Suddenly, the noise stopped. Femi Fani-Kayode (alias FFK) went quiet as the overblown propaganda machine of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did very little to convince the electorate.
FFK, the publicity director of Jonathan Goodluck’s campaign did his job beyond the call of duty. He personalised his assault on Muhammadu Buhari in the name of discrediting the only formidable opponent of the PDP.
It’s interesting that after so much negative and derogatory remarks against Buhari, FFK is almost like a fish out of water. The PDP is virtually done with him, just like the All Progressive Congress’ (APC) rejection of his membership. It’s obvious the former aviation minister is no longer in bed with either of the two front running parties.
Why should Fani-Kayode, a man in his prime, be deserted so early? The answer is simple: FFK is unreal with life. He wants to belong without commitment. He would protect any party whose umbrella can buy him temporary freedom. Freedom from the law, in his fight to exonerate himself from the money laundering charges. Although, in my own opinion, these charges are frivolous, but this is Nigeria, a country where jungle justice prevails.
FFK’s loud and abusive noise in the media, for obvious reasons, did not translate to election victory for his erstwhile party. A victory would have given him permanent shield from prosecution and, it did not happen. Therefore, he will continue with the case until justice or injustice is concluded.
What I find strange about Fani-Kayode’s unwarranted arsenal against President Buhari in the election campaign is his naivety about the dynamics of life. Change was inevitable, most Nigerians saw it and reflected it in the election results but for some reason, and this is always peculiar to politicians, the mouthpiece of the PDP and the other heavy weights did not believe for a second that the tide had changed; Nigerians were yearning for a new direction.
From the Osun state gubernatorial election, presidential, and the scramble for Lagos governorship contests, FFK’s rhetoric did not work for his party. The megaphone pouring his venom became blocked and inaudible when Jonathan lost the election. He tried to reactivate his loud voice in the Lagos state gubernatorial contest, but this time, there was no echo to reverberate. Agbaje, his last hope to reappear on the podium of minor relevance, finally lost. A few weeks ago, Chief Fani-Kayode turned his verbal attack on his own party; he credited the mild, humiliating defeat of Goodluck to his relentless effort. Goodluck Jonathan would have lost, at least, 10 million votes to Buhari had it not been for FFK’s effort, he lamented.
So, what next for the megaphone of the PDP as the possibility of expulsion from the party hangs on his window?
My advice to the former minister is to join a political party for ideological conviction, not for social convenience. Camping and decamping from one political party to another in the name of social and economic benefits show the instability in a politician’s behaviour. It does not indicate a firm and reliable individual who is capable of handling affairs of this country in any position of service to the people.
When he was in the APC, his verbal attacks on the PDP members, especially Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past President, were crude and denigrating. After migrating to the PDP, Fani-Kayode, like rain drops, relentlessly assassinated characters of top members of the APC. Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu became his personal targets. Unfortunately, the exercise was in pure futility; very few took notice, and voted for change.
Politics and political parties should be based on ideology, not for economic convenience and reward. An ideology is a set of beliefs that affects our outlook on the world. Our ideology is our most closely held set of values and feelings, and it acts as the filter through which we see everything and everybody. In fact, these beliefs are often so close to us that we do not realise that they are there. We simply think that our beliefs are natural and obviously true. Religion is one type of ideology, and religious belief affects a person’s views.
What does it mean to be a Liberal or Conservative? What does it mean to be a Socialist or a Communist? These terms, or labels, refer to a belief in the way government should run within a society—also known as a political ideology. Political ideologies are belief systems that provide people with a perspective on the proper role of elected officials, which types of public policies should be prioritised, and how the various elements of society should be arranged. Whether or not they realise it, most people possess a definitive political ideology. In the United States, most citizens consider themselves liberal, moderate, or conservative. In other countries, you may find a majority of people who identify as Socialists, Marxists, or even Anarchists. Most ideologies are identified by their position on a political spectrum—a way of comparing or visualising different political ideologies. The political spectrum is usually described along a left-middle-right line. It is important to recognise that many ideologies defy categorisation, mainly because they encompass views on different parts of the spectrum. Muhammadu Buhari is revered by Nigerians today because of his firm ideological stand. He refused to change his beliefs; he refused to be cajoled into the PDP’s unstable and corrupt image.
One aspect of FFK’s personalised, abusive politics is how low and disrespectful he is viewed by the Nigerian public. Everyone sees the former aviation minister as an uncoordinated, crude and desperate-for-power individual. The defamatory level he took Buhari and Tinubu to, just to achieve victory for Jonathan, further exposed his weakness, lousiness, and unrefined character in politics. He is less of an asset and more of a nuisance to any political party wishing to associate with him. I am not surprised that although the PDP lost most of the elections, especially at the Presidential level, the party will not, at this crucial time, accept Fani-Kayode’s big baggage.
In my view, the PDP’s loss in the elections would have been minimized if the party had employed the services of a more decent and respectful orator to appeal to the electorate.
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