Dangers of APC’s Consensus Romance

Ahmed Ibrahim argues that the ruling party is heading towards an implosion with its insistence on a consensus presidential candidate

As we inch toward who emerges as the presidential flag bearer of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), what has bothered many stakeholders of the party is how to ensure that the process is fair and rancour-free particularly as it confronts a major election next year. Surely so much is at stake for the big apple.

The verdict in the public space is that the APC has not delivered on its manifesto majorly in the area of tackling insecurity, the hydra-headed issue of corruption and growing the economy and creating massive job openings, largely in the breach. 

The party is in fact fingered for what has turned out as the highly divisive nature of our country today and the spiralling inflation which has made Nigeria the poverty capital of the world. Wagging this baggage, the party must, therefore, be mindful of openly giving advantage to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that’s seriously spoiling for a fight to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. Its eyes should be on getting a committed workman who will handle the spanners and get the country working again.

It will be intriguing if the APC has not learnt hard lessons from poor brinkmanship in the handling of its primaries in 2019 that led to the loss to the PDP of Zamfara and Rivers States where factions of the party were at daggers drawn.

Unfortunately, the APC leaders who are sucked by the zeal to ensure that the President’s anointed is forced through, appear to want to railroad the consensus mode to easily work to an answer rather than race the aspirants through a direct or indirect primary. This can be an invitation to trouble. 

The consensus model is not likely to be satisfactory to a load of aspirants who are already digging in with their supporters across the country. Realism dictates that the party must steer away from the path of insanity. How really can the consensus mode be forced through without the diktat of both the party leaders and President Buhari? 

This can only be arbitrary and ignite rage and bad blood against the party whose hands would have been used to pull chestnuts from the fire. This invariably will put party members at each other’s throats as they match into the crucial 2023 election.

The new Electoral Act says clearly that the consent of other aspirants must be gotten for a consensus model to sail through. How can the party scale that hurdle against many of the aspirants whose image, deep pocket and reach are almost larger than life? How can it wield the big stick without courting their wrath? How can the party compel these big boys to accept the crowing of an anointed candidate through the back door?

In Section 84 (9), the Act states that: “A political party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the position, indicating their voluntary withdrawal from the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate.” In Section 84 (10), the Act goes further to say that where no such written consent can be obtained, then there should be direct or indirect primaries. 

The APC cannot win a bet that it can elicit the consent of the calibre of aspirants it parades who have been burning the midnight oil, canvassing for votes across the country and have so much at stake. So why risk a cataclysm that may tear the party that was cobbled from the defunct All Congress Party of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All People’s Party (APP) and a faction of PDP and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)? Sometimes it beats me hollow why some prefer to invite their chi for a fight rather than take the easier and less acrimonious road.

With leading aspirants like one of its leaders, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos State Governor, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and others who are in strong stead to solely oil their campaign machinery, they can easily call the bluff of the party and render it to a lame-duck if it attempts to unduly overreach itself.

Instead of wearing blinkers and insisting on the consensus option, it is better for the party to ask all the aspirants to go through direct or indirect primaries. Given its race with the June 3 date for the submission of its candidates contesting elections at all levels by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the indirect mode where delegates will converge at a designated place for a convention may not be too financially draining, less stressful and free from backlash.

In the glare of cameras and with properly labelled boxes, the party can ask the delegates to cast their votes in a more transparent process that will be monitored by the INEC, media and other independent observers. With this, it will be obvious to the losers that the front runners have justly earned their victories. This lends itself as the most viable option that will save the party from looming harakiri.