Senator Ike Ekweremadu the Last PDP Standing and His Future

Senator Ike Ekweremadu is the last PDP member standing or rather the highest PDP elected member who has a place in the federal government. He is thus in control of PDP. Usually in nations that operate with two strong political parties, each of the parties manage to control an arm of the government, the presidency or the senate or the House. The leader of the arm of government under the opposition party is considered the head of the party for he/she is the only person who can do something in the government. PDP does not control any arm of the Nigeria government except that due to APC’s weakness PDP has the senate deputy president’s post. As the highest ranking PDP member DSP Ekweremadu commands national attention. Exhibit one would be the kind of people who attended his “book lunching,” whatever that means. PDP stalwarts, APC rank and file and even the president via a representative were all there to hear the deputy senate president outline how he sees the future of Nigeria.

Good for him.

Being the effective leader of the opposition is an honor, a privilege, and a challenge.
1. HONOR. It is a big deal whenever one has the attention of his peers. It is not easy to be a leader of a team of individuals with roaring ambitions, of men and women who are always looking for angles or ways to get to the top and to hold on to the position once on top. Yes party unity, which is sine qua non to party success compels team members to play to win. But for one to engender this willingness on the part of these highly motivated team members to sublimit their ambitions is an immense honor. To command the attention of the Head of State of a different political party is even the greatest honor.

2. PRIVILEGE. On paper Nigeria is one of the African super powers. World organizations, such as UN the Commonwealth, ECOWAS, African Union (AU) etc., all consider and recognize Nigeria as a Power House. This means that Ekweremadu is in a position to know what is going on. As the former head of ACOWAS, he had indeed known and influenced the directions of a multinational organization. The problem with honor and privilege is that even as it provides one with power it also limits one’s power. In other words it is both empowering and limiting at the same time. Consider the religious priest. He can hear secrets but cannot use this knowledge in any meaningful way. He cannot blackmail the confessor or use it to put something over the confessor. He is handicapped. But being one who is in a position of privilege provides one great opportunities to do good. He has the ears of say the president, even of an opposing party, thus he can influence some directions of government. He has the ears of the Senate president and can therefore influence what the senate does even though he belongs to the opposition party. DSP Ekweremadu can exert a lot of influence in the affairs of Nigeria, his opposition status notwithstanding.

3. Challenges. The preceding paragraphs spoke of honor and privilege. Well honor and privilege have their challenges. And the challenges are heavier for on who bestrides two opposites. There is a saying that the person most likely to be involved in an accident is the one walking in the middle of the road. Mr. Ekweremadu walks in the middle of the road for if he walks just a little bit to the right he would be crushed and will suffer the same fate if he goes left, it is a tight rope. And I do not envy him. Mr. Ekweremadu wears too many hats:

a. He is the leader of the opposition. The primary duty of the opposition is to regain the governing apparatuses. So for every move by the government the opposition must design a better way to execute the move. But as the DSP he must ensure that the senate helps move forward the designs of the governing party. As DSP his loyalty is to the senate, not to his party and not to his constituency, and not to anybody else. How is Ekweremadu playing this dubious role will be a topic in a future article. 

b. My statement that DSP’s loyalty is to the senate alone is well not quite true, at least not to his constituents. He is their representative and must represent them. I expect Mr. Ekweremadu to bring back to Enugu West, FG deployment projects, to influence the thinking of FG in such a manner that it benefits Enugu People. They expect him to bring jobs, FG scholarships, (not his paltry personal scholarships although that is also welcome); to be our eyes, ears and hands in Abuja his loyalty to the senate be damned! 

c. Mr. Ekweremadu is the leader of the Igbo in Abuja. If the Fulani Herdsmen (or Boko Haram in cow clothing) is killing Easterners in their farms in Nsukka, Nachi, Awgu, Aba, Abagana, Mbaise, etc. We want him to stand up and threaten to pull down the house or else. Holy Ghost fire on the damn Nigeria! My people’s security trumps the integrity of Nigeria. And the Senate. We sent him there for Christ’s sake! The Igbo would say. 

d. He is a Christian also. In Nigerian politics conflicts often turn religious. Mr. Ekweremadu is DSP. In all matters concerning the nation the senate is the senior partner in the legislature and must focus its attention to “what is best for Nigeria.” Suppose that what is best for Nigeria is not what is best for DSP’s many memberships? What does he do?

What he does is why he is paid all the big bucks he is pocketing. He must learn how to play five balls at the same time. He must be a great juggler or quit. He must keep his party together, must quell the rumbling among Enugu people, must feed Igbo ego, keep his eyes on the presidency next time, and fend off FG’s atrocities in the country.

If the cap fits he must wear it.

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Boston, Massachusetts
May 13, 2016