By Annabel Ogheneganre
Crab mentality, also known as crab theory, that is crabs in a bucket mentality, or the crab-bucket effect, is a mentality of which people will try and prevent others from gaining a favourable position in something, even if it has no effect on those trying to stop them. It is a way of thinking best described by the phrase “If I can’t have it, neither can you’’.
The metaphor refers to a pot of crabs in which one tries to escape over the side, but is relentlessly pulled down by others in the pot. This mentality ensures a group’s collective defeat or demise. There are no winners with this kind of mentality; only losers.
Sadly the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State tries to reduce the self-confidence of any member who achieves success, out of envy, jealousy, resentment, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, in order to halt their progress. Ask the Deputy President of the 9th Senate to tell you his experience and you will be shocked.
This has been the experience of anyone who has won any election or gotten nominated for any position from APC Delta state. I strongly believe that this is the reason APC at the National level no longer takes APC Delta seriously. Just announce the name of any Delta APC member for appointment and Abuja will be inundated with petitions from members of party in Delta state. These complaints range from the mundane to the ridiculous and it is simply a horrible experience. This writer has been told severally that some go to the extent of involving Juju and witchcraft. Violence is celebrated except that we are yet to see assassins on the prowl. Instructions and or counter instructions are given to appear to be supportive while the structure is used to frustrate efforts. This ‘Pull Him Down’ (PHD) syndrome is very sad and unproductive and is the reason outsiders are collecting all Delta APC entitlements in Abuja.
Of the four elected officials of the party in the 2019 elections only, Rev Francis Ejiroghene Waive got re-elected in the 2023 general elections. Ask the two State Assembly members (Hon Innocent Anidi and Hon Charles Oniyere) who did not return to office and they will tell you that it was not the other political parties or the electorates that sent them packing. It was their fellow party men and women. For Rev Waive who survived, it was a tug of war. Serious attempts to stop him from getting the party ticket in 2023 included luring strong aspirants from PDP, smearing Rev Waive’s name (for no just cause) and publicly harassing him in APC gatherings. Thus the General Election was easier for him than the primaries. Let me save you his harrowing experience during the excruciating litigations that followed.
Investigate APC’s three attempts at the Governorship seat, the story is the same. Emerhor in 2015, Ogboru in 2019 and Omo Agege in 2023 it was a case of dog eating dog. Delta State was said to be a low hanging fruit for APC in 2019 and even more so in 2023. But the crab mentality destroyed all of that. All Delta APC members do is pull down those who are ahead of them and so they are all down and none to lift them up. Without mincing words, except the narrative changes, Delta APC is doomed on this trajectory as a party in Delta state.
There are those who ascribe to themselves the power and praise that they have no other party to go to and there are others who ascribe power and praise to others based on what they know nothing about and yet there also those whose stock-in-trade has been campaigns of calumny against elected and appointed members of their own party.
I wrote an article before the last primaries on ‘the sins of Rev Waive’ wherein I made it clear that the performance of the lawmaker was excellent and that his persecution by his party men was definitely unreasonable. But this trend has been entrenched and propagated even by some who pretend to be a team such that despite Rev Waive’s level-headedness and respect for constituted authority, abusing him has continued daily on most APC WhatsApp platforms and APC gatherings. Unfortunately, this is causing more problems and division and will not change the sad reality that stares the party in the face come 2027. We cannot continue to do the same things and expect a different outcome!
Delta APC must be wary of those who malign others and believe only their wards and friends are good enough to stand for elective or appointive positions instead of allowing a level playing field for all who aspired. Elders and Leaders who promote division and drive away party members through their actions (or inaction) do not mean well for the party. In 2019 Omo Agege followers mocked Ogboru followers who claimed Omo Agege won because of Ogboru’s influence asking why that influence didn’t give Ogboru the Governorship. Today the chicken has come home to roost. Rev Waive’s followers could as well ask Omo Agege followers the same question. If this trend continues, where would it land the party? One thing is clear, instigating your followers to shutdown a party man during campaigns and pretending to beg for the victim is a bad seed that yields no good. Let our people get this clear, the Rev Francis Waive I know will never measure heights with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Supporters of both leaders should be wary of how issues are handled in the best interest of the party and the general well being of the people.
That brings me to a recent video done by Rev Francis Waive in which he appealed to Urhobo people of all political party persuasions, particularly the UPU to rally round the Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori in the discharge of his responsibilities to Deltans. His appeal was borne out of genuine concern by Urhobos to discard the crab mentality and support their own to succeed Unlike the Anioma nation (PDP and APC leaders alike) which rallied round former Governor Okowa for his 8 years in Government House, Urhobo is a case study in the crab syndrome hence the appeal became timely.
Since then, the internet has been on fire with both APC and PDP members feasting on the message for different reasons. Many concluded that Rev Waive was on his way out of the APC and so should be hanged. I have been inundated with remarks that PDP has already positioned itself for a great harvest. In times like this, APC ought to be more discreet and circumspect. The message, to me, was harmless from an honest and straightforward heart, a sure pan-Urhobo point of view. Meanings have been read into it but what is important is whether the man is committed to the APC or not. Those waiting to reap a great personal harvest from his exit from APC are already celebrating, not out of any genuine concern for the welfare and progress of Urhobo but out of selfish desire. This is quite unfortunate, typical of the crab mentality.
Delta APC should know and understand very well that Rev Waive still remains the best Lawmaker in the House of Representatives from Delta State. He is a shining example of what a lawmaker should be. His dazzling performance is second to none. Even PDP members testify to his superlative performance. He is the cynosure of many eyes once he is on his feet to present issues bordering on the progress of NIgeria on the floor of the House. Those grumbling and fighting hard to dislodge him are only out for personal interests. The crab mentality is at work.
Fortunately, the proponents of the crab theory also recommended ways to deal with it. There are 3 documented ways to deal with the Crab mentality: Ignore them, be good to them, forgive them.
Without a doubt, ignoring these acts will only serve to fan the embers of evil that will eventually destroy the fortunes of the party in the state. All true lovers of APC must therefore speak up, speak out and call out perpetrators because evil perpetuates when good men keep quiet. It is of course okay to remain good to the perpetrators as a way of demonstrating a better approach and also to forgive one another even as the Holy Scriptures prescribes.
However, I strongly recommend a fourth way of dealing with this problem: it is Synergy – let all party men work together; irrespective of who is elected or not; appointed or not. If you are not elected or appointed now, your time will come, that is if you prepare, work and plan for it. The opposite of the crab phenomenon is Synergy. Without synergy, the 3 ways mentioned above will fail to yield positive results.
I conclude by quoting Dr Ejovwoke who said “Don’t ever be jealous or envious of others’ success. We are getting too hateful and envious. If you can’t win a race, help the person in front of you break the record. Your candle doesn’t lose its light by the existence of another shining candle”.
From what I am seeing at my little corner, no amount of Reconciliation Committee will save the All Progressives Congress in Delta State come 2027 if the party does not deliberately purge itself of this cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the party in our state. Whatever is being done in the name of reconciliation will yield a similar result as being experienced in Rivers State PDP where the BOT of the party is pretending to be on a reconciliation mission whereas, they flog and crucify Nyesom Wike in favour of his godson, Sim Fubara, current Governor of that State. Working in synergy with a genuine heart to build and promote the general good of all is the only elixir to turn the fortune of the party around.
The APC have got a good chance to put its house in order before the next election season failing which we will not need a prophet to foretell the fate that awaits the party in Delta state come 2027. A stitch in time saves nine.
Annabel Ogheneganre writes from Abuja.
