There is no gainsaying that the foremost objective of any true political party is to aspire to legitimately ascending the seat of governance. It is therefore understandable that as the election period approaches, the parties mobilize their machineries and determined faithfuls to tour the nooks and crannies of the State in order to vigorously canvass their ideas, and convincingly ventilate their proffered solutions to the myriad of identified societal problems and challenges. All these, with a view to winning more adherents to the parties' credo and ideology. The score card of their efforts will be glaring to the public, when the post-election results are declared. The party that carries the day is accorded instant recognition and officially bestowed with the instruments of governance.
Our iconic Sage and hero of the country's independence, the Right Hon. Dr. Ogbuefi Nnamdi Azikiwe was once asked by his followers to reveal to them what he may consider as the most important and crucial quality of a true and dependable political Associate. The imagination of Zik's disciples ran riot as they wondered what direction their Leader's judgmental parameter may take. Upon deep reflection and cogitating, some of them concluded that a string of academic degrees or impeccable rhetorical eloquence might just be the much awaited qualities. But alas, his disciples were stunned and shell-shocked when the Sage told them that by far the most important attitudinal trait expected of his closest political associates, is that they consistently and unwaveringly remain LOYAL. His disciples quickly reviewed their thinking and remonstrated on the persona of his perceptibly close confidants. They arrived at the conclusion that they were after all not brimming with exceptional rhetorical eloquence and high sounding English lexicons that attracted roarous applauses at campaign rallies. They were quick to observe that the prizest qualities in Zik's closest friends was HUMILITY, the biblical version of what we commonly refer to as LOYALTY. They watched the self-effacing and humble Mazi Mbonu Ojike or again Mbazulike Amaechi, whom Azikiwe himself handed the enduring accolade THE BOY IS GOOD.
In the first Republic, the then Premier of Northern Nigeria and the Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello had in Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa a trusted and loyal Associate. It was him he confidently dispatched to Lagos to assume the first Post-independence Prime Ministership of Nigeria in his stead.
In today's Nigeria, you can see Leaders like ex-Governor Bola Tinubu parade such dependable allies like Governor Aregbesola, or Dr Fayemi, the former Minister of Mines and Governor-designate of Ekiti State. Yes, make no mistake about it, loyalty is also copiously rewarded with "goodies" through the instrumentality of the Leader.
In Rivers State, one man who had been considered to be a loyal party man and respectful of his Leader, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is Senator Magnus Abe.
We were inspired to write this piece as a way of sincerely contributing to restoring the healthy and flourishing relationship that hitherto existed between the two personalities.
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe cut his teeth in politics as a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, where he also became the Minority Leader of the then fledging Opposition APP. This was during the first-term Speakership of Rt Hon Amaechi in the Rivers State Legislature.
Seeing the blossoming talent in the young man, Amaechi brought him into the fold of the majority PDP for more palpable visibility and usefulness to his Constituency. Confidence and trust grew in leaps and bounds between the two men until Amaechi succeeded Dr Peter Odili
as the Governor of Rivers State, when he went on to appoint Abe as the
Secretary to the Rivers State Government. The two of them worked closely together even during the zealous shenanigans of Police
Commissioner Mbu as he "dutiously" implemented his “received orders from above".
There is no iota of doubt that his Leader and now the Federal Minister of transportation stood firmly behind him during the elections that catapulted him to the red chamber as Distinguished Senator. In a nutshell, Hon Amaechi's benevolent leverage can always be traced in all facets of the garnished and intimidating profile that Senator Abe parades today.
All men of goodwill must come together to reconcile these unfortunately estranged friends at this momentous timing of the unfolding electioneering calendar. Senator Abe should patiently bear with the principled sensitivities and altruistic desire of his leader. He should know that Amaechi's preference for a Riverine man as the next Governor of Rivers State is overwhelmingly borne out of his uncommon sense of justice. After all he is an Upland Ikwerre man. The UPLAND will be clocking 20 unbroken years in the governorship of Rivers State, come 2019. The Distinguished Senator should please support his leader and benevolent Mentor in his ennobling quest. His own time will surely come, when by God's grace it will be so smooth sailing. Senator Abe should not disperse the APC flock which it took them time and so much perseverance to build. As at today, only he can bring back his supporters into the family fold. The fratricidal self-emulation so far witnessed keeps exacerbating every passing day.
I enjoin Senator Abe to resolutely stand up today to shame his political adversaries as he resolutely declares like the biblical JOSHUA: AS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY I WILL STAND FOR MY LEADER. Then your Leader will also warmly embrace you as he in turn happily paraphrases a slightly modified bible verse: "My followers hear my voice and they follow me"
This tearing apart and internecine squabbles few months to the election is regrettable as it smacks of the handiwork of malevolent political fifth columnists.
I want to recall to Senator Abe that political office rotation, especially at the Governorship level, has never been done on the basis of Senatorial Districts. The Rivers man in his most intimate subconscious, certainly does not identify with that vision. Even in the early 80s and prior to the creation of Bayelsa State, when our political fathers laid down examples for us to follow, Chief Melford Okilo as Governor of Rivers State in his hardly paralleled sense of justice made sure UPLAND OGONI more or less "monopolized" the position of party Chairmanship of the NPN. We note in passing the NPN Chairmanship tenures of such illustrious Ogoni sons like Chief Kente Giadom, Dr G.B. Leton, Chief I.S Kogbara, or amiable Hon Prince Sangha.
This is therefore a clarion call to Senator Magnus Abe to please team up with his Leader Rt Hon Amaechi, for the seamless reunification of the APC. Anything short of that will be "donating" victory to his political opponents.
It is the clearest and noblest manner to say AMAECHI IS MY LEADER.
http://thebeaconewsnigeria.com/2018/11/on-leadership-an…-abe-altercation/