PDP apology: Great lesson for APC, by Jacob Ogunseye

The choice of words used by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Reconciliation Committee, Raymond Dokpesi, was incisive and practical. It was also not expected as it is deemed unnecessary for African leaders and institutions to admit any wrong doing. The apology must have come as a surprise to the entire leadership of the party. No wonder, the Board of Trustees Chairman, Bello Mohammed, and the veteran spokesperson, Olisah Metuh, quickly rose and staunchly debunked insinuation that the former ruling party has done any wrong to Nigerians during their sixteen years of ruling Nigeria. Through their counter-statement, it asserted that the party has not done wrong and that what they have offered the country in the last sixteen years was the best they could afford.

Moving on from PDP’s apology, Nigerians had spoken, they made their stance clearer during the last election, irrespective of the performances of the former ruling party. The party had tendered their unreserved apology to Nigerians for their mistakes and to party members for abandoning the zoning principle of their party. Of what significance is this apology to Nigerians who have been subjected to massive poverty at the expense of the few billionaires created by their draconian policies? What is the relevance of this apology to the downtrodden masses in a system that has eroded their confidence and shattered their hope? Of what significance is the apology to Nigerians and will the apology console especially Nigerians in the North-East some of whom had their lives snuffed out, some have lost, property, farm lands destroyed and means of livelihood taken away?

My concern is not about PDP’s apology. But I am rather bothered as the same apology may resonate in four or eight year’s time. Beyond eye service and paranoid support to the ruling party, it should be made clear that we as a people will not condone any form of excuse for any failure. Yes, Apologies are great, but they don’t really change anything.  Action does changes a lot of things. A strong apology is a second insult… The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt. Knowing these facts will help us as a country to avoid the mistake of the past. President Muhammadu Buhari might be on the right path but we are concerned about his speed.

I believe we can do better, words coming from the presidency and their party revealed that the government in the last six months has made significant improvements in savings and policies. Unfortunately, Nigerians will not accept any of such arguments until these savings and policies transforms the nation and makes meaningful contributions to the entire populace. The people want to be brought out from their meagre living to an economically viable state, they want light on their streets, security of lives irrespective of their region, food security and more jobs to be created for the teeming youths in the nation.

Clearly, PDP has begun to see the other side of life devoid of power, now they can do anything to have it back and hang on to it “forever”. The only people who can easily bring them to power is All Progressives Congress (APC) through errors they might commit during their own tenure. We now have options as a people to chose, between progressives and conservatives, between frugality and extravagance, between policies and statements. Whatever we might think about, President Buhari should be proactive and ready to lift up the people. The lesson will be best appreciated if he strictly adheres to his policies of job provision, adequate security and controlling corruption.