The Hypocrisy of the APC Leadership -By Oladele John Nihi

Oladele John Nihi

I can’t wait to see how President Buhari and his co-anti-corruption crusaders will mount the podium before the people of Kogi State, Nigerians and the world, during the November election, to raise the hand of Price Abubakar Audu who is currently facing N11 billion corruption charges by the EFCC as the candidate to vote for without soiling their personal reputation and that of the APC as a political party.

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has, in a way of justifying what many have described as a total waste of its administrations first 100 days in office with little or nothing to show as achievement, tried to deny virtually all the promises they made to Nigerians during the presidential campaign.

Millions of Nigerians voted the APC based on the 100 days achievement booklets, “100 Things Buhari Will Do in 100 days” and another, “My Covenant With Nigerians” of over 30 promises, with not a single one yet to be achieved or any attempt made to achieve them.

One promise they claim has been achieved since the inception of the administration is the fight against corruption. Even though many Nigerians have reservations with the approach President Buhari and the APC seem to be taking in this said fight, what happened in Kogi State governorship election primaries of the party last weekend has exposed the hypocrisy of the APC’s anti-corruption crusade.

One wonders why rules apply differently to different people in the APC. With N11 billion state funds theft as criminal allegations hanging around Prince Abubakar Audu’s neck before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), APC not only screened and confirmed his aspiration, but the party went ahead to choose him as its gubernatorial candidate for the November 21 governorship election in Kogi State.

In the last senatorial election in Kogi State, there was a young man by the name, Hon. Aro Samuel Bamidele who got wealth outsides government circles running a very big oil firm, which handles transportation through trucks and trailers and owns numerous filling stations across the country. He aspired to contest the Kogi West Senatorial seat on the platform of the APC, the party he supported with his resources and managed all across the Yagba Federal Constituency of the state.

As the game went on, Hon. Bamidele maintained his relationship with top persons in the party, such as the current governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, then Speaker of the House of Representatives; Senate President, Bukola Saraki, etc. Despite his respect and loyalty to the party, he was disqualified at the APC senatorial screening by the party’s screening committee constituted by the National Executive Council of the party in Abuja, with the reason being that he has an ongoing case with the EFCC.

Prince Abubakar Audu has an ongoing N11 billion case with the EFCC but he was cleared by the same party to contest the governorship primary election where he was chosen last weekend as the party flag bearer. Where is the justification?

I can’t wait to see how President Buhari and his co-anti-corruption crusaders will mount the podium before the people of Kogi State, Nigerians and the world, during the November election, to raise the hand of Price Abubakar Audu who is currently facing N11 billion corruption charges by the EFCC as the candidate to vote for without soiling their personal reputation and that of the APC as a political party.

Oladele John Nihi is Master’s Degree student in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the National Open University of Nigeria.