The APC: An “Unsacred” Journey of Foxes, Bloodhounds and Donkeys

In his book, “Artful Persuasion”, Harry Mills classifies influencers into three which he terms as “foxes”, “bloodhounds” and “donkeys”. He describes “Foxes” as a category of influencers who are “heart devious” and cruelly competitive. They exploit opportunities to influence and manipulate others. They are aggressively after winning. To them “no” is no answer.

Foxes focus on the short term when they manipulate. They focus on the current and do not care how their behaviour might be detrimental to their long term reputation provided they can close the present deal. They can, “just like their close cousins, the wolves, dress in sheep’s clothing”.

“Bloodhounds”, on the other hand, are “detectives of influence” who identify the influence opportunities intrinsic in any situation and justifiably take that for granted. As win-win motivators, bloodhounds use influence opportunities to create synergy that has some multiplier returns to them. They focus on the long-term implications of whatever they do as well as appreciate that a reputation built over long period of time can be lost in a fraction of a second with the wrong strategy.

Characterized by stubbornness, unwillingness to learn and rigidity, “Donkeys” spoil most of their influence opportunities. Typically, their choice of lexicon and actions can make them vulnerable to suspicion. They fumble in their submissions thereby creating an atmosphere that may result in argument and failure to convince. Negotiations that are supposed to be “win-win” are made “lose-win” or even “lose-lose” by donkeys. There is always a lack of the expertise to identify the influence opportunities in-built in any situation and a clear absence of the techniques to competently handle an influence opportunity through to its best conclusion by this category of influencers.

This background perfectly describes the assembly of crook-politicians in Nigeria’s political landscape, the APC particularly. The party capitalises on President Buhari’s personal and political integrities to lubricate its political engine. Remove President Buhari from the equation and it cannot be balanced because you would be left with just a bunch of “foxes”, “bloodhounds” and “donkeys”.

Mark my word, Atiku, “the fox”, is not the only one who is not comfortable in and with the APC. He was even honest enough to have left the party before using his wealth and influence to destroy it (you may argue that he could not have, but you can ask Obasanjo and the EFCC about the strength of Atiku’s machinery). That is perhaps, out of respect for President Buhari. We should remember that Buhari and Atiku have mutual respect for each other, and that Atiku’s exit from the party may not and cannot destroy the relationship and respect between Buhari and Atiku, this is because President Buhari, unlike a vast majority of us, his followers, is not an immature, inconsiderate and selfish person. He respects people’s political choices and decisions and such choices and decisions do not determine how he treats them.

There is an inaudible, violent political tornado in the APC because many Governors, National Assembly members and even Ministers are not happy with the party, and they are scheming day-in-day-out to destroy it because it has not been able to serve their diverse personal and political interests. We should not also forget the huge crowd of party stalwarts across all states that are not pleased with President Buhari for not giving them appointments after their efforts for its success during campaigns.

It was their gloomy faces and body language that Buhari saw at the last (was it) convention (?) of the Party that made him so “remorseful” as to have made the statement implying his regretting not to constitute heads of Boards and agencies to accommodate those who fought for the party.

Many of them just want to stay in the party and harm it, if things do not favour them, then dump it for another one (if you are in any doubts, keep the new Green Party of Nigeria under your surveillance). All the former PDP Governors in the APC, majority of whom are now Senators, will dump it. They pretend to be loyal to the party because of fear of the rebellion of their respective constituencies who are die hard Buharists. For example, “Bloodhounds” prototypical of Senators Wamakko and Kwankwaso recently met after Atiku’s exit. They did not meet to have some “gurasa” or “hura”. They are inventing some political “arithmetic device”. This duo will betray President Buhari and the APC in a-not-faraway future. Their underground activities, which will be revealed soon, will confirm this.

Governors El-rufai and Tambuwal who fit Mill’s “donkeys”, do not like Atiku in the party because they see him as the only northern threat to their respective ambitions, and now that he is gone, they are so happy deep inside them, but that does not mean they will not continue to be at each other’s throat over their seamless presidential ambitions.

If we really want to have an authentic side and a clear picture of the APC’s political battlefield, we should not listen to the skewed submissions of commentator-spectator-“politicians” like myself and a host of others on the mainstream and social media, let us listen to, and carefully study what the professional-player-politicians say. We should not underestimate the politico-economic powers of people like Atiku and leave everything in the popularity and integrity of Buhari. Atiku has the most organized apparatuses in the whole of northern if not Nigeria’s politicians.

Apart from once, he has never had the chance to contest for the Presidency. He was blocked at the level of primaries because his opponents knew how solid it would be. If, by a bizarre twist of events, Atiku clinches the presidential ticket of any party, his opponents must brace up for a very stiff fight, even if that opponent is President Buhari. Buhari has been popular and has had integrity from day one, but he needed to ride on the economic and political apparatuses of “foxes” like Atiku and Tinibu to finally be in Aso Rock, and whoever tells you that these two are happy with the President, they are just deceiving you. Buhari is fighting corruption and this hurts the economic, political and other interests of these and many other political giants. You do not expect them to openly admit that just like you would not expect them to sit back and enjoy the “circus”. You do not need (to be) a soothsayer to understand this.

For Obasanjo, he is a cross breed of “foxes” and “bloodhounds”. His relentless and tenacious attack and conspiratorial escapade against Atiku is a clear manifestation of his resolve to avenge the sinking of his third term ship, which was orchestrated and executed by Atiku. He is driven by that bitterness that is why he chose to be a pirate on Atiku’s political waters. The truth is, Obasanjo is no more saintly and less nationalist than Atiku. Obasanjo was recently reported to have said that he had a secret about Atiku. He should do the country a favour and expose it if he was telling the truth. Or better still, he should accept the challenge thrown by Atiku that whosoever has any incriminating evidence against him should come forward with it or take it to the EFCC or any relevant authority. Obasanjo’s talking without acting on Atiku tells that it is a personal score that has nothing to do with national interest.

As supporters of President Buhari, if we do not want to be taken aback in 2019, we should not relax and feel we are not under any threat. The truth is we are under a series of serious threats from within, and now from outside, the party. Let us face it so that we can overcome it. If we turn a deaf ear and take a nap in our usual comfort zone of “all is well”, then we are going to wake up in a very deep well. I have the premonition that the APC is not going to last beyond 2023, even that, would only be possible if President Buhari re-contests in 2019. If he does not, then the party would be dead and buried in 2019. Again, keep a watchful eye on the GPN.

All these may sound “nonsense” to many, but I ask them to try to make sense out of this “nonsense” and let us leave the rest for posterity to judge.