By Prince Tonye T.J.T Princewill
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Politics like life is always in a
state of constant evolution. The way that things were, back in 1999, changed in
2007. Governor Odili and Omehia found this out the hard way. Since then, things
did not stop changing and it’s now a lot clearer to many, that power of
incumbency alone, is not enough to guarantee outcomes. Nothing is guaranteed.
Nothing. Not even second terms. More and more people are beginning to have a
say. Odili did not choose his successor, Amaechi suffered a similar fate, let
us see what happens to Wike.
I’ve been known to speak my mind in
the past. Today is no exception. I’m doing so today, not to offend, but to
reveal a foundation and maybe even a possible solution. Today I just want to
talk about the opposition in the opposition and by that I mean the current
politics of APC in the Treasure base of our nation, my own dear Rivers state.
Let me start by saying that my own position on recent events is already on
record. Though I stand with Amaechi, on two distinct occasions since Hon Igo
Aguma’s open letter to the APC National Chairman, I have stated that even
though I do not agree with some of what he said, nor his approach, my default
position is still peace, not to attack Igo and defend my leader. There are many
others who can do that. That’s easy. The position for peace is the one that is
very hard. Wayne Dyer once said, “Peace is the result of retraining your mind
to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” Talking Peace
with people you don’t agree with is not easy, but that is what peace talks are
designed for. They require big doses of patience, temperament, maturity,
forgiveness, love and plenty selflessness. Not a long list of qualifications
many have time for anymore. But Igo and Emma are my friends, and Amaechi is my
brother and our Leader. We have to find a way.
The Bible in Matthew 5:9 said
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” In
the Bible, this is the last of the 7 beatitudes Jesus handed down to us that
define the character of a Christian. It is also the hardest. I am reminded by
something Thomas Watson said. He said “Satan kindles the fire of contention in
the hearts of men and stands back and warms himself in the heat.”
My exact words in response to Igo
Aguma’s letter were: “Granted not all of what he said will go down well with
many of us, but he spoke some hard truths and the minds of many silent others.
As leaders we must learn to listen. Roy T Bennet once said that just as you
should not let compliments get to your head, don’t let criticism get to your
heart.”
I then went on to say that “I don’t
want another disagreement to lead into a crisis and so on my part I will work
for unity and a new style of conflict resolution. We are where we are today, as
a party and as a state because of choices that we made yesterday. We can’t keep
doing the same thing and expecting different results.”
So there you have it. My objective
is a different result from 2015 & 2019. Not a peace built on any terms.
That would be way too easy, unrealistic and completely unsustainable. The peace
I am referring to is a lot more sustainable. I want to see if we can co-exist.
Make no mistake, I see no short term reconciliation here. The mistrust is deep
seated and well founded. On all sides. Hence I must say it upfront, such a
peace will be very hard to achieve. Many of the leading actors are pretty
stubborn. They either don’t mind seeing APC lose in Rivers state again
for a third time or they believe 2015 and 2019 cannot be repeated in 2023. I
for one am not familiar with what it is that they are drinking. In the case of
those who are the optimists, I also want some. A close look at Psalm 55 reveals
a deep insight into what we are all going through. I implore us all to read
it.
Many well meaning people frown at
peace as an option. That is because to some, they are tired of betrayal. A war
is now their way forward. While for some, peace means giving up something
impossible. There are many benefits in war. There are many reasons why good
people make wrong choices. It’s important not to generalize or to be too quick
to be judgmental. On all sides. Let me start by explaining why these options
are not necessarily the way forward and why we absolutely need peace. This
advisory is for all of us.
There are 3 main reasons:
1. We have powerful enemies outside
of the state and inside the state. Not everyone can love you, but why make it
automatic? Stretch out your hand for friendship whenever you can, at least on
your own terms. One, you lose nothing. Two, any image of you as the unfriendly
type, unwilling to embrace peace, evaporates. This is politics. Perception
matters. I learnt that from Atiku.
2. Your powerful enemies inside the
state will join forces with your powerful enemies outside the state. Such a
collaboration is not what you want to encourage. I admit it has already
started, but you should be reducing their numbers and the impact, not
underestimating it or even adding to it. Peace plans include such strategies.
Never take any thing or any one for granted. I learnt that from Tinubu.
3. Today’s politics is edging
towards consensus building and less of the carry go. The vocal minority are
more protected in this government than ever before. If the electoral act is
amended, expect many more exhibitions of democracy and more examples of
unbelievable compromise. In other words do not underestimate anybody. In 2015
and 2019, APC in Rivers state did. Two different powers at the centre yet, same
result. We not only underestimated our opponents in other parties, we underestimated
our opponents inside our party. Especially at the National level. I learnt that
from INEC.
The price of war is higher for us.
We pay more in so many ways on many different fronts relative to our political
opponents. Even if you compare us with Wike. We don’t need to. Even before 2007
it’s been one war or the other, all at the national level. With local players
doing their bidding. Conscious or not.
Their aim is to show we’re disunited
and we have been helping them out by proving it. On the TV, with our back
and forth abuses, on the radio, in newspapers, on social media and in beer
parlors. Not just here in Rivers state, but across the region, nation and
everywhere. The state of Rivers is now synonymous with conflict. Who is this
truly helping? Who is it empowering? Certainly not us. Our supporters are in
penury. If 10% of the money we spend on war was invested in our supporters, we
would all be in a better place today. That I learnt that from the media. In all
its forms.
Let me address a few myths:
1. They are sponsored. Don’t have
the facts, so I cannot speak to it with authority either way. But if they are,
prove it and discredit them with a neutral audience, if necessary. Otherwise
consider that they may have their own agenda and are looking for a sponsor. By
making them an issue, you increase their value. Many a good thing is achieved
without noise while children are sleeping. In the end, we can agree to
disagree. Liverpool and Everton football teams can’t stand each other but they
live in the same city and conduct themselves in public as professionals on the
field. Politics too is a game. Of interests. It is possible to have opposition
in your space and still co-exist. If you beat them fair and square at a
congress or an election, life will not need to come to an end. Why can’t we
focus on that? Especially if you are a Liverpool.
2. They are irrelevant. Really? Is
that not what put us where we are today? I have no doubt in my mind that
Amaechi is the most popular politician in Rivers state as I speak. Anyone with
a different opinion is welcome to visit a psychiatrist if he or she pleases. So
why has his personal choice not won the elections in 2015 and 2019? Is it
because he himself did not run? No. After all we made it about him. Less so in
2019 yes, but still. The answer my friends was it’s because we underestimated
the opposition, especially within us and the key relevance of our institutions.
Everybody knows someone and indirectly, information is power. I learnt very
early on in my political life that it’s not always about numbers. It’s about
relationships. Ask Hilary Clinton. She had 3 million more votes than Donald
Trump. But who ended up as President? She underestimated him. Never make that
mistake. That I learnt from my father. He told me not to believe in my
breakfast until I’ve eaten it.
3. The other one is “Your people are
with you.” Maybe. But this constant war war war is simply designed to shake
foundations. China avoids wars while they build strength. Not because they are
scared, but because they are smart. If one can avoid a war, let’s do so. Wars
will come eventually. At least in politics it’s a minimum of once every four
years. That’s more than enough. If you end up spending more and more on wars
and yet more wars, how do you lift your people out of poverty at the same time?
You can’t. Therefore you will struggle and by that, you will struggle to keep
them. The APC in Rivers state has no elected official in a position to cater
for the grassroots. Appointees are underwhelming. Yet the vast majority of our
supporters stick with us. Let’s not take this for granted. Perhaps they know
that a Minister is not like a Governor. Perhaps they have learnt to fend for
themselves or perhaps they just have faith. Maybe all of the above. For us to
take Rivers politics to the next level, we have to measure our progress by how
many more we can add to our fold and not how many we can keep from leaving. I
learnt that from Amaechi.
My sense of observation is even more
keen now that I’m recovering and seeing things from a distance. I’m convinced
that the biggest challenge we have is internal. There’s an old African proverb
that says, if there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm.
Many of us appreciate this, but few of us take the time to really think about
what it actually means. If we did, we will not be surprised to know that you
are the greatest enemy of you. Once we begin to see sense in that, we start to
open our mind to other people’s varied contributions because we recognize that
new ideas contain new solutions. This is what we need to do more of. God did
not give us two ears and one mouth for nothing. He expected us to listen more
than we speak. I still remember Obama in 08, in his first election victory
speech to Americans, saying he will “listen more, especially when we
disagree”. I was there on that cold night in Chicago to hear him say the
words. Are we here, not also sophisticated enough? Obama taught us a lot of
things. Politics is one of them.
I see brothers and sisters on the
same side of a divide even now, attacking each other because of different views
on how a similar problem should be approached, only to forget about the problem
and commence to labelling each other as to who is more loyal. To what end? It
doesn’t make any sense!! Unless you give different views an opportunity to be
heard, you will only hear the view of yes men and women. How does that help us?
Healthy debate is the birth place of good ideology. That I learnt from both Amaechi
and Alaibe. Igo and Emma spoke the minds of even people who are abusing them
today. I know this because I speak to all. They won’t go public, because they
see how Igo and Emma are treated. While the treatment is expected by virtue of
the way Igo and Emma chose to go public, we miss an opportunity to learn very
valuable lessons if we simplify that event.
Conclusion: Somebody in Abuja,
preferably the Senate President, should call a meeting of the key players, to
iron out a way forward, devoid of legal hindrances and anti party activities.
The work before a meeting is called, should be just as thorough, as the work
required after it. This is politics, so conflict is second nature, as is
suspicion. No need to surprise anyone. Consult before making the first calls
please. Rivers state APC has only one Leader. Nobody here denies it. Let’s
accord him that respect as he has earned it, while respecting others too. In my
opening statement I said take no one for granted.
While we wait for Abuja to do the
needful, let us all in our own way, apply ourselves to a new approach where
finally the true enemy of our progress is tackled. I joined APC to help them
win because I believe in the men at the top that run their affairs and I
believe that compared to the PDP, they are the only other option out there,
there is no choice. While we succeeded nationally, here in Rivers state, we did
not. We must all learn from history or else we again will be doomed to repeat
it. Our opponents have sympathizers. Why? Let us do a self assessment and make
changes were possible. Engage new leaders, engineer more grassroots activity,
invest more in young people, position new field generals, reward hard workers
and recruit new members. This might save us a lot in war funding, media expenditure
and legal bills. If we’ve considered the above and still can’t make progress,
then we can go to war. In such circumstances, I will be one of the ones in the
front. Some of the people making the most noise now could not deliver their
LGAs in the last election and have little or no electoral value in the next
one. Let’s be careful in choosing not only our fights but also our
fighters.
Thank you and let us pray that this
is indeed a Happy New Year.
To be continued ....
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