APC crisis; Imo State case

Barely one hundred and eighty days (180 days) to the 2019 general election, the ruling All Progressive Congress Party (APC) is almost scattered as mere shreds of paper. At the National level, a schism has resulted into two major faction of the party. Hence, we now have the New Reformed APC. It will be recalled that the major opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) suffered the same fate a couple of months after its humiliation out of the corridors of power at the Federal Government Level. The aftermath of the conspiracy that sent the PDP packing from Aso Rock Village was the curious play out of intrigues which culminated in the nearly intractable crisis that rocked the party. Eventually the PDP polarized into two giving birth to a New PDP (N-PDP). Perhaps both parties are afflicted by the same virus. But the major similarities and differences in their ailment are quite fundamental. First, the crisis in the APC is akin to that of the PDP in that they were turn into definite factions. Secondly, the marked difference in the troubles of both the PDP and APC is that the sooner split while out of power as a form ruling party, whereas the latter got its boat rocking while still in the saddle as the National Ruling Party. Another outstanding similarity in the nature of their sickness is that both experienced tension under the pangs of party carpet-crossing. Also the differences in the intensity of defections are obvious in that the crisis in the vanquished PDP enabled the victorious APC to consolidate their majority in the bi-cameral legislative chambers. It posed a serious challenge to the ousted PDP to the extent that a gradual exit of faithful from its camp was somewhat brought to a check. Conversely, the crisis in the APC still very green and reverberating up till the moment of this piece does not seem to have any end. Better put, the end of the APC crisis is not yet in sight.
At the moment, the PDP appears to have recovered by picking up their pieces. But, the APC is still seriously groaning under the stings of the viral massive defection mandibles. Recently, the APC experienced and all of us witnessed a ground shaking mass-defection of not just party faithful but elected members in the legislative arms of Government, particularly at the Federal levels, This has not only sent jitters to the party leaders and major stakeholders of the APC, but, has vibrated the stability of the party. And equally raised questions yet to be answered about the marginal propensity of its recovery, possible restoration into power and what actually lie ahead of this tension ridden vibration. The entire scenario has truly agitated the National polity. Politicians and Analysist are almost at lost with a pertinent description and analysis of the alertful political development that is quite new to our political clime. It appears so intricate as if to defy professional interpretation especially given the ambiguity of the operational 1999 constitution (as Amended). In effect, legal pundits ascribe diverse political and constitutional interpretation to the consternation of many including yours sincerely. Interestingly, the PDP is fast recuperating while the APC is rapidly degenerating. Nigeria’s socio-political history is being consistently spiced up. There is ever increasing political consciousness as well as lessons to learn by the actors and gladiators. In the past, precedence had been set to take reference from. Beyond this situation, more record braking precedence could be set from the on-going legislative cum executive impasse once the brouhaha is doused. Our political history is being enriched on daily basis with the unfolding conundrum, except that the architects of this strange nation with a chequered constitutional structure are no doubt no longer assured of its sustenance given the inordinate agitations and ululation from too numerous short-changed adjuncts of Nigeria. The government of the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) is now confronted head long with the dare consequences of clannish disposition. Sooner or later we are bound to detect or decipher the fault in this parochial self-styled democratic detector-ship. The other tiers of government apart from the executive are being strangled to the worst point of Odium against the presidency. For instance, the leadership of the red chamber of the National Assembly NASS is receiving bashing from the leadership of the ruling ARC that is desperately committed to upturn due process and negate previous democratic precedence. The wild weird national Chairman of the ARC Chief Adams Oshomole is now shouting Aluta in full oblivion of the constitutional implication of adopting biased judgment of conventional occurrence.
The APC National Chairman is yelling at the senate President openly coercing him to resign or face an unfounded impeachment. The senate membership is now 48 members from the PDP against 52 (plus) four (4) poached from displaced and demised APC members. It is certain that even with 56 members there are very slim chances of the APC mustering two thirds of the senate seated physically to endorse the impeachment of Senator Bukola Saraki which rightfully defected to the PDP. Meanwhile, before the 2015 general election Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal defected to the APC from the PDP to enjoy the privilege of being swiftly elected as the Governor of Sokoto State. Nobody from the PDP camp or leadership dare cried foul the way Adams Oshiomole is yelling, rather, Aminu Tambuwal served out his tenure as the speaker of the House of Representatives. Instructively, Chief Adams Oshimole may ignominiously fail to impeach the senate President without extorting the support of the 2/3 members of the senate in tandem with the constitutional provisions. Narrowed down to the Imo State APC government led by His Excellency the Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha (OON), another awesome oddity is playing out. The crisis in the Imo State APC is overwhelmingly metamorphosing in complexity. Until recently, the Governor Okorocha’s domineering influence in the Imo APC appears insurmountable. This made the Governor attained the status of a colossus in the Imo APC and beyond.
The allegation that Governor Rochas planned to build an empire out of the Imo State government House is no longer a hidden agenda. He is resolute about installing his son-in-law at all costs above every other interest. This does not leave the level playing ground to encourage other aspirants, beside Uche Nwosu his son-in-law. And for this singular reason, Governor Rochas is out to gag every opposition within the APC and without to achieve his goal. This and other latently subtle reasons sew a seed of discord in the Imo APC. Consequently, the Imo APC took multi-polar factions. The major faction from the Governor Okorocha’s camp of the Imo APC manifested in the garb of the Allied Forces by the camps of Senators Ifeanyi Ararume, Osita Izunaso, Uwafumogu et al. Even at that the camp of Senator Hope Uzodinma is another one that is not negligible given his political weight as a priced BOT member of the APC. In retrospection, Senators Hope Uzodinma and Amoudu Sherriff fought in vain to decimate the PDP at the national level. In Imo State the exit of Senator Hope Uzodinma left little or no vacuum notwithstanding that his fanatical political disciples crossed over to the APC from the PDP in solidarity. At least the PDP both at National level and Imo State now enjoys stability in approximation. Conversely, the APC nationally and Imo State wing are undergoing serious structural instabilities. In Imo State, the APC party congress was a clear failed Litmus indicating serious structural weakness. There have been congress and counter congress from the opposition faction and the leading factions respectively. And both of them were disapproved via litigation. The discernible weakness in the weaving strands of the APC generally and Imo State particularly speaks volume of iminent danger. In Imo State, one wonders how to conduct a successful APC congress that will be acceptable without bitterness and rancor. When this is still imaginary, it is no gain saying that the conducting of peaceful APC primaries remains a mirage. The only lee way to resolve this where harmonization is not possible (which is likely so) is via the clandestine utility of the Machiavellian rule of the survival of the fittest among the clashing titans. Otherwise, the incidences of carpet-crossing can the veritable plan B alternative for the suffocating scramblers.
After all, as there are many fishes in the ocean the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided 63 platforms. The numerous other political parties apart from the APC and PDP in Imo State can provide a landing pad as succor to annual the unwarranted effect of the scramble to partition APC. The goal of capturing political power to gain access to the Government House can be achieved through any of the many other platforms. Imo State case is bound to spring surprises.
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