By Uche Mbah
History has been repeating itself since President Buhari took over at the inception of the current All Progressives Congress, APC government. The political gladiators has remained the same, and the parties are simply the vehicles the political class use for their subjugation of the populace. “There is no political parties in Nigeria, rather we have the political class”, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain was overheard last week telling a colleague. They only look for avenues to realise their ambitions. “That is why cross carpeting has become commonplace.”
Maybe. But one thing is certain, the coalition that ousted President Goodluck Jonathan is rearing its head again, this time, to make sure that Muhammadu Buhari, the austere General weakened by age and accused by critics of being a Feudal Lord with a medieval mindset, is swept out of Aso Rock come 2019. To achieve this a coalition of about 30 political parties is being organized by a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, which is expected to be a grand coalition to take on the APC in 2019. It is speculated in several quarters that his party, African Democratic Congress, ADC, will work with these 30 parties either as a coalition, merger or co operation.”I can confirm that national Conscience party is one of the political parties,” said Martin Onovo, one time presidential candidate under NCP. And the coalition is providing platforms for -new entrant into the political chess game to cut their teeth.
The main issue is that the main opposition party, PDP, is considering a coalition-or at least a working together with the adc and others, to create a formidable force that will have no difficulties in dislodging the APC. This was a repeat of what was done before 2015, where Buhari’s CPC, Tinubu’s ACN and Ogbonnaya Onu’s ANPP joined together to form the APc. This time around, the PDP is considering a change of name to be able to shake off th toga that Buhari and his party has placed on their neck as a party of looters. “That is why up until now there has been no serious presidential candidate yet for the PDP. That can only be possible after the coalition”, said a PDP chieftain last week to this magazine. But Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, has been the only one who has been campaignig under the umbrella of PDP. But fears that he may not clinch the ticket and may still have to leave to another political party is there, and Obasanjo will remain a stumbling block.
During the last regime, the international community, headed by the US, were bent on removing Jonathan, according to reports. They blew the Chibok girls isue out of proportion and used it as a leverage. This time, President Trump appears not to favour his second term. Indications are that Trump had invited Buhari to Washington to personally tell him not to run, and Buhari pleaded for his support, prepared to do any bidding of his to make him change his mind. Hence the deals never benefited Nigeria but America. Out of desperation to please Trump he sent the Ambassador to Israel to go for the opening of American embassy in Jerusalem, but when the backlash from the Arab world, he denied it.
There are four people who have the confidence of the international communities, and when they take a position, they represent the international community position. They are Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo, Theophilus Danjuma and Alhaji Sule Gambari, the former permanent representative to the United nations. And they appear to all be on the same page.
