Opinion: common interest must override personal interest if APC is to 2019 elections in Benue, Nigeria

By: Akor Ikwuoche Esq.

Every action or inaction of man is driven by interest and the interest may be personal, collective or both. Collective interest often referred to as common interest is sublime and popular to every extent while personal interest is most often rooted in selfishness and greed.

In politics, every action or inaction is a function of interest and in most cases personal interest, especially when it comes to third world politics. This, however, does not rule out the fact that there are a good number of selfless individuals who pursue common interest in their public endeavours even in the third world nations where politics is largely viewed as a selfish struggle for power and control of resources.

The political situation in Benue state today wherein two major political parties, APC and PDP, are struggling for the soul of the state will certainly take a strong projection of common interest of the masses for any political party to win the 2019 election. A political party that will win that election must be seen as adequately representing the common interest of the people or else there will be no magic that can guarantee victory. Our political system is maturing; the electioneering process is becoming more transparent, freer & fairer compared to when we started in 1999, hence electoral malpractice or manipulation is becoming rapidly unproductive. Therefore, only popular interest will triumph through popular candidates in the 2019 election. Any one who is contemplating any form of electoral malpractice is merely operating under self delusion because it won’t work. Hence the need to propagate, promote, protect and prosecute common interest all through the process can not be over emphasized.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue state must appreciate the fact that it is now operating as an opposition party in the state and hence must, as a matter of priority, motivate & encourage its members to remain committed to the cause of the party by projecting & protecting the common interest of members and the Benue people in general. This is the only way to secure firm loyalty and whole hearted commitment from the members. Any step taken in advancement of self aggrandizement, greed or parochial interest of some few overlords to the detriment of common interest will certainly breed disenchantment, disaffection, disloyalty and it will ultimately lead to dismal performance in the elections. We have witnessed such before.

Already, many tongues are wagging, temper is rising, disgruntled stakeholders in the party are considering option B, all because of some unhealthy power play that threw up several structures that do not enjoy the blessings of common interest but of some few personal interest. Wrongful submission of names of Aspirants who did not win primary election, illegal substitution of lawful candidates, relegation of popular personalities to the background etcetera have beclouded the glory of the party in recent times and it is not healthy for the party.

I, as a foundational member of APC whose membership transmuted along side the party’s evolutional stages from Action Congress (AC) in 2007, to ACN in 2011 and now APC, who has no other alternative party to call his own but APC, wish to strongly advise our leaders to immediately embark on sincere fence mending, pacification of aggrieved members and unfeigned engagement that will reassure the members that their common interest will be re-enacted, promoted and protected. Any thing short of this will spell doom for the party. I am giving this candid view from a well informed background as a grassroot mobilizer who has spent some time in the political terrain and I have the privilege of having many critical stakeholders confiding in me concerning their anger and disenchantment over the management of our party’s affairs and how they want to pay back to ventilate their anger.

To therefore retain the loyalty of members and the solidarity of the electorate alike, there MUST be a sincere and robust reward system. It is wrong for ‘monkey to de work and baboon go de chop’. The interest of our tested and trusted mass mobilizers must not be sacrificed on the altar of elite connection and parochial interest. This will kill the party.

As we approach the 2019 general election, it is my prayer that my party APC holds high the common interest of its members and of the people of Nigeria so that it will continue to enjoy the overwhelming support of the masses as it has always enjoyed and its members will work with the last strength of their lives.

God bless the All Progressives Congress!

God bless the great people of Nigeria!!