A former Minister of Aviation and a vociferous critic of the regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), Femi Fani-Kayode’s recent defection to the All Progressives Party shouldn’t come as a surprise to any Nigerian as far as I’m concerned. Perhaps, those that were caught unaware by his defection are not familiar with his antecedents.
FFK’s move to the APC, a party which he has relentlessly criticised over the years and vowed not to have anything to do with should ordinarily not be national news, considering that is the behavior of the typical Nigerian politician. However, the rancorous statements FFK had made in the past about the president and his party cannot just be swept under the carpet.
He did not only taunt the president, he swore never to be associated with the party. He had severally described the President as an exremist, religious bigot and ethnic crusader.
Also, Fani-Kayode never hesitated to identify himself with any association or persons that were anti-Buhari. One can readily recall his meetings with the founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu; and the Yourba activist, Sunday Igboho. At those meetings, he assured the separatists that he was fully in support of their causes. But, with recent developments, should it be concluded that FFK deceived and betrayed these two people and their supporters, considering that both of them are currently being detained by the Buhari regime?
It irks me that FFK is trying to justify his defection by referencing the spirit of God as the reason for his action. He even went ahead to say that Nigerians should be expecting a massive exodus of other politicians to the APC.
As far as I’m concerned, FFK is not looking for change anywhere, neither is he putting the interest of the country first like he claims. He is only trying to secure his meal ticket. Meanwhile, I don’t think FFK properly ‘calculated’ his cross carpet action. I foresee that he would face some challenges in the APC.
First, he will have issues of trust. I don’t see him being trusted with any political secret, because the facts have shown that is politically unstable and will always change his stand whenever he senses personal gratification somewhere else.
Second, he will have issues of reconciliations. Not everyone he had criticised and castigated in the past will readily forgive him, whether they are now in the same party or not.
There are other questions that are begging for answers, such as, of what political value is FFK to APC? He is not known to have contested for any political office and won. Rather, he has always enjoyed political appointments. Will FFK be consequential in the 2023 elections? Those are the realities that will unfold with time.
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