One the greatest problems of party politics in Nigeria is the relentless recurrence of power-mongering, forced godfatherism and the poverty of restraints wielded by so-called party strongmen. The penchant of these strongmen to undermine party supremacy, trample on party structures and make themselves into institutions has been a stumbling block to real party supremacy.
From the days of Lamidi Adedibu, the strongman of Ibadan politics to the failed attempt by Adams Oshiomhole to play god over Edo politics, so-called party men have seen mixed fortunes, but this has not stopped other would-be stalwarts from traveling this thorny path. Wike's swift fallout with his political godson in River State ought to be a ready example for the fruitlessness of strong-arm politics, but if there is any disease among Nigerian politicians that has no cure, it is selective amnesia.
The situation in Benue State where Governor Hyacinth Alia is facing perhaps the greatest trial of his faith and politics is reminiscent of typical Nigerian party politics. The allegation or belief in Makurdi and within APC circles is that George Akume, Secretary to Government of the Federation, a man well-versed in the art of politics Nigeriana having previously served as governor of Benue State under the umbrella of Nigeria's main opposition party, PDP, is at the heart of Gov. Alia's political troubles.
It has been alleged that Gov Alia fell out of favour with the SGF over the emergence of Hyacinth Dajoh as Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly through a thoroughly democratic process. This eventuality, it was said didn't go down well with Akume who supported a different candidate and former media aide, Backy Orpin. The poll was so closely contested that Reverend Father Hyacinth won with only two votes. The suggestion that trouble was in the offing for the APC was the depth of animosity that played out immediately after the election right on the floor of the Assembly as party stalwarts went close fisticuffs.
Things got to a head when Governor Alia decided like many governors to replace 21 out of the 23 fraudulently elected LGA chairmen with caretaker chairmen. To the unpractised eye, the push-back registered by the 23 APC LGA chairmen accusing the governor of abandoning stakeholders to strike out alone may seem like a genuine call for party democracy. But, in truth, the resolution by the APC LGA chairmen was a well-rehearsed plot to discredit the governor.
The fake display of righteous indignation when the APC LGA chairmen appeared to feign worry over the manner in which the governor is running the state without carrying them along despite being elected on the platform of the APC right from the inception of his administration was simply a smokescreen, a calculated attempt to start plugging away at Governor Alia's focus on governance. As subsequent attacks on the person of the governor would reveal, many of these so-called APC leaders were acting a script; the director, a very accomplished politician pulling the leash from the nation's capital.
What is happening in Benue State is power-mongering in its most primitive state. The governor of the state is naturally the leader of the party. That was the direction of Nigerian politics, yet many have expected Governor Alia to allow himself to be steamrolled into submission by political thugs loyal to you know who. It was, therefore, not surprising when several schemes were sponsored to give the APC in Benue State the semblance of a party in crisis just to split into factions following the removal of Austin Agada as party chairman in response to his suspension from the party by his Ehaje Ward.
When Austin Agada was restrained from parading himself as APC chairman by a court of competent jurisdiction, one would have thought the man will respect the judiciary and take his medicine without complaint. But that was not the case. Backed by Abuja cover, Agada continued to parade himself as chairman long after the party's executive committee had appointed Benjamin Omakolo as acting party chairman.
Governor Alia demonstrated leadership when he outlawed political rallies in the state in the face of what was poised to be a bloody clash between the Agada-led faction of the party and the Omakolo leadership. It must be said that Agada has shown that he is just a puppet nodding along to the ludicrous machinations of the Abuja big man. The manner in which Agada allowed himself to be used against the progress of Benue State betrays whatever claims he thinks he has over the party that brought Governor Alia to power.
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Alia is the goose laying APC's egg in Benue and it is just shocking that instead of Agada following him to guarantee his party remains with a shout in the general scheme of things, he is burning bridges, and we all know who comes out on top. In this respect, Edo readily comes to mind. Not even Oshiomole's national leadership of the APC was enough muscle to oust Obaseki when he cross-carpeted to the PDP.
I believe it bears reminding the Abuja godfather that it was Alia's personality and not necessarily the APC that took the polls away from Ortom and the PDP. I wonder what would become of APC if Alia were to take a dignified leave of the party. Agada and his co-travellers must ponder this and other possibilities before staying on his puppeteer train to nowhere. I join the legion of Benue people calling for a halt on hostilities. Time to let our governor focus on governance.
*Mubarak, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.
