As one of the founding fathers of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State and as one of the founding members of APC at the national level, I must confess it saddens me to see that APC my beloved party has become very sick and frail. APC needs urgent diagnosis or else it may die of cancer. Not one but various forms of Cancer has besieged APC lately something must be done!
Cancer of Ideology
APC is suffering from cancer of ideology; it seems to me that immediately after the election APC has thrown its principles into the dustbin. How come that every dick and harry are now members of APC. Till tomorrow everybody keeps cross carpeting to APC. Then who will remain in opposition? How come that APC cannot screen and reject political immigrants, how come anything goes? Does APC not stand for something anymore? Am afraid if this cancer is not uprooted APC might die before 2019
Cancer of Ideas
Other than the gallant display of victory over terrorism and the sublime fight against corruption. APC seems to have too little to show. We are yet to come up with great ideas and initiatives to pull the motherland out of poverty and suffering. The APC and the APC controlled states have shown little ingenuity when it comes to ideas, strategy and creativity. Generally it seems APC have forgotten the famous slogan “Ideas rule the world”. I will advice those in governance to pick up the APC manifesto, dust it, read it, assimilate it and be inspired by it. I am afraid if we do not address this cancer urgently APC might die before 2019.
Cancer of Betrayal
Both at the Federal and State level most APC members feel betrayed and abandoned. APC government at all levels has carried themselves and their policies forward without any form of consultation with the members who fought so hard and painfully to ensure victory. In terms of appointments, assignments and engagement they feel sidelined.
How can people be intelligent enough to deliver victory and be unintelligent enough to participate in governance, while It is very true that people decide through votes but it is also a statement of fact that some people have to coordinate people towards voting and such people deserves to be carried along in decision making and official engagements, foolishly some APCs are even deceiving themselves — that they are building a new structure; forget the sycophancy, forget the hypocrisy it is not possible to build any structure in four years those who think so must be suffering from illusion of grandeur or political myopia. The victory that APC enjoys today has been a struggle against PDP for 16 years, ACN, CPC and ANPP was never a four-year agenda. While there is nothing wrong to bring new people on board especially when they have something new to offer there is need for political wisdom. This is a cancer; it is also eating deep into the marrows of APC. I am afraid if we do not diagnose this cancer it will kill APC before 2019.
Cancer of Disunity
APC is about the most disunited ruling party in Africa. From every polling unit to ward level, from ward to the council, from every council to the federal constituency, from every federal constituency to the Senatorial zones, from every senatorial zones to the state government, from every state government to the federal government and even at the national executive wing of the party, there are various factions, caucus and groups all struggling and colliding against one another like a bull. By Name we are all APC but by Heart we seems to be all something else. This cancer is fast eating deep into the marrow, if we do not address it, this cancer may kill APC before 2019.
Conclusion
To those in power 2019 is already here and Nigerians are excited about it, they are very anxious, they are counting seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and months. The electorates are no fools. They know what to do. APC should not be carried away, to gain victory is not has hard as sustaining the victory.
More than the elections history awaits us, it will be worst for us to betray history and betray Nigerians.
What democracy means to an average Nigerian is food on their table, clothe on their body, Roofs upon their head and good education for their children but its seems those in power; imagine democracy to be about siren blowing, grandstanding, profligacy, drama and forgery.
APC lets treat the cancer!
Hon. Adeyemi Abidemi Adebola
Provost Institute of Disabled Persons (iDP)
Minority Whip 2011-2015
Kogi State House of Assembly
(Yagba West Constituency)
Member Kwame Nkrumah Research Institute
