In 2015, while undergoing Senate screening as a ministerial nominee, former Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola delivered a line that is now one of the most memorable political quotes in the country: “May our loyalty never be tested”. Most political actors certainly agree with the supplication. But few managed to escape the fate in the last general elections, particularly members of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
From the primary stage to the election proper, the stiff presidential race tested the durability of the alliances that gave birth to the party and the individual loyalty of some of its most prominent members. There are numerous instances to cite. Serving ministers boycotted campaigns and refused to commit to the party in public interviews. Chairman Abdullahi Adamu, who recently announced his resignation, declared an “anointed candidate” purportedly dictated by shadowy figures within the party’s hierarchy.
Governors insisted on a southern shift for equity and justice, despite protests in some corners of their states. Opposition figures stepped up to fill gaps left by mutinous members to deliver victory to the party, introducing in the process a new complexity to its political calculations. Relationships were strained; old favours were called in, regardless of present-day political membership; conventional trends gave way to a new electoral formula. It was an election like few others in the past. Nevertheless, the APC managed a clear and decisive victory.
The party reiterated the enduring strength of its mergers while dismissing, yet again, the sensational claims of doomsday analysts about its future. That said, the need for a major revamp remains clear and urgent. The building withstood the storm of the elections but its loose and shaky joints have been exposed. They must now be screwed tight to maintain the integrity of the house and grow it.
This challenge calls for a leadership shake-up. Problems cannot be solved with the same thinking (and thought leaders) that created them. Adamu and Omisore’s exit, in this light, is a step in the right direction. Even more so is their reported replacement by the pair of Abdullahi Ganduje and Ajibola Basiru as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.
Ganduje, a two-term governor of Kano State, is a proven politician with demonstrated skill in political assembly. Ajibola Basiru, meanwhile, is an exceptional legal luminary, a formidable politician and an effective consensus builder, owing to his excellent communication skills. This unique set of skills will help Basiru succeed in the new role and enable the rebuilding and reinforcement that the party badly needs.
It may not be common knowledge, but the party’s national secretary is its soul and memory. He keeps records, coordinates actions and activities in alignment with the party’s ideals. He identifies trouble spots and recommends interventions while also contributing to the deployment of resources for effectiveness and attainment of set goals.
He is the custodian of the party’s archives and ensures that a revision of the party’s history, in addition to an examination of its present, informs the design of a workable strategy for future victory and dominance. He acts to make certain that the whole of the party is greater than the sum of its parts.
This explains why the position is ideally reserved for experienced politicians with transferable skills and discipline, typically acquired from private professional practice. In Ajibola Basiru, the party has struck gold. His PhD in law symbolizes his rise to the zenith of the legal profession and broad understanding of constitutional imperatives at both national and party levels.
As a member of the 9th Assembly where he served meritoriously as spokesman, Basiru showcased his ability to foster understanding, repair and strengthen relationships, and manage egos. With his towering status in Osun State, where holds sway as the face of the opposition, Basiru has equally demonstrated his capacity for smart and modern party management.
It is clear that the APC needs to reforge its bond and grow its fold to provide the political support President Bola Tinubu requires as he continues his bold reforms and restructuring of the Nigerian economy to eliminate poverty and cause widespread prosperity. The party’s National Secretary will be instrumental to this quest and there is no better pick than Ajibola Basiru.