Why Bayelsa APC is yet to be a viable Opposition

Read what An APC leader in the state wrote:

INTERROGATING CALLS FOR THE APC TO BE A STRONG OPPOSITION IN BAYELSA STATE:

Caveat: I am not writing for the party. I do not have the authorization to do so. This is therefore my personal position and not the position of the party and i will be very blunt.

I have watched with keen interest how some Bayelsans, especially of the APC extraction have been pontificating and some even insulting the leadership of the party in the state to provide a viable opposition to the government of Gov. Henry Seriake Dickson. I must admit there is nothing wrong with such sentiments. It is good for Bayelsa, it is good for Bayelsans, and it is good for democracy.

My piece is a call for reason (rational thinking). Much as opposition is good for putting the government of the day in check, people should understand that money, lots of it is involved. The party cannot for instance address press conferences or make press releases for free. A lot of logistics is involved in calling people for meetings, as u would be expected as it does happen all the time, to demobilize the people u invite to a meeting.

Any time the Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe comes to the party secretariat, he spends what some of us would use to plan our family expenses for months. Where does this money come from? It comes from his pocket. his hard earned money.

We should understand that even as the ruling party at the centre, the party leadership at all levels; National, Zonal, State, Local Government and Ward level, do not earn a dime as salary or allowances.

Even the people that are making the call have not paid dues to the party. The question now is, where would the money come from to play the active opposition they are calling for?

The second dimension is, these party leaders took one of the greatest risks known in politics in Nigeria, to support and work for the APC in a state of the incumbent President then. They played same opposition against the state Governor in a fiercely contested election. At the end of the day, they were shoved aside when it was time for sharing the benefits of the struggle. We were abysmally few when we were working for then Gen. Buhari bcos it was not a fashionable idea to many. We were called names, abused, intimidated, victimized and planned for various forms of punishment by a set of people who had already concluded that they would win and still be in government.

However, it is worthy of note that all, those who were nominated for Federal  appointments in Bayelsa state did not work for President Buhari and the APC. In fact, all of them worked against him, not one of them is excluded. Meanwhile, All those that worked for him, including my very self as State Campaign Coordinator to Buhari has not got anything, and those Baboons that came to "chop" where only the monkeys worked are not supporting the party with a dime. Which of these persons, calling for the APC in Bayelsa to be a strong opposition in the state can do so in such circumstances?

In Rivers state, all those that got appointments are people that stood firmly with their leader, Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and worked for Buhari, from Ibim Simenitari, Dakuku Peterside, Sekonte Davis to the Executive Director Finance and Administration of the NDDC etc. Of course, they have a leader who knows the value for hardwork, a leader who values loyalty and commitment, a leader who was thinking of how to sustain his follower-ship, a leader who is largely selfless in the person of former Gov. Amaechi.

How can the Bayelsa APC continue to fight, when they have not benefited anything from that dangerous battle they fought? Do we have destinies to only fight for others to benefit?

For those of u who may think that we should fight regardless of all these, u can as well go and do the fighting. No law stops u as a member of the party to fight the battle urself as some of us have been doing. Even as a none party member, u can constitute urself to an opposition and fight. After all, Gani Fawehimi did not belong to any party when he constituted himself to the highest opposition to the various military juntas and fought them gallantly.

YOU GO AND FIGHT.

Written by Prince Tokpo Coronation.