LAI MOHAMMED, MUHAMMADU BUHARI IS THE LEADER OF APC

The National Publicity Secretary, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was quoted recently as saying that the President and Commander- in –Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR is not the leader of the APC but a beneficiary of the APC platform. This is farther than the truth, the statement from an official of the APC sounds distasteful to any discerning mind following the political events in Nigeria. I am not a member of any political party but I had worked tirelessly to the realization of Muhammadu Buhari Presidency since 2003 and related closely with the current President in this attempt towards the Interventionist plan. Yours sincerely was at several times harassed by the President Olusegun Obasanjo's goon of unrepentant Intolerance of a civilian dictatorship. It is worthy to note that the Buhari's phenomenon was a long history of commitment, resilience and devotion which did not start with the 2015 Presidential election. It is seed planted to survive a deity of suppression and massive oppression of people's will. The fact that the Idea did not succeed in past does not mean that the miniscule looming of the Inevitability was supplanted, it was  just a matter of time for the Idea to become realizable and it happen in 2015 with the apparent pliability of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the dexterity of the electorates. If the truth must be told, the South West geographical zone, being highly disenchanted with the political compensation menu offered to them by the then President Jonathan's government, coupling with the frustrations of former President Obasanjo's desire to muscle the then President amongst others provided the Buhari's Presidency a common point for rallying a massive support. Muhammadu Buhari had in 2011 Presidential election cornered about Twelve Million votes to his side, this is no small success, considering the fact that he did that almost single handedly in his new political party, the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) having broke off from the rancorous All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). This mean feat is unparallel in the history of the Nigerian Political Contest.  The merger of ANPP, CPC and the erstwhile Action Congress of Nigerian (ACN) with the segregated faction of All People Grand Alliance (APGA) which produced APC had no option than to adopt Muhammadu Buhari as its Presidential Candidate in order to succeed and it did. Without Muhammadu Buhari as its Presidential Candidate in 2015 election, APC would have lost the election and it is doubtful if most of the governors that won under the platform of the APC will ever win. Muhammadu Buhari had a personality of Incorruptibility and high passion for national progress mixed with the spirit of patriotism that no any politician ever had. When the South -west came out of its regional political cocoon to adopt the candidature of Buhari, I was initially skeptical about the Intentions and the politicians from that region that are canvassing for this support made my skepticism even deeper for obvious reasons. It is strange and the politicians are direct opposite of what Buhari stand for. However, Buhari won and we are ever grateful for the support. Like the Former Minister of Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman was quoted as saying, one State in the North (Zamfara) gave Buhari a vote more than the entire South- West. Not withstanding, the Vice President slot was allotted to the region, this is a good compensation by any standard.

The emergence of Alh. Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Senate President and Mr. Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representative against the APC preferred candidates for the two posts raised a highly controversial menu for discourse in our political experience. Saraki may not be a Saint but his political defiance had given Nigeria the required expectations of equity, Justice and equality which APC will be myopic in taking into cognizance under normal conditions. It has also enhanced the Independence of the legislature in choosing its own leaders. With the President from the North -West, the Vice President from the South- West, the Deputy Senate President from the South -East, the Speaker of the House of Representatives from North-East and his deputy from south- West. The need for an APC Presidency to bother about National Unity Government in order to satisfy the varying national sensitivities and sensibilities has rationally been taken care of and it is good for national renaissance. From the levers of religious contentions, it is clear that equal representations had been taken care of. The President is a Muslim from the North – West (Katsina), the Vice President is a Christian from the South – West (Lagos), the Senate President is a Muslim from the North- Central minority tribes (Kwara), the Deputy Senate President is a Christian from the South – East (Enugu), the Speaker of the House of Representative is a Northern Christian from the North – East (Bauchi) and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative is a Southern Muslim from the South – West (Osun). What man could not do, in any political party by a way of zoning God has done it through the Saraki and Dogara defiance. Thanks to Saraki and Dogara defiance!. Many thanks also to the President, Muhammadu Buhari for congratulating the new leaders of the National Assembly and allowing the verdict of the National Assembly to prevail without Interference. This will boost the democratic flavor and allow for participatory democracy. With this action, Nigeria is on a sound democracy journey. Let Lai Mohammed and the APC leave the National assembly alone. The period of political campaigns is over. It is now time to consolidate on our democratic success towards national rejuvenation. If Charity begins at home, then the home must have charity and hence, there's no APC victory without Buhari, at least in the 2015 Presidential election. Accordingly, Lai Mohammed should be asked who is the APC Leader other than President Muhammadu Buhari?.

*** Paul Mamza is a member, National Executive Council of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and an Associate Professor at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.