Endhungerprotest: A vote of No Confidence on APC Leadership
By Rev Olu Martins
Preamble
Has life become so sweet and pleasure so desirable that we must pay for it at the expense of chains and slavery? God Almighty forbid, for I know not others will choose but as for me, give me freedom or give me death – Patrick Henry.
It is trite that when the government is afraid of the people there is liberty, but when it is the people that are afraid of government then there is oppression.
The real test of leadership is the position that it takes in the times of crisis and confrontation. The ongoing #endbadgovernment protest rocking the Nigerian Nation by its very name is a salutory pointer to the failure of the APC as a party and as a government.
Instead of Mr President to address the Nation at this time when it is bleeding, he keeps mute and prefers to allow the Senate president and the minister for the FCT who are known for their loose careless talk take the lead.
This same president before now as a chieftain of the pro democracy group NADECO sponsored and spearheaded several protests and media onslaught against president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan without harassment or restrictive court orders. Who would have thought that a Bola Ahmed Tinubu of yester years would end up leading an administration with a very low leadership rating with even a dose of oppressive tendencies.
The insensitivity of the APC Leadership across board is legendary. On the one hand Minister Wike threatens and the other hand Senate president Godswill Apkabio jeers at Nigerians.
In the morning of the protest we see the constantly lying APC State chairman of Edo State gallivanting the Ring Road trying to convince himself and his gullible followers that no protest is taking place. Clearly he must have given assurances to his financial backers that he and his lions and tigers can stop the protest.
On a good day what APC should be doing is apologizing to Nigerians and not contesting an election either in Edo or Ondo state. APC should honorably withdraw from the Edo elections if they understand that leadership is about empathy, a trait that they do not possess or care about.
Rev Olu Martins is the
Deputy Director General Media and Publicity
Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council