The Major Problem Of APC

Alonge Olufemi Alonso

Each time I see members of APC lamenting after losing an election, I remember my fellow comrade and course mate, Osunpidan Olusegun (Alagba) of the Aluta Republic of Fedpoffa. In 2010, Segun was the Students' Union Government Presidential's candidate under our dear movement, Campus Democratic (CDM) a.k.a Winning Team, now Revolution. He came third at the election.

One day, we were receiving one of our toughest lectures when he whispered to my ears that we had to leave the class to attend inauguration of the S.U.G, I had no objection than to oblige.

On getting to the venue, we received encomium from the same students who rejected us when their supports were needed, we were recognised beyond what we expected and the person anchoring the programme had no option than to join other students to recognize our presence and thereafter, microphone was handed over to the wounded S.U.G Presidential candidate for his remarks.

What Segun said then remains the problem of majority of our political leaders today.

After recognising the existing protocol, the young man said, "The time Nigeria begins to have leaders who can accept defeat after losing elections, the time the country begins to experience peace and unprecedented progress". He went further by saying , in every contest, there must be a winner and promised to give the new SUG president the necessary support.

As he was making the speech, I saw people clapping and chanting his nickname. The then Director of Students' Affairs specially heaped praise on the young man over his intelligent speech.

Since 1999, I have not seen one member of AD, ACD, AC, ACN, CPC or anyone among those who formed APC to lose an election and agree with the results. They think every election must be won by their party.

Let me butress my points by taking you down to my state with the story of the first Executive Governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo of AD. He was defeated in 2003 governorship election in Ekiti by Mr. Ayodele Fayose of PDP. Adebayo, as a sitting governor believed Fayose who has lesser education and and who has no political background shouldn't have won the election if not the input of President Olusegun Obasanjo.They believed Obasanjo rigged the election for his party and up till today, they harbour the feeling that the election that produced Fayose in his first term was rigged.

Again, they lost 2007 and 2009 elections to Engr. Segun Oni of the then PDP and they made the state ungovernable for the gentleman until they used judiciary to boot him out in 2010.

Eight years after his illegal impeachment, the same Fayose came back to unseat another sitting governor as APC performed woefully in 21st June 2014 election in Ekiti State. Initially, the incumbent and the defeated governor conceded defeat but after a while, he reversed the statement.

Instead of his party men to look into the issues that burnt their brooms in the state, they chose to cry over spilt milk, insisting the election was rigged in favour of PDP. They didn't look at the factors that caused total rejection of their party's candidate in all the sixteen local government areas of the state but believed GEJ perfected the rigging for his party.

They forgot that another governorship election was conducted in Osun State same year where APC defeated PDP. They failed to tell us Jonathan whom they alleged of rigging Ekiti election rigged for their party in Osun .

Anytime, anywhere the party ( APC) lost an election, there will be uproar and through propaganda, those who accept things dogmatically will quickly subscribe to whatever they dish out.

As the members of the Peoples' Democratic Party in Ekiti will roll out drums today to celebrate the third year anniversary of the incontrovertible victory of Gov. Ayodele Fayose in the 21st June 2014 gubernatorial election, I want to urge members of Ekiti APC who still believe Dr. Kayode Fayemi has a miracle to perform on the election to jettison the idea, such thoughts should be buried!