Yabagi Sani
By Lawal Tijjani
Political parties are the building blocks of democracy and should be archetypes of true democracy.
Where leaders of political parties turn to act like emperors, true lovers of democracy should rise up in defence.
That is the sad reality in the Action Democratic Party (ADP) today.
Engr. Yabagi Sani, the pioneer chairman of the party is standing democracy on its head.
The man has been chairman of the party for two terms, yet he refuses to yield for new leadership.
This he does in clear violation of the party constitution.
Article 45.1(a) of the ADP Constitution clearly spells out the tenure of party officers.
It says they “shall hold a particular office for a term of four years and shall be eligible for re-election only for one term.”
By that provision, no officer including the National Chairman is entitled to more than eight years in office. Two terms and no more.
Yet Engr. Sani is doing a third term in office.
The most painful part of it is that he is not ready to abide by the party constitution he swore to uphold.
In his quest to perpetuate himself in office, he has serially committed acts that are unconstitutional, disgraceful and demeaning to the party.
The result is the mass exodus of the founding fathers and pillars of the party.
All the pioneer officers of the party, except the National Welfare Officer, Hon. James Ogbodo have left.
The likes of Dr. James Okoroma, the pioneer National Secretary of the ADP; the late Dr. Declan Ogar, pioneer National Treasurer; the late Chief Alao Akara; Chief Martin Kunle Olagbegi; Babatunde Gbadamosi; Chief Alani Bankole; Bello Bawa Bwari; all left because of Engr. Yabagi’s undemocratic and unconstitutional ways.
These were men of substance, men who gave their time, resources and reputation to build the ADP from scratch.
They did not leave because they lost faith in the party. They left because they lost faith in the leadership.
As I write, Engr. Sani is scheming to get key officers out of the party by his acts of high-handedness and absoluteness.
Unfortunately, while this is happening, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) who should initiate the process of removing Engr. Sani appear to be afraid of the man.
They are afraid of losing their positions should they talk about the wrongs committed.
So, for over a whole decade, the party has been poorly managed and its fortunes have plummeted under a very mean, selfish and mindless National Chairman.
This is why Engr. Sani must not be allowed to continue.
First, he has exhausted his constitutional tenure. A man who cannot obey his own party’s constitution cannot be trusted to obey the constitution of Nigeria.
Second, his continued stay is an illegality that erodes the moral authority of the ADP to preach democracy to Nigerians.
How can a party that tolerates a sit-tight chairman demand good governance from others?
Third, his leadership has driven away the best brains of the party.
No organisation grows when its founders are forced out and dissent is punished.
Fourth, his stranglehold on the party has cowed the NWC into silence.
A party where no one can speak truth to the chairman is no longer a democratic party; it is a private estate.
The ADP was founded on the ideals of knowledge, justice and democratic participation.
Its symbol, the book, speaks of learning, openness and light.
Those ideals are incompatible with third-term ambition and emperor-like leadership.
The time to act is now. Party elders, the NWC, NEC and ordinary members must rise to salvage the party.
The constitution must be enforced. Engr. Sani must be eased out, peacefully but firmly in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The ADP cannot continue like this. For the party to survive, grow and regain public confidence, its pioneer chairman must go.
He has overstayed his welcome.
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