It was the legendary Afrobeat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who in one of his several music tracks sang of the Egbekegbes as a bad society or group in any community. He was obviously referring to Argentina which was at war with Britain over the Falkland Island. Britain under the reign of Margret Thatcher as Prime Minister fought with Argentina for several years over the Falklands islands. In the same vein, the US under President Ronald Reagan fought with Libya endlessly. Iraq was slugging it out with Iran to the extent that Iraq under Hassam Hussein defeated Iran and included it into its own country until the US-led allies battled Iraq out of Iran to regain its sovereignty.

Sadly, they were all under United Nations as members. Fela referred to the UN as “beast of no nations.” He could not imagine how nations that have come together as United Nations after the World War 11 to forge peace and unity of the world could have its members at war in such scale at that time.

In the past few weeks, Nigerians have witnessed a gale of political realignments. Politicians moving from one political party to the other ahead of the 2019 general elections for which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has released a time table. Some lawmakers left the APC for the PDP and so do two state governors (Benue and Kwara). In like manner, the APC has been receiving a couple of lawmakers and other groups of defectors from different political parties.

Beyond the defections lies a groundswell political gathering of the Egbekegbes led by the traumatized PDP with an agenda to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress. That in my considered opinion is the wildest dream of a political party ever. The PDP with a very bad image and history, riddled with corruption as part of the plot has indicated that it will change its name forgetting an old maxim that: “there is no amount of packaging that will market a rotten good.” The PDP is rotten from the head and there is no new name or unholy alliance with other crooks that will market them to Nigerians.

Since President Muhagtrmmadu Buhari declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has cashed on it to make reckless and unguarded comments about the person of the President, like in previous elections, they are boasting around that they will win the upcoming general elections in 2019 and go ahead to put a PDP government in place again.

They are also enjoying the patronage of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who openly resigned from the party and tore his membership card in the public. Nigerians are aware that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been making some statements suggestive of his planning to present a candidate for the presidential election next year. He has been strident in condemning the APC-led federal government and Nigerians are wondering who really Obasanjo is to condemn a sitting President when he came up with an agenda to have third term. He made every effort to upturn the constitution of the country to remain perpetually in power and bring all Nigerians under his jackboot.

Having failed in that bid, he masterminded and orchestrated the foisting of a sick man, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua on the nation. Even though it was obvious the man had serious health challenges, Obasanjo imposed him on Nigerians through all crooked means. So today he is leading some political groups to wrest power from the APC. It is obvious that the man is always in need of his puppets in Aso Rock. He supported Goodluck Jonathan to climb to power in the hope and belief that Jonathan will stay all his day in power serving him and not the nation. When his expectations were not met by Jonathan he decided to write him a letter. The rest is history but the long and short of the continued tirade and attack on the Jonathan administration by Obasanjo led to Jonathan’s failure at the 2015 polls.

Two days after Obasanjo asked President Muhammadu Buhari to forget a second term, thirty registered political parties led by the PDP have resolved to field and support one presidential candidate within the coalition for the 2019 general elections.
The parties, under the aegis of ‎coalition for a New Nigeria (CNN), have Alhaji Abdulkadir Salam of the Labour Party (LP) as chairman, Barrister Godson Okoye of the United Democratic Party (UDP) as secretary and Dr. Yunusa Tanko of the National Conscience Party (NCP) as spokesman.

They are not alone in the quest for power. The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and 18 other political parties ‎are said to be discussing a merger deal to form a ‘third force’.

It is understood that ‎the “third force” agenda is to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, eliminate the PDP from the polity and enthrone their men in the political power of the country.
There is nothing wrong in all of these gatherings. I mean the Egbekegbes that will never produce anything good. I am just wondering what magic wand these forces want to use or adopt to seize power from the party in power.

I do not know how prepared they are, but from all indications they are all jesters. The whole country can easily recall how the APC formed a formidable alliance that dislodged the PDP. We were clear- headed from day one what we wanted, and Nigerians were with us. We moved from state to state and local government to local government mobilizing and conscientizing Nigerians. The PDP, like Thomas, doubted our moves all the way. But, like the hawk we were very focused with the APC project.

The APC remains the party that mean well for Nigerians. In fact, the APC will need to consolidate on the gains already achieved. If Nigerians allow the APC to continue, electricity under the watch of Buhari and Fashola will be stable and supplied 24/7 to all Nigerians. I can bet on this with anyone because a lot has been done by the APC government to boost electricity production and distribution across the country. This will certainly reduce the cost of production for both the manufacturing and production companies. It will force down prices of goods and services. It will also lead to a drastic fall in the importation of goods and services as local production of essential goods will rise.

Beyond that agriculture is being positioned to take over from crude oil. Nigeria under the next four years would achieve food self-sufficiency as local production of rice, wheat, millet and vegetables are already being enhanced. Health and Education sectors would definitely assume developed societies levels as so much is already being done to boost healthcare delivery across the country. Public Universities are getting better deal from the current government as could be compared to the immediate past.

It is on these notes that one would state without any equivocations that the APC will defeat any gang-up come 2019. It is obvious that all those gathering in different groups and camps under any guise are going nowhere with such agendas. The PDP-led coalition or Fela’s Egbekegbe society will fall flat on its face when the chips are down.

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Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Edo State.