Former Deputy Governors in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has decried exclusion from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The former leaders under the umbrella ‘Forum of Former Deputy Governors’ expressed their disapproval during a visit to the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Ganduje in the party headquarters, on Monday in Abuja.
The Forum was led by the former deputy governor of Abia state, Chris Akomas.
They said for effectiveness of the party, there is the need for the inclusion of former deputy governors, considering their experience and knowledge of the states they represent.
“Our own interest should be protected. You captured speakers and deputy speakers but leave out people that served and represented the whole state, people who carry structures of a state.
“It is not good neither for the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria nor for the political party or for effective governance. This is because the effectiveness of governance has to do with bringing in cross-fertilisation of ideas. As we said, within the forum of deputy governors, there are expertise, experience, knowledge and professionalism. That has to be done across boards”, they said.
Responding, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Ganduje noted that the position of deputies in Nigeria is a controversial one but not peculiar to only deputy governors.
Citing inferences from his book that addresses the indispensable role of deputies, the National Chairman said most deputies in Nigeria contend with being tagged a sycophant.
Ganduje said: “There is no doubt the position of the Deputy Governor is the most controversial position in governance. Not only in Nigeria but all over the world. Except in some nations where some of the governors contest on his own party. The Deputy Governor can contest in another party. And win the election and they work together.
“In Nigeria, it has to be the same ticket. The position of the Deputy Governor as I always say is the most controversial position. That is why God has no deputy. Everybody is a servant. It is a no go area. But we as humans the constitution has to provide for it as a spare tire. And we all know the importance of a spare tire. If you don’t need it when you are normal then you will need it when you are in trouble.
“Deputy Governors will have to contend with one issue. The issue of sycopancy. As I always say, it very easy to get it right as far as his boss is concerned. What I was trying to say was that our position was faced with difficulties. When you are walking with a governor, if you are walking so that you are going side by side, so that if he talks to you so that you can hear him, and you talk to him he cam hear you, sycophants will say you are rubbish and all that. If you are in the front and there is any accident, or dangerous elements even snakes, and let it bite you first before biting your principal sycophants will say you have overtaken him.
“If you respect your principal and you stay behind, let him go front, sycophants will say you are developing a lelukewarm attitude. Therefore you are retreating. Now, tell me which position will you take? It is difficult. That is why I decided to write a book. Even up till now that problem is still on. In fact, if it persist, we are trying to organise a national conference on the relationship between Governors and their Deputies.
“My book is not dwelling on governors and deputies and even including the President and Vice President considering what happened between Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar. I focused on deputizing because in everything you have deputizing. So I said deputizing and governance in Nigeria. If you are a Chancellor you have Vice Chancellor or Deputy Vice Chancellor. If you have managing director you will have deputy managing director. If you are a principal, you have vice principal.
“You can see that it is the concept that is important not the key people that are there.”
