815
By Sufuyan Ojeifo
The question of whether Karl Marx was right or not in his contemplation
that capitalism contains the seed of its own destruction is subject either
way to the dialectics of conversation, logic and ramification, especially
against the backdrop of a writ large summation that underpins the global
expansionist tendency of the capitalist governance ideology.
Whilst historical developments have, so far, confirmed the increasing
domination of the ideological system, thus resolving the question in the
negative, there is a profound sense in which it can be surmised that
laissez-faire approach by operatives at the commanding heights of the
capitalist system, which vitiates the elite consensus to gradually admit
revolutionary leaders into its fold, can destabilize the polity and actuate
the process of revolution, that will conversely answer the question in the
positive.
Writing in a preface to “The Contribution to the Critique of Political
Economy” Marx posited: “no social order ever disappears before all the
productive forces for which there is room in it have been developed; and
new higher relations of production never appear before the material
conditions of their existence have matured in the womb of the old society
itself. Therefore, mankind always sets itself only such tasks as it can
solve; since looking at the matter more closely, we always find that the
task itself arises only when the material conditions necessary for its
solution already exist, or are at least in the process of formation.”
It is in the context of the analogy supra that the tension of the
problematic demand by the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) within the
bigger and larger legacy party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for
fairness and justice in political accommodation and appointments, is hereby
interrogated. The Yoruba have a proverb that says: “bi ina ko ba tan li
ori, eje ki itan li eekan”, transliterated: “if lice are still in the hair
on the head, blood stains will be a common feature on the finger nails.”
The nPDP members are lice in the hair on APC’s head. The group
constitutes, as it were, the potential seed of APC’s destruction if its
capacity for good is not properly nurtured, managed and harvested for
utilitarian political benefits.
Some leaders of the APC are more likely to disagree with this assessment.
It is within their right to do so. There is no doubt that the proposition
is contentious. Former governor of Nasarawa state and senator representing
Nasarawa West senatorial zone, Abdullahi Adamu, believes that the nPDP is a
shadow of its old self, shorn of weight, strength and gravitas. A clearer
understanding of his position will most probably encourage supporters of
President Buhari in the party to see the nPDP as no longer being a
monolithic, cohesive, strong and single-minded group as it was when it
staged the 2014 sensational pullout from the PDP to join in the formation
of the APC.
As north central zonal coordinator of the Buhari campaign organisation,
Adamu leads a critical bloc in the senate and in the party. He is also in a
position to assess the membership of the resurrected nPDP and what those
who are promoting it count for in President Buhari’s re-election bid.
Perhaps, his assessment accounts for his consistent anti-nPDP
pronouncements. He recently called on the APC leadership to ignore what he
described as the antics of the group essentially as they were aimed at
intimidating and blackmailing President Buhari.
But there seems to be a fresh direction, attitude and rapprochement in the
offing. New National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole,
in his acceptance speech after his emergence at the party’s national
convention in Abuja said that the nPDP would be accommodated within the
emergent party-government configuration. Oshiomhole spoke magisterially to
the issue of hard work and reward being commensurate. He assured that his
leadership would engage with all stakeholders for equitable rewards. That
is the way to go in any political party that craves the enduring legacies
of unity and amity.
Oshiomhole knew what he was talking about. The nPDP issue has lingered,
rendering the party and the presidency tentative. The Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun leadership, working in concert with the vice president,
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, had already begun the process of engaging the
group. However, there have been indications of lack of good faith (bona
fides) by both sides. There has been arrogant posturing by both sides.
Oshiomhole advised against arrogance in his speech. Whereas, what is
needed is forgiveness; it is the understanding of the need to forgive, put
the acrimonious past behind and forge a new common front on the basis of
equitable political accommodation that can lead to the success of
Oshiomhole’s engagement with the Kawu Baraje-led nPDP.
The new APC chairman, judging by his speech to the delegates, including
President Buhari, and the APC as a political family, appeared committed.
Since
he would not want to preside over the disintegration or liquidation of the
party under his leadership, one can reasonably surmise that his intentions
going forward with the engagement are genuine. It is with great pains that
his good faith would be discounted or faulted. This then leaves the nPDP as
the beautiful bride that must be mollycoddled and pacified. It then means
that the group should, in the present circumstance, bear the burden of
questionable good faith.
Given the prejudices and negative sentiments that the leadership of the
nPDP and its back-end sponsors suffer from as well as the problem of mutual
distrust between them and the Buhari/APC leadership, the likely atmosphere
that will prevail will be that of mutual suspicion and possible
backstabbing. Can Oshiomhole moderate tempers and cause a shift of grounds
for amicable resolution of the contending issues? It will take a mind
reader to know what the stakeholders are contemplating as their final plans.
The strategic moves to halt the pullout of the nPDP by the Oshiomhole
leadership require the assurance and good faith of the president. The
president will need to support Oshiomhole, as he did for him to emerge as
national chairman, to succeed in this critical endeavour. The success of
the engagement will be salutary to his presidential re-election enterprise.
Therefore, whatever the terms of the settlement are, good faith requires
that both parties should show fidelity to them. It should not be a case of
the president reneging once he has achieved his political and electoral
objective.
And as for the nPDP, this process is delicate. The group needs prudence in
decision taking. If it has confidence in the capacity of the new APC
leadership to pull it through without reprisals, it may consider staying
put in the APC and staking its destiny in the emerging topsy-turvy on the
political terrain in the build-up to the 2019 general election, especially
the presidential battle. Feelers from the APC indicate that Oshiomhole is
sincere in his moves to engage with the nPDP. The concern is however with
the presidency and the nPDP who may insert their wedges in the process and
render it convoluted and complicated. If the process eventually falls
through, it will not be that Oshiomhole did not try his best; it will then
be that the other critical elements approached the reconciliation process
with bad faith (mala fides). And that will be sad and counter-productive to
APC’s electoral fortunes.
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*Ojeifo, an Abuja-based journalist, writes via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com