The lack of common sense within the APC is tragic. Where is the change? Where do we go from here?

Faleke’s Trauma: APC’s Dictatorial Tendencies Unfold

By Adeola Aderounmu

Sometimes when you hear about certain things happening in Nigeria and especially those things that emanate from the political circles, you get so shocked that you begin to wonder if these people running Nigeria have any brain cells at all.

I have seen many comical pictures on the social media where different Nigerian rulers or presidents have had their heads replaced with coconuts.

On a closely look, those comical images are near to reality for Nigeria’s political class.

So Audu Abubakar died. Some have called for autopsy reports to ascertain if he was murdered or if he died of natural causes. I think his family has more say on what path they choose.

Ordinarily one would have thought that succeeding or replacing Audu Abubakar ought to be common sense. Mathematicians will call it logic.

Late Audu’s deputy Mr.  Faleke should step into his shoes and finish the race for the his late boss and definitely for his party-the APC.

As I understand it now, there are about 49 000 votes up for grab.

Bu what has the APC mandate under Mr. Buhari done?

They have brought out a man from the PDP to be the replacement for APC’s Audu Abubakar. Yahaya Bello campaigned for Idris Wada after he lost the APC governorship ticket. They have now brought him back to the APC and chose him ahead of James Faleke.

Let those who have ears hear now, the trouble in Kogi will most definitely add to the already brewed troubles in Eastern Nigeria and the war in Northern Nigeria which will make Nigeria one of the most unstable and most unpredicatable places on earth.

James Faleke has gone to court. The cases may draw for a long time and they may stall the proposed conclusion to the elections.

The constitution of Nigeria is already messed up on this matter. There are as many opinions as contributors.

I learnt INEC which was supposed to be an independent body even ran to the Attorney General for suggestions. That way it became easy to finger the presidency in the dilemma.

I am not the one to bring out the ethnicity and religion of James Faleke. His names will do. I wish he could called on Ifa though.

If APC needs help in flaming their politics of tribe and religion, they will get as many help as they want with this nonsense and ingredients that they have started.

For, the death of Audu was already a matter that created problems for the interpretations of Nigerian electoral law.

The problems would have been mild and probably manageable by sticking to Faleke and hoping that he will gather the necessary votes from the disputed ones.

Who will tell the dunces and mumus in APC that Yahaya Bello can never win the governorship election with 49 00 votes even if he claims all the votes?

When late Audu Abubakar contested with Faleke as his deputy, they had votes that counted for both of them. Is APC interpreting these votes as votes for the party and not the candidates?

Then, they should also be preparing their lawayers for the suits that will come from the PDP.

As it looks now, PDP is contesting both with Idris Wada in their official party and with Yahaya Bello on the platform of the APC. Head or tail, PDP will win the elections if they are conducted on Saturday but Bello will not be the winner.

He cannot possibly be allowed by Wada or the PDP to assume the position of the governor with less than 50 000 votes.

APC is not even gradually showing its true colours, it is doing it with speed. As soon as the party took over from Jonathan and PDP at the center, it was quick to show in the morning what Nigerians should expect for the rest of the day.

Not least is the rise of dictatorial tendencies and one-sided prosecution of persons perceived to be political enemies and adversaries.

The side-tracking of Faleke (if APC succeeds) will be a new chapter in the books of dictatorship. It is too easy for the presidency to lie and change a lot of stories in the media. This is because they have not allowed Buhari to speak to Nigeria in Nigerians.

Unless someone can prove otherwise, l have read many statements credited to Mr. Buhari when he is outside Nigerian than when he is in Abuja.

It is time to hear him speak. His opinions count. During the elections’ campaign, he hardly spoke. When does he intend to start talking and giving his opinions directly to the people and the media?

Is the APC not tired of having to change every single opinion that is credited to it or Mr. Buhari?

Some of those opinions and issues will continue to trail this administration for as long as it exists at the center.

The APC as it seems is always changing and does not seems to stand for anything. That is why it is falling apart and falling for everything.

For sure, a lot of people will want to bring party ideology which is of course nonsensical and other lines of legal implications into what is transpiring in Kogi State.

My take is that it is simply wrong and actually stupid to replace Faleke. If Audu was alive he would have re-contested with Faleke. If Audu had won, he would have been governor and Faleke is deputy. If Audu had died one week after he became governor, Faleke would have been the governor.

What we know now is that the last sentence does not hold water with APC mandate and Buhari’s rulership. Faleke could have been booted out of office, and Yahaya Bello imported from PDP to the governor’s house.

These are all hypotheses. But again, the last option is very possible with APC dictatorial tendencies as we now know.

Have we forgotten too easily how we all rallied round Goodluck Jonathan during those trying months? I do not intend to elaborate further. A word is always enough for the wise.

APC must not forget that what goes round, comes round. It is Faleke today, you will not hear it from me where this is going to come up next. But it will happen and some people will run from Cape Town to Cairo asking for sympathy and placement.

Meanwhile all these nonsense and ingredients from APC are perfect distractions from other dangerous situations in Nigeria.

The petrol scarcity is back and the eastern part of Nigeria is gradually locking up or is it down. Unemployment is on record high, crime rate hitting the roof and the standard of living digging deeper.

Where is the change?

Where do we go from here?

aderounmu@gmail.com