Delta APC Leadership Crisis: Leadership Is Earned, Not Demanded

By: Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe.
In Countries where constitutional Democracy is practised, leadership is considered and bestowed on political actors on the basis of certain election victories, leadership qualities, position held in state or national government or by massive grassroots popularity and loyalty accorded certain personalities.

Leadership in partisan politics does not come as a result of some basic roles engineered and midwife by politicians. No, it is much more than just picking a party ticket to run for elective office. A critical research into the background of political leaders in Nigeria attests to this fact. It is common in politics for "moneybag" politicians to hijack party structures with their wealth but are unable to provide the needed leadership through building of political structures that enables the party to grow and achieve election victories.

Political leaders are essentially political tacticians who over time either won series of elections in their domain or helped others through strategic mobilization of the electorates for election victories. Another set of political leaders are those who are major players in public service such that they have high network of past and present political leaders across the country who can be right-clicked to produce better results in terms of political appointments or resource allocations that will benefit the local people in their political domain either state or local government.

A political leader can also emerge from his or her sagacity within a short period of time haven won election victories that older and more experienced politicians could not clinch for their constituencies, state, senatorial districts or at local government levels.

In all of the above, the pedigree of the leader must revolved round his capacity to mobilize the electorates, his humility towards others and self confidence in tackling assigned electioneering tasks and producing superlative results for the party.

Leadership in the realm of politics is not all about financing the party and or picking the party ticket to run and fail elections. No. That in itself is a sign that a failed candidate is not ripe for certain level of political leadership.

For example, Mr Dakuku Peterside ran for the office of Governor of Rivers State and lost gallantly. He spent huge sums of money in the process. That he attempted to become Governor does not automatically make him the leader of his political party in his state of origin. At best, he is compensated by the party by way of political appointment for his gallant efforts which is glaring for all party faithfuls to see. The battle in Rivers State points to the fact that the candidate fought gallantly. Today, he is certainly not the leader of his party in Rivers State.

In Edo State, the PDP candidate has been in politics for over three decades and still counting. He was Secretary to Edo State Government and former South-South National Vice Chairman of APC but he is still not the leader of PDP in Edo State because you have other seasoned politicians like Chief Tony Anineh, Chief Osawaru Igbinedion, et al. The list is endless. But because of his courage and huge grassroots followers the older politicians may soon relinquish leadership voluntarily.

It is worthy of note that political leadership comes to the individual by dent of hard-work which earlier translated into election victories or that the individual leader had in the past held high public offices through political engineering at either state or national level depending on the stake.

It must also be stated that a political leader must have strong direct link with the electorates at the grassroots such that his or her name rings a bell. His popularity is tested via election victories or gallant and enviable performance during elections.

A political leader must never and should not be an individual who cannot ascribe election victories to himself or herself in the political arena. A leader must of a necessity be someone who can control and direct the political mindset of his large followers. A good example of a political leader in Delta State is Chief James Onanefe Ibori, Chief Great Ogboru and many others who overtime were able to retain acceptance and massive follower-ship in the political arena.

A political leader must be a good crisis manager, protect, defend and care for his or her core loyalists. A good leader will never speak ill of his key followers no matter the circumstances. By doing so he is able to gain respect and absolute loyalty of his political associates, supporters and loyalists.

Relating that to the present day reality in Delta APC, leaders of our party at state and national levels must use some basic political yardstick to resolve the lingering crisis of who is more suitable to led the party in the state. In reaching their conclusion on the issue, the old time political actors in the state must be duly considered and given their right of place so as to perform creditably in future elections.

As for the State Exco, it has become imperative that under no circumstances should it remain till 2018, except if the national body do not want APC to win Delta in 2019. The Exco as presently constituted will never unit the party because of the controversy surrounding the emergence of the executives culminating in series of legal battles. These Court cases must be withdrawn now to pave way for all embracing genuine reconciliation if our party is actually keen in taking over Delta in 2019.

I strongly believe that the interest of our party which is to win the 2019 governorship elections in Delta State is far and above personal or group interest. Our leaders should consider the survival of the party at this critical stage of re-positioning the party for future election victory.

Party leadership is not for sale, it is not demanded, it is earned as a result of past election victories and proactive leadership style of an individual which in the past placed the party far and above other political parties in a particular geopolitical zone, state, senatorial district, constituency, local government area or at ward level.

Leadership can also be conceded or honourably bestowed on the highest political office holder in an area due to his or her enviable track records, pedigree, ability to effectively manage people and capacity to facilitate socioeconomic benefits for the people using his or her position in government.

Whoever emerges as Delta APC Leader in the next meeting of stakeholders scheduled for late October should be respected and party faithfuls must give the leader all necessary support to move our party forward so that we can truly take over Delta in 2019.

The Writer, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe is a Civil Rights Lawyer, Convener of Rescue Delta Media Group (RDMG) of APC Delta. He is a Full member of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and American Political Science Association (APSA).