‘restoration of order’ in the party. With political adversaries that include the incumbent governor Nyesom Wike who was his former Chief of Staff in the Rivers State Government House, Dr Peter Odili, his mentor and foremost benefactor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the country’s immediate past President, Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s former First Lady, Mr Tele Ikuru, Amaechi’s former Deputy as Governor, and others too numerous to mention, and all belonging to the PDP, he has enough battle to face from them.
To expand the theatre of war for himself by contriving the sack of key APC members in the name of driving order in the party as presented by Nwuke, may be a battle that offers him and his party little chance of success.
Hence the need for prayers fo Amaechi.
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