Albert Einstein it was, who posited that if an individual is persistently maligned or persecuted while on a salvaging mission, his traducers do so purely out of envy. To them the unattainable grape is sour. That may perhaps explain the recent tactless tirade by Abubakar Baraje, one of the defectors from the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party, PDP made against revered APC chieftains in the persons of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the prime mover of the coalition of the progressive parties and Chief Bisi Akande the former interim chairman of the APC. Baraje, we recall was amongst politicians who jumped ship to avoid being swallowed up by the then imminent electoral storm.
By his political antecedents, Baraje like the current Senate President, Bukola Saraki cannot lay claim to any progressive political ideology. As hard core conservatives they have never been on the side of the people, but have always angled for power for self-serving reasons. Though he successfully ditched the PDP for the APC, Baraje thought, but erroneously so, that he could import that individualistic mindset against the sway of party supremacy that the progressive parties such as the CPC, ACN and ANPP have been known for.
It is within this context that one could best situate his recent unfortunate remarks. Baraje, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described as ‘unfortunate,’ a statement credited to the party’s former interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, where he alleged that principal officers of the National Assembly enjoy the backing of some oil business interests and anti-Buhari elements.
Baraje, in a press statement described Akande’s comments on the crisis as hypocrisy and reminded him of a meeting, which had an unnamed governor from the North-west and a leader of the party from the South-west and the latter was admonished about the crisis in the party.
He also reminded Akande how he supported the governor against the South-west leader’s antics and described Akande’s statement as “fabrication.” Baraje said he was disappointed that Chief Akande, who had led the party and served as a governor, authored a statement where he sought to divide the nation by setting the North against the South-west.
Baraje went further:”I do not know where Chief Akande and his cohorts are getting this unsubstantiated information they are circulating. We challenge them to provide proof and let Nigerians make their judgment…”
“Akande and co believe that they have exclusive right to determine who occupies what position in today’s Nigeria and whoever tries to challenge their position must be subjected to savage attack in the media. That tactic is definitely undemocratic.
”My worry has been that President Buhari is being fed with lies and stories that are dangerous to the polity. My fears have now been confirmed with Akande’s statement. It is my prayer that the President should strengthen his information gathering network, so as to have a clear and true picture of what is happening. I am sure they just wanted to poison the minds of the people before that meeting. Akande sure does not want reconciliation and they already have an agenda they are pursuing. Yet, they accused others of different sins. We pray that reason will prevail and they will join others to move the party forward”, he said.
But on his part, Akande has reiterated his position, based purely on the party’s supremacy. This was his response in a recent media interview, when asked why he considered Saraki and Dogara’s emergence as a rebellion.
“The party took a position. They did a primary and somebody won. Anybody who goes against the democratic position of the party is rebellious. Don’t you see it as a rebellion? I know that Nigerians don’t know discipline anymore; everybody does things they way they like. You didn’t get there by yourself but by the grace of your party. That is why you can go to the party to say that I want to be this and they would say oh, they are many of you who want to too, come and do election. And somebody won and somebody stood by that person. Once you go against that party, you are committing rebellion. It is an act of indiscipline. I support all of them, they are my colleagues, but I don’t support indiscipline.”
In another press interview he made a poignant observation. He described Senator Saraki and Honourable Dogara as being all out to foist the fortune of their former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on the new ruling party through their “rebellion” which, he said, killed the PDP.
He said the backers of the “rebellion” as insinuated in his letter, which was made public on Monday, paled in comparison to the “criminal act” which, he said, the action of Saraki, Dogara and others against the party symbolised.
“The cardinal thing I emphasised in that statement was discipline, obedience to your party. It is our party that made Saraki. He cannot disobey our party”.
Viewed from a more holistic perspective therefore, it goes beyond Baraje’s assumption that Akande was setting the North against the South-west. His views are patriotic as it has to do with internal party democratic ideals based on discipline.
Supporters of the rebellion are also at the heart of those accusing Tinubu of obsession with power and being over bearing. They are the ones wrongly accusing him of nominating 19 people as ministers, out of a possible 30. Unknown to Baraje and his cohorts, the duo of Tinubu and Akande have consistently been driven by the patriotic fervour, over the years to seek for what is best for the country. Tinubu, for instance has earned the accolade as a political strategist of no mean measure, across Nigeria’s quicksand political landscape. He was there as an enduring symbol fighting assiduously for the return of democracy during the dare-devil days of military dictatorship. Like other patriots he exhibited that uncommon courage to stand on the side of his people when it mattered most. He spent his money and provided logistic support during the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) days to fund the famed Radio Kudirat against the Abacha regime.
It would also be recalled that when the PDP rigging machinery bulldozed its way through those South-west, Asiwaju as the governor of Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence became the ‘last man standing’ in that ultimate battle for political survival.
And he is still here now, standing tall as one of the few Nigerians who salvaged democracy from the throes of annihilation. He could not stand aloof to watch Nigeria being besotted by storms of political ineptitude, cluelessness and crass corruption riding high on the wave crests of opportunism. Again, he stood up to say a vehement “no” to it all. Only a patriot would do that.
His towering political stature still sends shock waves down the spine of crass political opportunists, especially those like Baraje and his co-travellers who love to reap where they never sowed.
Empirical evidence abounds to show that he has been passionately propelled by the principles of equity, fairness, and justice all in the search for the common good. For that he has made a lot of sacrifice; of energy, time, resources and even his cherished freedom.
Yet, he is most painfully being misconstrued as a self-serving politician. But this could not be true. Were it so, he would have been contented with being the chairman, Board of Trustees of the APC or its National Chairman, or put himself forward for a ministerial post. It should be noted that at no point in time has he ever vied for any of these plum political posts in AD, AC or ACN (all defunct).
All said, Nigerians who massively voted APC for Change should be wary of politicians who find it difficult to subject themselves to party supremacy and discipline. And those, who defected from PDP to APC for self-serving reasons, wanting to dictate to the founding fathers of the APC.
Chief Akande and Asiwaju Tinubu are absolutely right; only with discipline can the party fulfil its electoral promises to the people. The earlier the fair-weather politicians sacrifice their inordinate ambitions for the general good, the better for us all.
‘Nigerians who massively voted APC for change should be wary of politicians who find it difficult to subject themselves to party supremacy and discipline’
