OSHIOMOLE: What I would not do

By Joseph Edgar…

That the Cahairman of the APC is presently flying through turbulence is no longer news. He is at the centre of controversies arising from the just concluded party primaries of his party leading to his reported invitation for a ‘conversation’ after which he was said to have ‘fled’ abroad.

The main issues are those of Zamfara, Imo and Ogun States. These three Governors have been on his neck trying to foster their positions, especially as it concerns their preferred choices for their respective gubernatorial candidates. They have come out to state very categorically that Oshiomole has been the main stumbling block towards achieving these goals. He in turn has turned around to forcefully, in his characteristic manner, push back at them and literally ask them to do their worst.

It is this their worst, that we are seeing now with the involvement of the DSS on petitions allegedly written by one or all of these Governors. It has been reported that his invite took all of 9 hours after which we saw his opponents gloating. All these are still within the ambit of the perceived growing opposition to his continued stay within the rank and file of his party as we head towards the very critical election cycles.

So, lets look at Oshiomole and his politics. In trying to better understand him, we must look at his pedigree as a labour leader. In the fight for independence, our founding fathers relied heavily on labour as a strong bulwark in the fight but in so doing, they quickly realized that labor were only fixated with the shallow pursuit of increased wages. Their ideology began and ended in that narrow prisms and as such they became a very weak partner in the project. Except for, maybe, leaders like Michael Imodu till date labor could not and have not been able to see through the ideological vision that necessitated the struggle but only concentrated on their immediate gains, increased wages.

It is within this tradition that Adams was berthed. Not highly educated, he grew through the ranks, imbued with his more than fair share of native intelligence, stubborn as they come and hghly combative. These qualities stood him well when as labor leader he locked horns with equally stubborn and combative President Obasanjo. The phyric victories he won during those battle where he literally shut down the nation carried him on a crest of popular goodwill into the Edo Government House which was one controversy after the other and which eventually landed him in this exalted position of Party Chairman.

Read also: Oshiomhole lives to run away another day‎

Now, it has become very clear even to the most impartial of onlookers, that this strategy was faulty from the start and has not lived up to its expectations. The role of a party chairman is that of a consensus builder, a bridge builder and someone that should be the rallying point for all contending forces.

What we have seen here is a combatant. A father figure taking position and such inevitably muddying himself in the pits of combat. Today, he is at loggerheads with very strategic and influential figures within his party, he has tried to bestride upon them like a conquering warlord, dishing out instructions and warnings like a dictator not answerable to anyone but his balls. This has expectedly thrown up the kinds or resentment that has divided the party in such a way that if care is not taken would have dire consequence on its performance at the elections.

If you ask me, I think Adams should be EASED out. His poisonous contributions to the party especially his combative nature, his ‘I’m better and more intelligent’ mien and his inability to rally the troops and his oft times uncouth and non-tactical manner of speech have gone a long way to weaken the party fabric and almost ruin its chances at the polls.

What APC need at this point is a calming balm, a figure that would sooth frayed nerves and get all the forces to push personal issues aside and work for the integrity of the party. This, Adams is not built to do. His labor background and I-no-go-gree tendencies will not only do him in but also do in the party and all will have themselves to blame if nothing is done at this juncture.

APC should show Comrade Adams the way out urgently and begin to rebuild otherwise, its bye to the elections. Its as simple as that.

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