WILL BAMAGA TUKUR’S MAGIC, HELP RE-FORCUS THE P.D.P.?

By Gabriel Omonhinmin It is a known fact, that a person, who makes the different either for good or ill in any society, are peoples who possesses the attributes of vision, discipline and passion. These attribute results in an effective leadership when properly directed. There is, however, a huge difference between leadership that works and leadership that endures. The question that comes to mind epecially now that the Bamaga Tukur led nationa Exco seem to have taken control of affairs at the P.D.P.’s Headquarters in Abuja, is, will this Exco be able to make the much required difference in P.D.P., or more appropriate will Bamaga be able to navigate his ways through the shark infested waters of the P.D.P. Will P.D.P. under the leadership of Bamaga Tukur be in a position to provide political leadership that will endure in Nigeria? These are questions begging for answer. But as Nigerians await negative or positive judgement of history on the led Tukur’s tenure, past records have, however, shown that Bamaga is a man with conscience. He has not only made a huge success out of his adventure into business, he is also known to be fair to all those who encountered him in the course of business. An attestation to this fact is the unguided disgust expressed by one of Bamaga’s business associated, on the 17th of April, 2012 in Bamaga’s residence in Abuja. The man in question strolled into Bamaga’s house in Abuja and met a large army of politicians waiting at the inner reception to see him. He could not hold back his surprise. The man in question asked Bamaga’s Personal Secretary who was too busy to pay any particular attention to him “you mean the old man is going to see all these people to night, by the time he finishes seen everyone here, what time will he have to left to sleep and to attend to other businesses?” “He continued, “I am still very surprise, why Dr. Tukur choose to leave the quiet and more organised business world for politic, where anything goes. I honestly wish him luck.” He lamented. When conscience governs vision, discipline and passion, leadership endures and changes the world for good. In order words, moral authority makes formal authority work. Moral authority is what I think, Dr. Bamaga Tukur brought to the Peoples Democratic Party as National Chairman. Hence, one expects that in spite of all odds, he might be able to make the much required difference in changing the ruling party for good. Presently, the P.D.P. and other political parties in the country, have an embarrassing odour, which most decent people in our society cannot stand. One only hope, Dr. Tukur will help clean up the country’s political system, so as to make politics attractive to reasonable men and women. As a matter of fact, qualities that represent leadership that works are not in short supply in Nigeria. If this is the case, why is Nigeria still under developed, people may ask? A known fact is that one of the commonest manifestations of under-development is a tendency among the ruling elite to live in a world of make-believe and unrealistic expectation. Surprisingly, the Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan, last week, decided to make a clean break from the past, and resolve to tell his party leadership nothing but the home truth. The President, speaking at a dinner in honour of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja, created an avenue for Dr. Bamaga Tukur, to make the ruling party take its place in our national history. The president who said “he does not want to be admonished like a schoolchild, told the PDP executives despite being president he was not above the party”. President Jonathan went further to say, “that other members of the Executive arm of government as well as the legislature were ready to respect party supremacy”. My interpretation of this statement is that the much desired leadership and discipline could be achieved if the Peoples Democratic Party executive members are ready to provide leadership. Hopeless as she may seem today, Nigeria is not beyond redemption. And to pull her back and turn her around is clearly beyond the contrivance of mediocre leadership. It calls for greatness. The track records of Dr. Tukur shows, that he has what it takes to reserve the poor leadership that has bedevilled the P.D.P. for some time now. One point that must not be lost on us, is that Nigerians are what they are only because their leaders are not what they should be. The challenge the Bamaga Tukur lead execo must take on now, is the basic element of ensuring that intellectual rigour is brought back into political party thought. These were the qualities our founding fathers were known for. The poverty of thought exhibited by present day political leaders must not be allowed to continue, if Nigeria must make any meaningful progress as a country. Governance should not be left alone to Mr. President and other elected party officials. The political party under which they rose to power must be seen to provide formidable support, as their successes or government policies will rob off, the party. This is the only way a party can be respected. The problem with Nigeria presently is failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with our country. According to Achebe, “Nigeria problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility and to the challenges of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership”. Nigeria is not yet beyond change, Nigeria will certainly change for the better, if it today discovers leaders who have the will, the ability and the vision. Such people are rare in any time or place. It is the duty of a formidable political party such as the P.D.P. to find these people in the course of nation building. The party again has a duty to enlighten the citizenry and to lead the way in their discovery and to create an atmosphere conducive to their emergence. If conscious efforts are not made, good leaders, like good money, will be driven out by bad. Mr. Chairman, Nigeria has many thoughtful men and women of conscience, a large number of talented people. You may ask, what is the likely reason(s) why these patriots have refused to make the impact expected of them, in our national lives? The simple answer is that they are prevented from making any meaningful impact, due to the selfishness, corruption, and gross inequities exhibited by those in power. The lack of organisational ability on the part of political parties in the country is another contributory factor to this national dilemma. Let us consider just a few notable leaders from modern history, who made the expected change in the lives of their countries. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania in the early 60s had the vision of building a new nation, united and free from foreign interference. He disciplined himself to learn how to recruit, supply and keep people from deserting the Tanzania Revolution. Under his Presidency, Tanzania slipped from being the largest exporter of food in Africa to the biggest importer of food. However, he made no attempt to cling to power or to influence his successors, who restored capitalism. Nyerere had wanted to make Tanzania self-reliant, free from indebtedness to former colonial powers or to the West. Like other leaders of former colonies, he saw colonialism and capitalism as responsible for the subjugation of their people. He never enriches himself at his nation's expense. One shining example Nyerere brought to bear on the Revolution, was the selfless leadership at the top, such as unambiguous refusal to be corrupt or tolerate corruption at the fountain of authority. This expectedly, radiated powerfully and sensationally through the length and breadth of Tanzania. The first example was when news filtered around, (not from government organs) but from street gossip’s that President Nyerere after paying his children’s school fees had begged his bank to give him a few months’ grace on the repayment of the mortgage on his personal house. The other occasion was when he President Nyerere, insisted that anyone in his cabinet or party hierarchy who had any kind of business interests must either relinquish them or leave his official or party position. Ex-President Nyerere, who made sure, his directives were not regarded as mere technicality of putting the business interest in escrow but giving it up entirely, made sure powerful Ministers alongside formidable leaders of his political party TANU Women left his cabinet. Mohandas K. Gandhi was instrumental in establishing India as an independent stat though he never held an elected or appointed office. He had no formal position from which to lead people. Gandhi’s moral authority created such strong social and cultural norms that it ultimately shaped political will. He governed his life by an awareness of a universal conscience that resided within the people, the international community. Margaret Thatcher was the first female leader of a major industrial nation. She served three terms as prime minister of Great Britain, the longest continuous premiership in the twentieth century. Her critics are not few, but she was passionate about urging people to assume the discipline of personal responsibility and to build-reliance, and she was passionate about bolstering free enterprise in her country. During her tenure in British politics, she helped lift Britain out of economic recession. For President Jonathan’s economic transformation agenda to be successful, P.D.P. as a party in government needs to be discipline. The party also needs men and women of goodwill, not men and women who pretend to be “nationalists” when it suited them only to retreat into tribe to check their more successful rivals from other parts of the country. Once this is done, the P.D.P. will once again be re-focused politically. Mr. Omonhinmin is a Media Consultant based in Lagos.