In 1979, Chief Obafemi Awolowo wanted Chief Alayande as Oyo State UPN gubernatorial candidate. However, some party members wanted Bola Ige.
Bola Ige won the primaries and became governor. Awolowo embraced Bola Ige as one of his core lieutenants and the party moved forward.
In Kwara state, Chief Olawoyin was Awolowo’s preferred candidate for the UPN. But some wanted Dr. Cornelius Adebayo. Baba Awolowo’s candidate lost and Adebayo became Kwara state governor.
Free education at all levels, one of the four cardinal programs of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, was initially an Awolowo initiative. But many party members felt it was impossible to implement free education because, as usual, the “nation was broke”. Awolowo and his free education group believed strongly that it was possible. A Committe was set up to verify the two claims. Awolowo didn’t impose it on the party as the highly respected leader.
As usual with Awolowo, an astute politician and public intellectual, he had done his research work perfectly by compiling enough data on the economy’s capacity to finance free education. The party, at last, put free education as a cardinal program.
These are examples of the meaning of Party Supremacy. Awolowo was highly cherished, loved and almost worshiped by his core followers and the Yoruba race for his integrity, foresight, discipline, sound intellect, vision and integrity. No controversy about his date and place of birth, schools attended, source of wealth, his record abroad and in Nigeria were never in doubt. But despite all the adoration, he did not become the “party supremacy” , all in all, the alpha and omega of his party. He was an Omoluabi leader.
Party Supremacy should not reside in one person whereby his will must always be done at all cost and by all means necessary. When party supremacy resides in one man, then it’s no more democracy and popular participation but sheer one man gangsterism lording it over the rest.
Democracy does not die suddenly. It dies by installment enabled by the anti-democratic actions of rogue politicians without scruple. The monsters!
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